Devon County Council introduced a unique DVAC scheme (domestic violence and abuse contact) in 2008 as a way of increasing trained personnel within the organisation to provide sign-posting to internal and external specialist support for victims experiencing domestic violence and abuse.

There are 15 qualified DVACs in Devon County Council. The initiative has spread to District Councils too. To date East Devon District Council and South Hams District Council between them have recruited a further 15 DVACs. The intention in 2010-2011 is for these DVACs to work not only within their own organisations but across organisations. Other statutory agencies are interested in joining the scheme.

• Devon County Council’s DVAC Scheme
• Set up and First Year of DVAC Scheme
• The Role of DVAC
• Selection Process
• Support and Training for DVACs
• Interview Process for DVACs
• DVAC Referral Process
• DVAC First Contact with Client and Confidentiality
• DVAC Completion of Client Record Form
• Supervision
• Complaints Procedure
• Review Process
• Appendices

Devon County Council’s DVAC Scheme 2007-8

DCC has a corporate Domestic Violence Policy (151KB - pdf help) which was updated and revised in 2009. This policy recognises the scale and impact domestic violence and abuse at home has on staff in the workplace. Research indicates that there are likely to be approximately 2,300 victims and a similar number of perpetrators working for the Local Authority. DCC would like to ensure appropriate support is available to victims and that perpetrators are challenged to consider the impact their behaviour might have on their ability to work with clients and colleagues. The policy includes a Management Guidance to aid managers to understand how to support staff who might be victims or perpetrators of domestic violence.

It is recognised that domestic violence and abuse is an extremely difficult thing to talk about and that most victims endeavour to function without support, in the hope that the situation will end. Additionally, the majority of victims do not see themselves to be in a domestic violence situation. However, we are aware that some victims wish they could speak to someone, in private and confidence. The workplace can offer them this opportunity.

DCC has initiated a Domestic Violence and Abuse Contacts Scheme (DVAC), on the same lines as Acceptable Behaviour Contacts, so victims and perpetrators are able to speak to someone about where they can find help. The contact will usually be by telephone but in some instances will include face to face meetings. The strength of the service lies in the fact that the Contact is a peer and outside of any formal process.

Set up of DVAC Scheme

The DVAC scheme received Corporate Management Board support on 24^th September 2007.  To date there are 16 trained and approved DVACs.

The DVAC scheme was launched across Devon County Council on 1^st September 2008, with an official launch at the Phoenix Centre, Exeter, on 4^th September 2008.

Initially take-up of the scheme across DCC has been slow with six requests for DVAC signpost received between 16 July 2008 and 31 July 2009.  

Further and regular publicity of the DVAC scheme and DCC’s Policy on DVA is to be determined and agreed by the DCC DVA Directorate Group.

The Role of DVAC

Domestic Violence and Abuse Contacts provide a sympathetic and understanding ear, providing impartial referral information so that the individual can decide the course of action best suited to him/her at that time.  There may be a range of possible options: i) to refer to DCC support services; ii) to refer to external specialist support services; iii) to provide information and advice iv) to support the client in a meeting with his/her manager v) to inform about the employer’s flexibility to support the client, utilising the DCC Domestic Violence and Abuse Policy.

It is important to note that the DVA Contact is NOT a counsellor.

It is anticipated that in the majority of cases contact with the client will by telephone but on some occasions a face to face meeting might be agreed, on DCC premises and within DCC core working hours. It is further anticipated that a maximum of two hours support per client will be provided. Exceptions to this are likely to be when the client asks the DVAC to accompany them to meet their manager.

Selection Process

A DVAC must obtain signed consent for them to commit to 5 days per annum volunteering on the DVAC scheme. Completed applications are to be sent to the Adva Office (G41, County Hall).

DVAC applicants will be invited to an initial half day workshop to learn more about the scheme, the process for application and service provision, interview process, training and supervision.

The DVAC will attend the required 3 days of training after which he/she will be interviewed to determine suitability for the role.

On successful completion of interview the DVAC’s name will be added to the Central Referral Unit DVAC Register and will be able to commence their DVAC role.

Support and Training for DVACs

DVA Contacts are supported by training and group supervision as well as being part of a peer supportive group.  Initial training is given to all new Contacts.  Contacts will need to attend the following training, at no cost to themselves or their Directorate:

• Managers Tackling Domestic Violence and Abuse – the Links to Duty of Care (one day)
• Preventing Murder and Serious Harm within Domestic Violence and Abuse – your responsibility for victim focus safety (one day, multi-agency)
• Tackling Perpetrators of Domestic Violence and Abuse (one day, multi-agency.

DVA Contacts will not be able to take on their role until these 3 courses are completed. This is to ensure they have sufficient understanding of the issue.

Further training and group supervision will be provided twice a year (two half day workshops).

Telephone supervision will be on-going, with a maximum of 2 hours per DVAC per annum.

Interview Process for DVACs

It is in the interests of the DVAC, the clients and Devon County Council that DVACs are appropriately skilled, knowledgeable and demonstrate that they have the right ‘attitude’ to the issue to provide this service.

To determine this an informal ‘interview’ will be conducted for everyone wishing to be a DVAC, on completion of the 3 days training and attendance at the required workshops. The interviews will be 20 minutes and the decision of the adva partnership panel will determine the DVAC’s readiness and suitability for the role.

On successful completion of this process adva will notify the DVAC Central Referral Unit of the DVAC’s name to add to the DVAC Register.

DVAC Referral process

Publicity of the DVAC scheme will only advertise one telephone referral number – the DVAC Central Referral Unit (CRU), currently operated by Jenny Brown, the Referral Co-ordinator. The number is 01392 382828.

It is assumed that the majority of requests for support from a DVAC will be from victims or survivors of domestic abuse. If, however, a perpetrator requests support it is the role of the DVAC to refer him/her to the perpetrator support programmes in Devon and nationally.

• A telephone answer machine message will ask clients to leave their name and a ‘safe’ number (work, home, mobile) and time when they can be contacted.  
• The Referral Co-ordinator will listen to messages after 1pm each day and will usually contact the Client within 24 hours to acknowledge receipt of the message and seek consent to provide name/identifier and Directorate/number to DVACs
• A client has the option of requesting DVAC support from a male or female DVAC.
• The Referral Co-ordinator will email DVACs (except those within client’s Directorate) to ask if someone is available to respond. At this stage only Client Directorate information is shared. A ‘1^st come 1^st served’ system will operate to ensure as quick a response to the client as possible.
• On identification of an available DVAC the Referral Co-ordinator will supply that DVAC with minimum client detail (name, number, Directorate, time to call).
• The DVAC will contact the client asap, guided by the information received from the Referral Co-ordinator. The DVAC will explain the service options and Confidentiality and Safety Agreement (appendix 5). The DVAC should seek to obtain this consent, completing the ‘consent given’ date/time section on Client Record Form (appendix 4). Should the client not consent to the Agreement then support can continue but will be anonymous and no detailed records kept on the client, apart from i) date referred ii) identifier iii) action taken iv) time spent v) date closed.
• The CRU will monitor DVAC case loads and distribution to ensure equal take-up of DVAC service and will sometimes target a specific DVAC to provide the service to a client.
• CRU will hold minimum data on each client referring into the DVAC service
  • Date referred
  • Name
  • Directorate
  • DVAC assigned to case
  • Action taken
  • Date case closed.
• The DVAC will collect minimum data on the client (see Client Record Form):
  • Identifier/Name
  • Agreed Consent to Confidentiality and Safety Agreement
  • Directorate
  • Date of Referral
  • Reason for call (brief summary)
  • Has client sought support from anyone else in the past for this issue? If yes, who/when.
  • Agreed actions
  • Date case closed
  • Times spent with client (Date and Time (to show minutes/hours)
• DVAC to email completed Client Record Form to the CRU once case is closed, of after 6 weeks from referral date if no further contact has been made with the client, to the Referral Co-ordinator. Make sure the email ‘subject’ states ‘DVAC Record Form’ and does NOT include the name of the client.
• CRU to forward Client Record Forms to TRIM (electronically secure DCC server), access to which is only available for adva manager and Referral Co-ordinator.
• CRU to provide DVAC and adva a quarterly monitoring report providing the following:
  • Numbers of cases referred by month, by Directorate
  • Numbers of cases supported by each DVAC
  • Numbers who drop out after initial referral
  • Time spent supporting client, by DVAC
  • Outcomes – actions taken
• Client Record Forms will be held in TRIM indefinitely and will be removed and destroyed from this system a) should the client leave Devon County Council employment b) retire from Devon County Council or c) become deceased whilst employed by Devon County Council.

DVAC First Contact with Client and Confidentiality

It is important during the first telephone contact between DVAC and client that the Confidentiality and Safety Statement (appendix 5) is agreed to by the client. This agreement will be noted by the DVAC, and dated, on the Client Record Form (appendix 4).

If the client requests it the DVAC can give the client their work telephone number.

DVAC Completion of Client Record Form

It is important that this form is completed carefully and succinctly, avoiding any use of subjective interpretation of a client’s comments and personal opinion. The information recorded should be minimal. Any reference made to a ‘third person’ should record only the first name, never the full name.

On closure of client’s case all records held by the DVAC on that client are to be emailed to the CRU and all copies and email traces of the documents held by the DVAC are to be destroyed by the DVAC.

Supervision

All DVACs will receive telephone supervision on a ‘needs’ basis, up to 2 hours per annum. The supervisor contact details are to be made clear to the DVAC who will be free to contact the supervisor when necessary regarding client cases. When discussing clients the full name/identification of the client will not be revealed by the DVAC, only the details of the case.

Group work supervision will be provided twice a year and might include additional training.

The Supervisor will keep a supervision record on each of the DVAC clients (see appendix 9). When the client case is closed the Supervisor will email the ‘DVAC Supervision Record’ to the CRU for all records to be held in the client file, and subsequently kept on TRIM. All copies of records to be destroyed by Supervisor on case closure.

Supervisor details:Dinah Mears

Tel. 01395 513448 and 07971 867411

E-mail: dinahmears@yahoo.co.uk

Complaints Procedure

DVACs and Clients have the right to voice their concerns if they consider that they have not been supported appropriately or have concerns about the ways in which they have been supported. (See appendix 7).

The Adva Manager has the authority to discontinue the service of a DVAC, and notify the DVAC’s Manager of this decision, based on information of concern presented to her about the individual.

Review Process

A review process will be built in whereby all DVACs will meet as a Group six months from start date to i) review their experiences to date ii) suggest updates/changes to the process and Guidance iii) comment on supervision support iv) suggest further training / support needs v) discuss issues of concern.

The Review will include feedback from clients who are willing to comment, anonymously, on support they have received.

In addition, DVAC Managers’ views will be sought to comment on their views of the process and its positive and negative impact on their employee/s.

Further statistical data will be collected from CRU to assess take-up of the service, and from adva to assess costs of the service.

This information will be presented to the DCC DVA Directorate Group for discussion

and feedback, including the determining the scale of the DVAC Scheme within Devon County Council from 2009 onwards.