Welcome to Powys Domestic Abuse Forum

The Powys Domestic Abuse Forum is a multi-agency partnership of statutory and voluntary organisations who are involved with or who may come into contact with those experiencing domestic abuse or violence. The Forum is integral to the Powys Community Safety Strategy and is linked to the Local Safeguarding Children's Board (LSCB) and vulnerable adults procedures (APC).

Counselling for Children and Young People

Kooth.com is now up and running as a counselling facility for children and young people in Powys. All they need to do is access the site and register. It is a fun site with blogging and games facilities as well as the ability to talk to a counsellor on-line. A new one-to-one counselling provider has also been commissioned by the CYPP - Area 43 - this facility should be available for referrals in mid July.

RSPCA PetRetreat

The RSPCA PetRetreat service relies on foster carers to give pets loving homes for around four to six months (although this can be for longer). Fostering a pet can be a pleasurable and rewarding experience, and is essential for the RSPCA's PetRetreat service to continue helping families and animals.

Working Groups

Three distinct working groups have now been formed to examine the three sections of the PDAF Action Plan. They will be responsible for progressing the actions specified, sourcing funding and reporting back to the main Forum

Working Group 1 - Support for Victims

This group will next meet on Thursday, 28th January 2010 at Radnor Womens Aid Offices in Llandrindod Wells at 10 am.

Working Group 2 - Protection and Justice

The next meeting is at 1.30 pm on Wednesday 6th January 2010 in the Members Lounge, The Gwalia, Llandrindod Wells.

Working Group 3 - Prevention and Early Detection

The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 10th February 2010 at Llanddewi Village Hall, Llandrindod Wells at 10 am.

PDAF Events

Next PDAF Forum Meeting - 1st February 2010 at 10am in Committee Room A, The Gwalia, Llandrindod Wells.

Next Regional Meeting - Tuesday, 8th December 2009 10.30 at Police Headquarters, Carmarthen

Latest News

Home Office Funding

IDVA

The IDVA is Joyce Hughes who is currently employed by Hafan Cymru but will work as an independent for the life of the project. Her contact details are her own direct landline: 01686 629831 and her mobile is :07990 524695, and she can be reached by email on Joyce.Hughes@hafancymru.co.uk. She works four days a week, Monday through Thursday, and covers the whole of Powys and Ceredigion.

The Community Safety Partnerships have made a financial commitment to continue the post of Independent Domestic Violence Advisor service (IDVA)at least for the time being. Further Home Office funding has now been made available - £10K for each county. Further work is being done by the SDVC Committee to seek ways to make this funding mainstream. £1million extra funding has been made available for domestic abuse and members are urged to write to Dr Brian Gibbons in order to influence his decision to put a substantial amount towards maintaining the IDVA posts across Wales.

MARAC

The Home Office paid a grant for the CAADA Implementation programme that provides training for agencies. A full training day and a follow up visit have both now completed. Joyce completed the CAADA training for IDVAs and she had great results with commendations all round. CAADA are now putting further training into the Dyfed-Powys region - details to follow after the Regional Meeting in December.

The Action Plan includes drawing up Terms of Reference for the Powys MARAC and the possible adoption by all partner agencies of the CAADA Risk Assessment. Working Group 2 has been adopted as the Steering Group for MARAC.

Training

The first five sessions of five training days planned throughout Powys have been delivered. All sessions were fully booked and went well.

Future Dates

5th November 2009 - Offas Dyke Centre, Knighton. - This was cancelled due to poor take up.

24th February 2009 - Plas Machynlleth.

Bookings can be made through Trent at Powys County Council or by emailing the PDAF Co-ordinator.

An E Learning package is being developed, offering internet access to free domestic abuse training and information

Living with the Dominator

The book ‘Living with the Dominator’ by Pat Craven with illustrations by the acclaimed artist Jacky Fleming is now published in paperback. This book about the Freedom Programme explains violent and abusive behaviour and places it in a social context. It can help readers of any age and sexual orientation to change their own behaviour and to recognise when they are being controlled. Pat Craven is the creator of the Freedom Programme. Jacky Fleming has produced several books and her illustrations have appeared in the Guardian, New Statesman and the Independent on Sunday. This book can be bought from the web site www.freedomprogramme.co.uk or Amazon. www.amazon.co.uk