Starting this September, a series of Joint Targeted Area Inspections (JTAIs) will be conducted to evaluate how local services collaborate to respond to domestic abuse, with a particular focus on the multi-agency response to children who are victims, including unborn babies and children up to seven years old.
Domestic abuse has previously been a theme for JTAIs, but since that time significant developments have occurred. The Domestic Abuse Act has been enacted, accompanied by updated guidance. Additionally, the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel released a paper on multi-agency safeguarding and domestic abuse. This paper presents findings from a thematic analysis of rapid reviews and local child safeguarding practice reviews where domestic abuse was a factor. In light of these advancements, inspectorates have determined that now is the right time to reassess the multi-agency response to domestic abuse.
The scope of this inspection reflects the definition of domestic abuse in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, which makes clear that children are victims of domestic abuse in their own right if they have seen, heard or experienced the effect of the abuse. When evaluating the multi-agency safeguarding arrangements put in place by the partners in the local area, they will take into account the guidance set out in Working together to safeguard children.
Inspectors will also evaluate:
- how local agencies work with education and early years providers to identify and respond to children who are victims of domestic abuse.
- how local agencies work with the voluntary and community sector to respond to children who are victims of domestic abuse
- how effectively the local partnership, through its MASA, monitors, promotes, coordinates and evaluates the work of the statutory partners.
Including the multi-agency arrangements for:
- responding to children who are victims of domestic abuse, at the point of identification
- assessment, planning and decision-making in response to notifications and referrals of children who are victims of domestic abuse
- protecting, supporting and caring for children who are at risk of, or who have been victims of, domestic abuse
- preventing children from becoming victims of domestic abuse.
Practitioners should be aware of the process, theme and that they maybe required to be part of the review in view that there is an element of case focus and the need to hear the voice of staff, but support will be given via your own organisation.