Agenda item

The Interim Director: Children and Community Resilience submitted a report presenting the ‘Domestic Abuse Strategy 2021/24’ within the context of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and a new duty placed on Tier One local authorities in England, and sought approval for the Domestic Abuse Strategy 2021/24 to be published in line with the statutory requirement to publish this first Strategy under section 57 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 on or before 31 October 2021 as set out in regulations.

The Interim Director in her report explained that The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (the Act) was signed into law on 29 April 2021. The Act was underpinned by the Domestic Abuse (Local Authority Strategies) Regulations 2021 and the Domestic Abuse Support (Relevant Accommodation) Regulations 2021.  The feedback on the Government consultation on the Delivery of Support to Victims of Domestic Abuse, including Children, in Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Services: Statutory guidance for local authorities across England Draft for consultation was being analysed. A Government consultation on the underpinning Domestic Abuse Draft Statutory Guidance Framework was in place until 14 September 2021.

Part 4 of the Act introduced a new statutory duty on local authorities, placing clearer accountability on local areas to ensure the needs of victims within refuges, and other forms of domestic abuse safe accommodation, would be met in a consistent way across England. The Act placed a new duty on local authorities to provide support to victims of domestic abuse and children in safe accommodation. Under this duty relevant local authorities were required to appoint a Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board to support them in undertaking local needs assessments and developing and monitoring local strategies. Local authorities were also required to provide effectively or commission support services for victims and children in safe accommodation, based on a local strategy informed by a robust needs assessment, and report back annually to Government.

The report stated that the Council had established a Domestic Abuse Partnership Board consisting of key partners in July 2021 which must be consulted in relation to certain aspects of the new duty. A local ‘Domestic Abuse Needs Assessment’ had been compiled to assess the needs for support to victims and children in safe accommodation, including those who come from outside of North Lincolnshire, alongside the need for wider domestic abuse services and this wider approach is encouraged by Government.

Underpinned by the Needs Assessment, the Domestic Abuse Strategy 2021/24 was predicated on the need to tackle domestic abuse as a priority and to prevent and reduce domestic abuse if progress was to be made on the priorities identified with the Council Plan (to keep people safe and well, enable resilient and flourishing communities and enable economic growth and renewal).  Specifically, the Strategy aimed to achieve the priority for individuals to be safe and well in their homes and in their communities and within the context of the council’s values, it prioritised those who had additional need and aimed to reduce inequalities and improve outcomes, taking account of those with relevant protected characteristics and multiple complex needs.

The Strategy articulated three areas of focus on which the Council would ‘shine a light' on for partnership action and system change to contribute to victims, children and perpetrators being safe, well, prosperous and connected and for individuals to be safe and well in their homes and in their communities. These were early identification and early help; safety and support; and working together. Under each of these ‘shine a light’ areas of focus, the Strategy detailed the intents and clarified the specific partnership action and system change that the Council intended to achieve.  A high-level implementation timeline was included for monitoring and oversight by the Domestic Abuse Partnership Board.

Associated resource implications were summarised in paragraph 5 of the report.

Resolved – (a) That the Domestic Abuse Strategy 2021/24 be approved for publication, and (b) that progress on the Domestic Abuse Strategy be reported to Cabinet on an annual basis.