Agenda item

Briefing note of the Executive Director of People

Councillor Dr R Auluck, Deputy Cabinet Member for Community Development, Co-operatives and Social Enterprise (with Special Emphasis on Domestic Violence and Sexual Exploitation) has been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item along with Sarah Marsden and Eileen Havern, Fry Housing Trust

Further to Minute 29/15, the Committee considered a briefing note of the Executive Director of People which provided an update on the Perpetrator programme provided by Fry Housing Trust including child perpetrators and referral times. Councillor Abbott, Cabinet Member for Community Development, Co-operatives and Social Enterprise attended the meeting for the consideration of this item along with Sarah Marsden and Eileen Havern, Fry Housing Trust.

The briefing note indicated that the new commissioned Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA) service was commissioned on 29^th September, 2014 and replaced existing contracts. A key component of the new service was the introduction of the formal perpetrator programme ‘Brighter Futures’ which had been developed by Coventry University and was a pro-active approach to managing DVA in the city. The Committee were informed that Coventry was one of a small number of authorities who commissioned a specific service for perpetrators with a contracted spend of £68,000 per annum.

Brighter Futures was a solution focussed perpetrator programme which lasted 10 weeks, run mainly through group sessions. The University had worked closely with Fry Housing to train and develop their staff to deliver the programme.

The programme was also open to people under the age of 18 but only 2 aged 16-17 had accessed the service. 230 children had been referred to social care where the perpetrator had accessed the service. Between April and September, 2015 119 people had accessed the programme, of which 54 had completed. There were approximately 40 people waiting to access the course. The briefing note provided further details about the participants.

Information was provided on the initial outcomes for the programme to date. As part of the contractual requirement, Fry Housing was to obtain feedback from perpetrators. In summary, there were high reports on positive feedback/changes; perpetrators having a greater understanding of DVA; and victims were reported to feel safer.

The following measures were proposed to further develop the service:

·  Prioritising the waiting list based on assessed risk through referring agencies

·  Regional work to look at work with perpetrators

·  Look at training professionals from other organisations to deliver the programme

·  Training in appropriate languages/ interpreters.

Members questioned the officers and representatives on a number of issues and responses were provided, matters raised included:  

·  Work with the Statutory Agencies

·  Further details about the initial outcomes for the programme. There was an acknowledgement about the difficulties and complexities of obtaining feedback for outcomes

·  Details about the support available for perpetrator’s victims

·  Further details about availability, waiting times and prioritisation

·  The liaison and work with new communities in the city

·  Clarification about 1:1s, group sessions and the need to provide catch up sessions

·  A breakdown of where referrals came from and if there were hotspots

·  Clarification that the numbers given for completing the programme were low because clients were still engaged on the programme

·  What actions were taken to prevent perpetrators from dropped out of the programme

·  What was the national situation as regards to perpetrator programmes

·  Potential funding opportunities which would allow for programme expansion

·  The importance of information sharing to secure outcomes was highlighted, any future funding bids would be determined on outcomes.

RESOLVED that the progress update on the Perpetrator Programme provided by Fry Housing Trust be welcomed and officers be requested to keep Members updated regarding the considerations of the Police and Crime Commissioner about a potential regional Perpetrator Programme.