Powys Domestic Abuse Forum Minutes of meeting held 30th September, 2009 at 12.30 am Llanddewi Village Hall, Llandrindod Wells
Present: Margaret Richards, Domestic Abuse Forum Co-ordinator (MAR) Sara Humphreys, Hafan Cymru (SH) Lynda Rogers, Womens Safety Worker Hafan Cymru(LR) Joyce Hughes, IDVA Hafan Cymru (JH) Bethan Williams, Victim Support (BW) Ruth Wright, Radnor Women’s Aid (RW) Lynne Jones LHB (LJ) Wendy Madge, MFCC (WM) Tracy Carboni, Powys CC Children’s Services (TC)
Welcome: The Co-ordinator welcomed everyone to the meeting. 1. Apologies Mrs Angela Morgan, Independent Chair (AM) Julia Livesley, Probation Ceri Wood,Brecknock Women’s Aid (CW) Angela Wragg, Powys LHB (AW) Louisa Kerr, Community Safety Manager (LK) Rob Powell, Homelessness Team Manager, Powys County Council Adrian Jones, Supporting People Manager Joyce Hughes, IDVA Christine Jones, RELATE Cymru (CJ) Stephen Connolly, Army Welfare Service (SC) Simon Moran, Army Welfare Service (SM) Lynette Evans, CAFCASS Cymru 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 Yan James (YJ) Andy Kaye, Adult Protection, Social Care Services (AK) Pauline Galluccio, Powys LHB (PG) 2. Introductions A very warm welcome was extended to Tracy Carboni from PCC Children’s Services. BW asked that her name be added to the mailing list and that Peter Gilbert be deleted as he now had alternative responsibilities. 3. Minutes of the Forum meeting held on 15th June 2009 and matters arising The minutes were accepted as a true and accurate record.
4. Unconfirmed Minutes of Executive Meeting held on 7th September 2009 TC asked whether the structure of the Forum and Executive could be explained and how the various Groups and Committees fitted into the structure. This was applauded by the other members of the Forum as there was a degree of confusion of the role and purpose of the Executive since the formation of the Working Groups. A draft diagram was drawn up to show links but it was agreed that more work needed to be done to show links with explanations. MAR stated that this had already been asked for by the Regional Forum so that gaps and duplication could be identified.
5. Working Group Updates RW reported for Working Group 1 – The Purple Directories are now countywide and CDs are available for Providers. Some of the details, such as telephone numbers are already out of date but MAR will contact the web host in Carmarthen and try and get the website updated. Housing and Homelessness representatives were now attending MARAC, which was much appreciated. Several bids submitted from Powys had been unsuccessful but those submitted on a Dyfed-Powys basis had received success. There needed to be more communication between the new Funding Officer within Dyfed-Powys Police and the Forum to ensure Powys was included in potential funding bids. RW had drawn up a list of the top employers in Powys and MAR had sent them all a copy of the Purple Directory and information on DA training and policies in an attempt to make them more aware of the reasons around some absences and injuries. SH reported for Working Group 2 - Probation is now becoming a ‘responsible authority’ and as such will need to take a bigger part in the county’s partnership working structures. MAR had already met with JL, who was unfortunately not able to attend today but would be an active member in future. The MARAC was now become truly multi-agency but still lacked representation from SS or Children’s Services. Working Group 3 – DA Training needed for students studying social work, teaching, social care and children’s services. Possible sampling of cases of children growing up with domestic abuse, their stories, what helped, what didn’t, and positive outcomes. (Minutes of the Working Group meetings can be found on the PDAF website www.powysdomesticabuse.org) 6. White Ribbon/Christmas events Kirsty Williams, AM, had agreed to become PDAF President. It has been suggested that a stall at the Brecon Christmas Fair would be an ideal opportunity to promote the Forum and invite Kirsty Williams to attend. MAR had received a letter, via Mick Collins, Adult Protection, from Kirsty asking whether Powys CC had done any needs mapping of DA services and whether the Council were undertaking any work to secure Refuge accommodation in the light of new standards. Radnorshire WA Refuge comes up to the standards, and it is assumed MFCC Refuges also comply. However there is a question mark over the Refuge managed by Brecknock WA as some of the rooms for single women are very small and have no independent washing facilities. There are talks around utilizing Stoneleigh as an alternative Refuge, though concerns were raised around security at the premises.
7. Key Performance Standards A draft list of the Key Performance Standards drawn up by WAG had been circulated and due to time restrictions these were not discussed fully. However it was felt that the Forum and Co-ordinator were complying as fully as possible with the standards. 8. Impact of Recession A paper highlighting the impact of the recession had also been circulated but it was felt that the full effects had not been felt in Powys as yet but with employment not having reached its lowest level further hardship could be experienced for years to come. Attention was drawn to Information Matters for Rural Communities produced by Shelter which provides advice on debt, etc. 9. AOB Date of next meeting to be arranged and circulated.
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