Barnardos Domestic violence: Risk Assessment Model Maddie Bell Domestic Violence Consultant e-mail: [e-mail] [e-mail]

1
Barnardos Domestic violenceRisk Assessment
ModelMaddie Bell Domestic Violence
Consultante-mail maddie.bell_at_barnardos.org.uk
libby.fry_at_barnardos.org.uk
2
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE A Risk Assessment Model

• PRINCIPLES OF THE MODEL
• Protecting children is the first priority
• Protecting the non-abusing parent usually the
  mother helps protect the child
• Providing supportive resources
• Perpetrators are responsible for their abusive
  behaviour
• Respecting the non-abusing parents right to
  direct their life without placing children at
  increase risk of further abuse.

3
N.Ireland DOMESTIC VIOLENCE A Risk Assessment
Model

• BACKGROUND
• Adapted from a manual produced by the Ontario
  Ministry of Community and Social Services in
  Canada by Barnardos NI
• Piloted and implemented with Social Care Trusts
  in Northern Ireland by Barnardos over a 4 year
  period. ( 2003 to 2008) and case data collected
  to support development of the threshold scales of
  risk factors and nine assessment areas
• Endorsed by the NI Regional Steering Group for
  domestic violence, Social Care Trusts who now
  fund the models implementation and supportive by
  Trusts ACPCs NI Safeguarding Board is
  currently being established
• Gender specific assessing male to female
  domestic violence but includes a framework for
  understanding female use of violence

• The model in NI was initially
• designed for use by Social Work staff to assess
  the severity of domestic abuse experienced by
  children and young people, living within families
  exposed to domestic violence.
• The model consists of
• A core assessment tool with nine assessment areas
  
• A set of threshold scales which were initially
  designed to analysis the level of risk to
  children and young people and have now developed
  into the multi-agency risk identification scales
  as outlined in London Safeguarding Board Policy
  document Safeguarding Children abused through
  domestic abuse
• Safety planning interventions for women,
  children, and young people

4
BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Risk Assessment Model

• AIMS
• To help children and young people stay safe and
  healthy, that is to attain the objectives for
  children outlined in Every Child Matters 2004.
  and Children Act 1989
• To increase the competence of Social care
  professionals and Multi-agency staff when dealing
  with domestic violence through a training and
  mentoring package.

• OBJECTIVES
• To assist staff to identify risks to children
  from domestic violence
• To assist staff in decisions whether a case
  presents as in need of a safeguarding response or
  family support
• To help staff to make appropriate intervention
  for children, non-abusing parent and perpetrators
• To provide a specific domestic violence risk
  assessment format within initial and core
  assessments

5
BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Risk Assessment Model

• Implementation
• Phase 1 Formation of Steering Group
• Phase 2 Presentation to Local Safeguarding
  Board
• Phase 3 Training Module 1 Multi-agency ½ day
  DV awareness training and use of the threshold
  scales and professional guidance.100
  Multi-agency staff (inc CAF assessors, health
  professionals, education)
• Phase 4 Training Module 2 3- Two days
  training on initial core domestic violence risk
  assessment model.
• Phase 5 Training Module 4 -One day training on
  safety planning interventions with children and
  mothers.
• 25 social workers or key practitioners. E.g.
  CP coordinator, Police etc
• Phase 6 Mentoring practice learning session
• Groups of 5/6 staff four session each, usually
  on a monthly bases.

• Four separate modules
• Module 1 Multi-agency domestic violence
  threshold scale
• Designed for front-line multi-agency staff to
  enable screening/ identification of risk and to
  provide specific guidance for the initiation of
  CAF and appropriate levels of intervention
• Module 2 Domestic Violence Initial Assessment
  within Social care
• Training consisting of a number of triggers for
  assessing the risk to children and the non
  abusing parent for use by Social care staff
  whilst undertaking an initial assessment
• Module 3 Domestic Violence CORE assessment
  within Social Care A specific in-depth DV core
  assessment tool to be used by Social Care staff
  when children/ YP are subject to core assessment.
  Sec 17/47 of CA 89
• Module 4 Safety intervention with children and
  mothers Provides social care staff with safety
  planning interventions to be undertaken with
  children/yp and the non abusing parent during
  initial assessment and core assessment process.

6
BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Risk Assessment Model

• OUTCOMES
• Increased staff awareness and understanding of
  the dynamics of DV and the risks domestic
  violence presents for children and young people
• An improvement in Social workers ability to
  respond more effectively to domestic violence.
• Safety planning and risk assessment will enable
  staff to assess childrens safety in families
  where domestic violence occurs
• Non-abusing parent will be more aware of the
  risks posed by domestic violence and be able to
  keep themselves and their child safer

• More accurate core assessments where domestic
  violence is intensely assessed
• More children and young people will be identified
  as requiring support and safeguarding
• Children/ YP and the non-abusive parent will have
  safety planning interventions aimed at improving
  their safety.
• Parallel process model matches other risk
  assessment tools Multi-Agency Risk Assessment
  Conference (MARAC), SPECCS (Domestic Violence
  Risk assessment used by the Police) and
  Co-ordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse
  (CARDA) .

7
BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Risk Assessment Model

• BENEFITS
• Greater support to staff dealing with domestic
  violence cases
• It enhances the assessment process within CAF as
  a specific risk assessment tool.
• It supports the Governments objective within
  Every Child Matters
• Maintains the focus of domestic violence as a
  main concern within the assessment framework
  without marginalising any other significant
  concern

• BENEFITS
• More specialised domestic violence assessment of
  families during section 47 section 17 enquiries
• Provides a consistent multi-agency framework to
  identify and assess level of risk
• Increases safeguarding of children with greater
  informed decision making.
• Greater focus on the needs of children and
  victims
• Offers holistic support to families