Agenda item

Presented by the Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (SBC) Assistant Director – Early Help, Safeguarding and Children in Our Care, and supported by the SBC Strategic Health & Wellbeing Manager, consideration was given to a draft Action Plan setting out how the agreed recommendations from the recently concluded review of Children affected by Domestic Abuse would be implemented, including success measures and target dates for completion.

Noting involvement from both Harbour (the local domestic abuse support service that was commissioned by SBC) and the Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership (HSSCP) in collating this draft document, specific attention was drawn to the following:

·       Recommendation 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)): This recommendation had already been achieved following confirmation that the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Cleveland had agreed to extend funding for the University Hospital of North Tees IDVA by a further six months.  Collaboration with NHS partners regarding future steps beyond this extended period would continue.

·       Recommendation 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): This recommendation was already deemed achieved following briefings given to SBC Elected Members and key partners on the changes to the Council’s ‘front door’ to services for children and their families.

Regarding recommendation 3 (above), the Committee commended officers and the OPCC for Cleveland for the prompt agreement to extend funding for the local hospital IDVA, particularly given the clear benefits the role brought to those who had experienced domestic abuse.  This was a very positive development which addressed a key element of the Committee’s findings.

In terms of recommendation 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), the Committee queried if there had been any early progress in relation to data retention.  Members were informed that data on referrals featuring domestic abuse factors was being retained within the new Family Help Point, with information produced weekly and reviewed on a monthly basis.

From a wider SBC perspective, the Committee asked how the proposed actions would feed into domestic abuse-related work being undertaken as part of the Council’s Powering Our Future (POF) initiative.  SBC officers stated that domestic abuse was being looked at as a risk factor for severe and multiple disadvantage in adulthood, and would continue to be a key consideration around early help discussions / planning.  The Committee then approved the content of the draft Action Plan as presented and requested the first update on progress of the agreed actions in early-2027.

AGREED that the Action Plan in relation to the recently completed Scrutiny Review of Children affected by Domestic Abuse be approved.