Agenda item

1.

Title of Item/Report

Scrutiny Review of Children affected by Domestic Abuse - Final Report of the Community Safety Select Committee

2.

Record of the Decision

Consideration was given to a report that presented the outcomes of the Community Safety Select Committee’s review of Children affected by Domestic Abuse.

RESOLVED that:-

1. The Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership (HSSCP) undertake a communications campaign (reflecting the ‘keeping your child in mind’ principle) around the impact of domestic abuse on children.

2. In collaboration with local schools, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (SBC) and Harbour introduce a school staff training programme on domestic abuse, its impact on children, and the support services available (including a plan to increase the uptake of domestic abuse training in primary schools).

3. Options be explored in order to secure funding for the continuation / enhancement of Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) services within local health settings (hospitals and primary care).

4. All organisations improve their recording of details (including a child’s age) of domestic abuse-related referrals made to the Stockton-on-Tees Children’s Hub (CHUB) (note: to be known as the ‘Family Help Point’ from 1 April 2026) and local support service, Harbour (even when domestic abuse is only one of several reasons for a referral being submitted).

5. In terms of domestic abuse-related training:

a) SBC introduces a mandatory course for all staff (and Elected Members) which includes content on identifying this form of abuse and how / where to report it.

b) Relevant partnerships with oversight of domestic abuse / safeguarding matters encourage organisations represented within these multi-agency arrangements to introduce mandatory courses for all staff, the content of which should reflect a tiered approach based on individual roles / responsibilities.

c) The Stockton-on-Tees Domestic Abuse Steering Group (DASG) seek greater assurance around the uptake of such training within individual organisations (including early years providers) and how this is impacting upon practice.

6. Harbour strengthens the promotion of its existing offer within local primary care services (across all Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and the individual practices themselves).

7. Where appropriate, the Stockton-on-Tees DASG oversee a drive to increase awareness and utilisation of Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) by frontline professionals across the local ‘system’ when domestic abuse is identified within a household.

8. SBC provides assurance to key partners and all Elected Members around the changes to its ‘front door’ to services for children and their families (note: to be known as the ‘Family Help Point’ from 1 April 2026), including how existing partnership arrangements will be maintained / enhanced.

9. The Stockton-on-Tees DASG seek assurance that key local partners have ‘voice of the child’ strategies / mechanisms in place and that best practice principles in relation to capturing the child’s voice are shared and continually reinforced (particularly with frontline officers attending households).

10. The Stockton-on-Tees DASG provide updates on the progress of actions associated with the local Domestic Abuse Strategy, highlighting any areas which are proving challenging and the reasons for this.

11. Suggested areas of future focus identified by contributors to this review be shared with, and subsequently considered by, the Stockton-on-Tees DASG and the HSSCP.

12. The findings and recommendations from the recently published thematic joint targeted area inspection (JTAI) report on ‘the multi-agency response to children who are victims of domestic abuse’ be shared with all relevant local organisations.

3.

Reasons for the Decision

This topic was included on the Scrutiny Work Programme for 2025-2026. The review is now complete, and the recommendations have been endorsed by the Community Safety Select Committee for submission to Cabinet.

4.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None

5.

Declared (Cabinet Member) Conflicts of Interest

None

6.

Details of any Dispensations

None

7.

Date and Time by which Call In must be executed

Midnight, 1 May 2026