Powys Domestic Abuse Forum
Minutes of meeting held 15th June, 2009 at 10.00 am
Committee Room A, The Gwalia, Ithon Road, Llandrindod Wells
Present: Margaret Richards, Domestic Abuse Forum Co-ordinator (MAR) Mrs Angela Morgan, Independent Chair (AM) Angela Wragg, Powys LHB (AW) Sara Humphreys, Tai Hafan (SH) Lynda Rogers, Womens Safety Worker Tai Hafan (LR) Bethan Williams, Victim Support (BW) Ceri Wood,Brecknock Women’s Aid (CW) Ruth Wright, Radnor Women’s Aid (RW) Rob Powell, Homelessness Team Manager, Powys County Council Adrian Jones, Supporting People Manager
Welcome: The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. 1. Apologies Louisa Kerr, Community Safety Manager (LK) Joyce Hughes, IDVA Lynne Jones LHB (LJ) Christine Jones, RELATE Cymru (CJ) Stephen Connolly, Army Welfare Service (SC) Simon Moran, Army Welfare Service (SM) Lynette Evans, CAFCASS Cymru Lisa Hubbard, Women’s Safety Worker IDAP (LH) Pauline Galluccio, LHB Head of Child Protection Alex Thompson, Safeguarding Manager, PCC Susan Newport, Powys LHB Pat Craven, Freedom Programme (PC) Muriel Ryan, Powys CAB Peter Gilbert, Victim Support (MR) Susan Morley, PAVO (SM) Yan James (YJ) Andy Kaye, Adult Protection, Social Care Services (AK) Jane Stephens, MFCC (JS) Pauline Galluccio, Powys LHB (PG) 2. Minutes of the Forum Launch meeting held on 2nd March 2009 and matters arising The minutes were accepted as a true and accurate record.
3. Forum Structure Update MAR explained that following the New Forum Structure Launch in March three Working Groups had been formed. Working Group 1 will deal with ‘Support for Victims’, Working Group 2 will deal with ‘Protection and Justice’, Working Group 3 will deal with ‘Prevention and Early Detection’. All three groups had now had at least one meeting and a list of actions had come from them. MAR took the meeting through the various actions, some of which were already gaining good results. WG1 The Purple Directories had now been distributed throughout the county to Hospitals, Doctors Surgeries, Police Stations, Council Offices, Libraries and Colleges. Providers had also received an initial supply and PAVO had received some. CW asked for a further amount for BWA and Powys Mediation requested some. MAR had recently attended a meeting with the Housing Manager, David Roffey, and members of the Homelessness, Rents and Lettings Teams. This had resulted in a representative from the Homelessness Team and the Lettings Team offering to attend the next MARAC meeting. This will fill a significant gap in the membership of the group. AJ asked what their remit would be and whether it would be more inclusive if Housing Associations could also engage with the MARAC. AJ also explained that SP and Housing were hoping to set up a Landlord Scheme in Powys, which would co-ordinate the services of the private landlords and the Housing Associations. Once this was up and running perhaps consideration could be given to a representative of all Powys landlords being on the MARAC. AJ also informed the group that the Supporting People Network (SPIN) in Wales were doing research into domestic abuse support provision. Various areas are contributing to the research in that the journeys of sample victims of abuse are being studied for good and bad practice. This will be inclusive and cover the Police, Housing, Providers, Courts etc. A report should be produced by the autumn. MAR apologised for not having met with Police and Health around the recording of DA incidents, especially those involving 16-18 year olds, but had contacted Rob Bates to arrange a meeting after his leave. RPW had volunteered to make links with Broken Rainbow to pursue the question of inequalities of service around same sex relationships experiencing abuse. MAR was now meeting with the Healthy Lifestyle Group of the Powys CC Corporate Health & Safety Unit to discuss incorporating DA into several policies during the current review as a fore-runner to the main DA Policy. WG2 MAR is arranging to meet with Insp. Rob Bates to inquire which Division is piloting the Bodycams and to progress the CAADA/ACPO Risk Assessment training, though this is likely to be done on a Force level and has been discussed at the Regional DAF. MAR and SH are to attend MAPPA training on 6th July and will bring up the question of whether the IDVA could be invited to meetings where there was a domestic abuse case to be discussed to ensure all is done to make the victim safe. MAR and SH to attend the SDVC meeting and secure refresher courses for Magistrates. SH to raise Substance Misuse/DA protocol at PDAC. WG3 MAR has contacted the Powys CC IT department to investigate whether it would be possible to make a DA site the default for schools computers temporarily, such as the White Ribbon week in November. No response as yet. MAR to liaise with Police and Agencies to explore the possibilities of sampling outcomes and to distribute the Data Reports. JS already receives information regarding Police incidents and produces reports for the CSP, if possible linking DA with other areas of Community Safety such as ASB and SM. The Working Groups appear to be having a positive, proactive impact on the Action Plan and it is hoped that members of the groups will give feedback at future meetings.
4. Kooth MAR gave a presentation on the Internet Counselling Service for children and young people of Powys. 5. Substance Misuse and Domestic Abuse Framework MAR apologised for not being able to report back on the expected meeting between herself, Juliet Still, the Commissioning Officer for Substance Misuse services and Mike Gregory, the CEO for PDAC. MAR had spoken with Mike Gregory at a recent SMAT meeting and emphasised the need to task PDAC with implementing the new Framework. The CSP had now approved the Tender specification for the provision of Substance Misuse services in Powys and the process will progress over the next six months or so. That will mean a new provider or the existing provider will take up provision in March 2010. It is a part of the Tender that the provider engages with PDAF and the new Framework – a practical protocol needs to be agreed.
6. AOB The Chair, Angela Morgan, informed the group that she had met with Kirsty Williams, leader of the Liberal Democrats, and she has agreed to become President of the Forum. Kirsty Williams has a real interest in Domestic Abuse and the work of the Forum. A formal letter will now be sent inviting her to take on the post of President. 7. Details of next meeting The next meeting of Working Group 3 was originally on 29th September at 10am but it was agreed to move it to the Wednesday, 30th September at 10am and follow it with the main Forum meeting at 12.30am on 30th September. It will, therefore, be a working lunch meeting and members are invited to bring their lunch along – tea and coffee provided. Both meetings have been provisionally booked at the Conference Room in the Council Offices in Brecon, (Neuadd Brycheiniog), as venues in Llandrindod are not available that day. This may give a chance for those located south of the county to travel more easily to the meetings. If there are strong objections to the venue, please let me know and I will endeavour to find another location.
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