Management Information Sheet

The Domestic Abuse Act was given Royal Assent on 29 April 2021 and for the first time in history there is a wide-ranging legal definition of domestic abuse which incorporates a range of abuses beyond physical violence, including emotional, coercive or controlling behaviour, and economic abuse.

In addition to defining domestic abuse, a number of new offences have been enacted with additional protection for victims and witnesses. To support the implementation of the Act, a national Domestic Abuse Commissioner has been established and every Local Authority must establish a board to assess the need for accommodation based support for victims and children in their areas, to prepare and publish a strategy for its delivery and monitor and evaluate the effectiveness.

Key Points for Headteachers and Designated Safeguarding Leads

• Subsection 5 provides that a person may indirectly abuse another person through a third party, such as a child or other family member of the same household.
• Section 3 - Recognising children as victims of domestic abuse. Witnessing, hearing or experiencing the effects of domestic abuse can impact on a child. Section 3 treats such children as victims where they are related to either the abuser or the abused.
• Domestic Abuse statutory guidance will be published by the Home Office to set standards and promote best practice. The guidance therefore is aimed at statutory and non-statutory bodies working with victims, perpetrators and commissioning services, to whom the guidance relates, must have regard to it in the exercise of those functions to increase awareness and inform their response to domestic abuse.

Next Steps

• Norfolk Domestic Abuse Board is preparing its strategy to implement the Act based on the local needs' assessment.
• An autumn term pilot to include schools and colleges in the Norfolk Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) process to improve partnership working to support children and families at risk of serious harm or homicide due to domestic violence.

Action for schools and colleges

The Home Office has opened a consultation on the Domestic Abuse Act statutory framework and are seeking views from all organisations working with victims, perpetrators and commissioning services, including schools and colleges.

The draft guidance has three aims:

1. To provide clear information on what domestic abuse is and how to identify it.
2. To provide guidance and support to frontline professionals.
3. To signpost responding agencies to other sources of guidance on domestic abuse.

The consultation is available until 14 September 2021.

Further information

Domestic Abuse Bill 2020: factsheets

Domestic Abuse - Norfolk County Council

Contacts

Lisa Smith, Education CADS Representative - Single Point of Contact for Operation Encompass