2. Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015

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1 Live Fear Free VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, DOMESTIC ABUSE AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE BULLETIN AUGUST Violence against Women and Domestic Abuse Team As usual, the VAWDA team has seen further staffing changes. Sarah Rhodes has returned to head up the team whilst Lynne Schofield takes a leave of absence. Lynne has delivered a huge amount over the past 2 years, successfully steering the team through an incredibly challenging period. However, Sarah was Bill Manager for the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 so hits the ground running with her knowledge of this important policy area and stakeholders. Tania Nicholson has gained promotion and has moved to the Education and Skills Department - Tania has played a key role in taking forward the Act and much of the supporting work over the last two years and will be sorely missed. Fortunately we have been able to fill the Deputy Head of the team role; Heather Temple-Williams, who has been working in our Crime and Justice team, has a great deal of experience across criminal justice, policy and finance. Welcome to Heather. Welcome also to Karen Morris who joins us as Policy Manager, following the departure of Henry Vaile, again on promotion. Karen has been working on the Reforming Local Government Programme. Farewell of sorts to Steve Chapman, Wales Anti-Slavery Co-ordinator. Following a minor reorganisation in the wider Community Safety Division, Steve s post moves to our Resilience team with a greater focus on Organised Crime. Thanks to Steve for his championing of VAWDA issues and his role as a White Ribbon Ambassador. A team structure is at annex A. 2. Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 As you know, the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 received Royal Assent on 29 April. Officials are working to prepare the first Commencement Order under the Act, which will bring into force provisions relating to the National Strategy, national indicators and annual progress reports. This is planned for introduction in the Autumn. A second and final Commencement Order relating to the preparation and implementation of local strategies will be prepared once work has been undertaken

2 to ensure coherence with the legislation being prepared under the Local Government Reform Programme. An Implementation Plan has been agreed by the Minister for Public Services and is being progressed. The Implementation Plan was circulated to Advisory Group members on 10 June. A more detailed briefing note on the Act and supporting policies is attached at Annex B. 3. Appointment of Wales first National Adviser for Violence against Women and other forms of Gender-based Violence, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence. A key element of the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 was the appointment of a National Adviser to drive improvements in the way services for victims and survivors of gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence are planned, commissioned and delivered. On 15 th July Public Services Minister Leighton Andrews announced that Rhian Bowen-Davies would be Wales s first National Adviser. Rhian has been Chief Executive of Calan DVS since 2013, following a five year period as Manager of Neath Women s Aid. Earlier in her career she served as a police officer in South Wales Police, qualifying as an Independent Domestic Violence Advocate. We very much look forward to working with Rhian in this crucial role. 4. National Training Framework (NTF) The development of the level 1 elearning module is complete and the package has been tested with a small audience of relevant authority representatives. Feedback from the test has been compiled and is being used to further refine the package. The elearning was broadly welcomed by the test group. 76% of participants strongly agreed that the purpose of the elearning was clear and 70% felt it was easy to understand. The feedback from the test group would indicate that the elearning meets the requirements laid out at level 1of the National Training Framework. Crucially, it appears that despite the majority of learners not working within the violence against women, domestic abuse or sexual violence fields, the importance of this elearning is clearly recognised. 97% of learners agreed that the elearning was important to complete and 89% agreed they would recommend the elearning to a colleague. Feedback from the testing will be used to make final changes to the elearning ahead of wider national roll out in August. Work is underway to plan early adoption work related to levels 2 (Ask and Act) and 3 (enhanced knowledge for certain professionals and those within a champion role) and to pilot simultaneous delivery of levels 1, 2 and 3, in response to feedback received through the recent public consultation in this area. This work will take place in the South East Wales region and with Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Local Health

3 Board. Project planning is underway and we plan to procure a provider for this training in the Summer of 2015, alongside an independent evaluation of levels 2 and 3. These opportunities will be advertised through Sell2Wales. The first tranche of the level 5 Service Manager training for 48 specialist domestic abuse and sexual violence service managers ended in March. The learner evaluation of the training has been received and overall learners noted improvement in their skills and competence against each of the training learning outcomes. Learners valued the mix of practical and theoretical elements of the course and over 90% of learners rating the training materials and delivery as excellent or very good. The fourth episode of the Strengthening Leadership Series focusing on the role of Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programmes was released in May: English: Welsh: The 5 th episode, focussing on Domestic Homicide Reviews, was made in partnership with Frank Mullane of Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA) and is now available on youtube: English: Welsh: Whole Education Approach Work is continuing on a comprehensive package of education measures to support implementation of the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 ( the Act ). This package links to the Department for Education and Skills safeguarding in schools agenda and implementation of the Successful Future report, which made recommendations in respect of the future shape of the curriculum in Wales. During we will: publish a Whole Education Approach Good Practice Guide, developed by Welsh Women s Aid (WWA); use this to develop statutory guidance under section 15 of the Act and consult on this early in 2016; develop Regulations to place a duty on Local Authorities to report annually on the action they are taking, including within schools; hold a national violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence in education conference in December; commission a review of healthy relationship teaching resources and publish a suite of best practice resources; strengthen the Welsh Government s anti-bullying guidance; produce awareness raising materials for school governors; scope a thematic review to be undertaken by Estyn in ; and continue to fund Hafan Cymru s Spectrum Project and Welsh Women s Aid s Children Matter Project.

4 WWA undertook a wide consultation on the content of the Whole Education Approach Good Practice Guide between 17 April and 19 May. 53 responses were received from a wider range of individuals and organisations including academics, education professionals, specialist services and third sector organisations representing the interests of children and young people. We are working with WWA to finalise the Guide ahead of publication in the autumn. WWA and AVA have been successful in winning a contract to carry out a review of existing healthy relationship teaching resources. A suite of best practice resources will be published in the autumn to ensure schools have quality materials to support them. The VAWDA Team attended the first meeting of a National Safeguarding in Education Group in May. This provided a useful opportunity to highlight the objectives and requirements of the Act to Local Authority Safeguarding Leads and we will use the Group to develop and test proposals as we move forward. Work is underway to strengthen our anti-bullying guidance Respecting Others to ensure it fully reflects violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence and aligns with the objectives of the Act. We will also publish awareness raising materials for school governors to ensure they are equipped to effectively respond to the challenges posed by the Act. We would welcome any examples of such materials to inform this work. Finally, plans are underway to stage a National Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence in education conference on 3 December at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff. The conference will be hosted jointly with the Department for Education and Skills and, whilst the programme for the day is still being developed, we expect the audience to be senior school staff and to cover both violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence and wider safeguarding related topics. More details will follow in due course. 10,000 Safer Lives Following confirmation that the 10,000 Safer Lives Project had exceeded its target, with over 14,000 individuals reporting as being or feeling safer as a result of the direct support from specialist organisations funded by the Welsh Government, a letter has been issued to Regional Collaborative leads, Domestic Abuse Coordinators and Local Service Boards informing them that this work should now be mainstreamed through the implementation of the Act. Communications Publicity for Four Cymru were successful in winning the tender to develop and implement the VAWDASV communications campaigns for The first phase of the campaign went live on 13 July. Think you know what s happening in your street? highlights the need

5 for people to speak up if they suspect that a friend, family member or colleague is a victim of domestic abuse: The second campaign in the series of three will deal with violence and abuse in respect of young people. Thinking is at an early stage but options being considered include clean graffiti events and increased use of social media in view of the target audience. Suggestions in relation to the focus of the campaign would be welcome. Our third campaign in the New Year will focus on sexual violence. This is likely to relate to historical sexual abuse and we are working with New Pathways on developing ideas for this campaign. Live Fear Free Helpline On 30 th June we announced that Welsh Women s Aid had won the contract to deliver the new Live Fear Free Helpline in Wales, over the next three years, from 1 October this year. WWA are the current providers of the 24-hour 365-days a year All Wales Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Helpline and we welcome the continuity and quality of service that they will continue to deliver. Live Fear Free website The Welsh Government s Live Fear Free website restructure has started and content has been mapped out to ensure it provides a holistic, user-friendly resource for victims and survivors, families and friends, as well as professionals. We have developed a draft structure for the site and have engaged with a range of stakeholders to test the navigation as part of the design and build phase of the project. Stakeholders are also drafting copy for the website and we are grateful for their input to this. Funding Additional revenue funding of 65,000 has been agreed for : 50,000 of this will go to the sexual violence sector 40,000 to New Pathways (in additional to the 73,000 already agreed) and 10,000 to North Wales Rape and Sexual Assault Service. This funding builds on funding provided during and aims to further reduce waiting lists for sexual violence services and help the organisations build capacity and resilience to continue to respond to the challenges faced by services in this sector. 15,000 will be provided to the Safer Wales Dyn Project to support the appointment of a male IDVA based in North Wales, extending the coverage of the Project. Capital funding programme A wide range of interesting and innovative proposals were put forward in response to our capital programme, with 22 applications received. An assessment is

6 being carried out and we expect to make an announcement of the successful bids shortly. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and So-called Honour Based Violence Female Genital Mutilation Protection Orders 17 th July saw the introduction of Female Genital Mutilation Protection Orders (FGMPO s) to help safeguard girls who are at risk of FGM at home or abroad (or who are already victims). They have been fast tracked to come into effect ahead of the school summer holidays, when girls are particularly at risk of being taken abroad for FGM to be carried out. Anyone who fears that someone is at risk of FGM can apply to a family court for an FGMPO. This includes people who think they could be a victim themselves or are already victims, local authorities, teachers, doctors, social workers or other third parties. Full court guidance can be accessed via: +external+court+guidance+-+july+2015.pdf Launch of consultation on the draft statutory multi-agency practice guidance on FGM The Home Office has launched a consultation seeking views on the draft statutory multi-agency practice guidance on FGM for frontline professionals in England and Wales. The consultation will run for 10 weeks until 30 September and you can respond online or by We are particularly interested to hear your views on whether the draft guidance captures the full range of evidence, responsibilities, duties and good practice to support professionals in safeguarding women and girls from FGM. Violence against Women and Domestic Abuse Team August 2015

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8 Karin Phillips Deputy Director of Community Safety Annex A Sarah Rhodes Head of VAWDA Team sarah.rhodes@wales.gsi.gov.uk Sarah Lilley Lead on FGM,FM and HVB and Comms sarah.lilley@wales.gsi.gov.uk Hannah Fisher Senior Policy Adviser hannah.fisher@wales.gsi.gov.uk Heather Temple-Williams Deputy Head of VAWDA Team heather.templewilliams@wales.gsi.gov.uk Amanda Cartwright Policy Manager amanda.cartwright@wales.gsi.gov.uk Lisa Weetman Policy and Finance Manager lisa.weetman@wales.gsi.gov.uk Karen Morris Policy Manager Karen.morris2@wales.gsi.gov.uk Zsanett Shashaty FGM, FM, HVB Policy Lead zsanett.shashaty@wales.gsi.gov.uk Andrew Hurley Finance Officer andrew.hurley@wales.gsi.gov.uk Angela Gutierrez Team Support angela.gutierrez@wales.gsi.gov.uk

9 Annex B Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 Summary of Key Provisions On the 29 th April 2015 the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Bill received Royal Assent and became an Act of the National Assembly for Wales. This paper provides a summary of the key provisions contained in the Act 2015 and the raft of supporting policies that underpin the legislation. The overarching objective of the Act is to improve the Public Sector response in Wales to gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence. It is intended to provide a strategic focus on these issues and ensure consistent consideration of preventive, protective and supportive mechanisms in the delivery of services. The Act is named to ensure a focus through delivery - on particular forms of violence and abuse which are disproportionately experienced by women and girls. Evidence shows that women disproportionately experience repeat incidents of domestic abuse, all forms of sexual violence and other forms of violence and abuse such as forced marriage and female genital mutilation. Whilst it is important that this disproportionate experience is acknowledged and communicated through policy and delivery, the purpose of the Act is to ensure an effective response to anyone affected by any form of gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence. References in this guidance to violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence or violence and abuse should therefore be read to capture all forms of gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence as defined in section 24 of the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act Key provisions of the Act Section 1 Purpose of the Act The purpose of the Act is to improve: arrangements for the prevention of gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence (GBV,DA,SV); arrangements for the protection of victims of GBV,DA,SV; and the support for people affected by GBV,DA,SV. Section 2 Violence against women and girls This provision recognises the disproportionate impact of gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence on women and girls. It requires persons, when exercising specified functions under the Bill, to have regard to the need to remove or minimise any factors which increase the risk of violence against women and girls, or exacerbates the impact of such violence on victims, along with all other relevant matters.

10 Sections 3 & 4 Duty to prepare, publish and implement a National Strategy These provisions require Welsh Ministers to prepare, publish and implement a National Strategy to contribute to help deliver the purpose of the Act (see section 1 above). This includes a duty to consult with all relevant persons prior to its publication. Sections 5 to 8 Duty to prepare, publish and implement Local Strategies These provisions place a duty on Local Authorities (LAs) and Local Health Boards (LHBs) to prepare and publish joint Local Strategies for tackling gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence. LAs and LHBs must take into account the most recent assessments under section 14 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 relating to the needs for care and support, support for carers and preventative services and strategic assessments under section 6 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 relating to reducing crime and disorder, combating substance misuse and reducing re-offending. LAs and LHBs are under a duty to consult with all relevant persons prior to publishing their Local Strategies. Section 9 Information about Educational provision This section provides Welsh Ministers with the power to make regulations which will require LAs to report on how they are addressing GBV,DA,SV within their educational functions, including any action taken within schools. This information will provide the National Adviser with a robust evidence base to ensure LAs are held to account for the actions taken in their area. Section 10 Guidance to Higher & Further Education Institutions This provision provides Welsh Ministers and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) with the power to issue guidance to the governing bodies of higher and further education institutions in Wales. Such guidance may outline measures that an institution could take to raise awareness of GBVDASV within their institutions. Any guidance produced is subject to consultation before it is published. Section 11 National Indicators This section requires Welsh Ministers to publish national indicators that can be used to measure progress towards achieving the purposes of the Act. Welsh Ministers must consult on any Indicators before publication. Sections 12 to 13 Annual Progress Reports Welsh Ministers, Local Authorities and LHBs are under a duty to report annually on progress upon their National and Local Strategies. Section 14 Meaning of relevant authority A relevant authority is a Local Authority, a Local Health Board, a Fire & Rescue Authority and a NHS Trust. Sections 15 to 19 Statutory Guidance & Directions This section provides Welsh Ministers with the power to issue guidance to relevant authorities on how they can achieve the purposes of the Act and sets out examples of such guidance that may be issued including, awareness raising through, for example, public education, the Ask and Act process, the commissioning of services, workplace policies, training for staff and the sharing of information. Such guidance

11 will provide for the sharing of best practice and the promotion of high quality standards across Wales. Sections 20 to 23 National Adviser These provisions place a duty on Welsh Ministers to appoint a National Adviser to provide expert advice and assistance on achieving the purposes of the Act. The functions of the Adviser are set out here and include; providing advice and assistance to Ministers, carrying out research and producing reports in relation to the Act. The Adviser is required to prepare an annual plan and annual report for Ministers on how they have exercised their functions which must be published. Statutory Guidance Much of the detail of how these purposes will be achieved will be provided in statutory guidance. The following statutory guidance is currently being developed, or will be developed in due course, by the Welsh Government under the Act, and will be issued separately following full public consultation and laying before the National Assembly. Ask and Act The primary objective of Ask and Act will be to encourage relevant professionals to ask potential victims about the possibility of gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence where such abuse is suspected and to act so suffering and harm as a result of the violence and abuse is prevented or reduced. This will be facilitated through guidance and accompanied by a training programme delivered through the National Training Framework. Guidance on information sharing will be included to encourage the safe and legal sharing of information on victims of abuse and violence to ensure appropriate action is taken so suffering and harm is reduced in Wales. A Whole Education Approach to Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence This will outline the expectations on Local Authorities in relation to a whole education approach to healthy relationships, and in relation to Champions. It will build on the Whole Education Approach Good Practice Guide being developed by Welsh Women s Aid. The Good Practice Guide, which will be published in this autumn, will outline the principles of a whole education approach and include examples of excellent practice from across Wales, the UK and internationally (further details of education proposals are below). Multi-agency Working This guidance will explore the necessary stages of collaboration and identify good practice in establishing partnership arrangements. This guidance will first outline the value of multi-agency collaboration in relation to gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence and the key components necessary for effective partnerships. The guidance will then move on to focus on three types of

12 collaboration: the strategic partnership, the operational partnership, and multi-agency fora. It will also detail what is required within agencies to deliver on their partnership commitments and embed a robust response to gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence within their agency. Guidance for Commissioners The commissioning guidance will provide a comprehensive outline of the considerations to be made when procuring specialist service provision for genderbased violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence. The guidance will be developed in partnership with a stakeholder Task and Finish group and will outline the Welsh Government requirements for a nationally consistent model of service delivery to those affected by gender-based violence domestic abuse and sexual violence. The overarching objective of the guidance is to ensure consistent consideration of the prevention, protection and recovery needs of service users within a risk and needs led framework. It will outline the usefulness of pooled and joint funding, quality principles for delivery, pa structure though which outcomes for work with those who have experienced gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence should be measured and the capacity requirements of service provision. This is yet to be drafted. Healthy Relationships and the Curriculum and the Prevention Agenda Highly significant in terms of healthy relationship education is publication of Professor Donaldson s report, Successful Futures, which reviewed the curriculum and assessment arrangements. Professor Donaldson recommended that the new curriculum should be structured around six Areas of Learning and Experience one of which should be Health and Well-being. It is here that healthy relationships would feature. The Minister for Public Services has indicated that the sector will be invited to participate in a stakeholder group to develop this moving forward. The Minister for Education and Skills has recently announced that the Welsh Government will be accepting all the recommendations set out in Successful Futures. Education Programme of Work To support the education related provisions in the Act, we are progressing a comprehensive wider package of measures, which link to the Department for Education and Skills safeguarding in schools agenda and implementation of the curriculum review. This year we will: publish a Whole Education Approach Good Practice Guide; use this to develop statutory guidance under section 15 of the Act to be issued to local authorities and consult on this early in 2016; develop Regulations to place a duty on Local Authorities to report annually on the action they are taking in the exercise of their education functions, including within schools; hold a national VAWDASV in education conference in December; commission a review of healthy relationship teaching resources and publish a suite of best practice resources; strengthen the Welsh Government s anti-bullying guidance; produce awareness raising materials for school governors; scope a thematic review to be undertaken by Estyn in ; and

13 continue to fund Hafan Cymru s Spectrum Project and Welsh Women s Aid s Children Matter Project. The National Training Framework This will aim to create a consistent standard of care for those who experience gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence, and an unfailing standard of service throughout the Public Service to this client group. The National Training Framework will be aligned to the requirements of those who experience violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence, with an outline of the key competencies and knowledge required at each professional level. The groups who will have to undertake training will be employed within the relevant authorities and will include those who frequently come in to contact with potential victims of domestic abuse and those who work with victims (all levels of employment up to chief executive level) (see also National Training Framework summary of work to date and priorities below) National Training Framework summary of work to date and priorities Significant delivery of the National Training Framework was undertaken during including: - training 48 Welsh Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (Level 4); - training 175 staff across all Local Health Boards in Wales to improve the engagement of the health sector in Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences; - training 48 specialist domestic abuse and sexual violence service managers; and (level 5) - activity aimed at engaging Public Service Leaders to ensure they drive forward change to end gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence (level 6). Priorities for include: - national roll out of the Level 1 awareness raising e-learning package on gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence, which is aimed primarily at Public Service staff and is expected to reach close to 300,000 employees; - tendering for Levels 2 and 3 of the Framework, accreditation of modules within the Level 4 syllabus and continuation of the development of Level 6 online resources; and - early adoption work in two areas (ABMU Health Board and South East Wales Regional partnership) related to Ask and Act, our policy in relation to targeted enquiry.