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FoI/2022/739-Thompson

 

Dear Sir or Madam,

 

Request for information: Domestic Abuse Training

 

Thank you for your request received 12 August 2022; we would normally seek
to respond within twenty working days, please get in contact if you have
any further queries

 

Yours sincerely,

 

FOI TEAM
Legal and Democratic, West Berkshire Council Market Street Newbury RG14
5LD
[1][West Berkshire Council request email]
[2]www.westberks.gov.uk

 

 

This email and any attachments to it may be confidential and are intended
solely for the use of the individual to whom it is addressed. Any views or
opinions expressed may not necessarily represent those of West Berkshire
Council. If you are not the intended recipient of this email, you must
neither take any action based upon its contents, nor copy or show it to
anyone. Please contact the sender if you believe you have received this
e-mail in error. All communication sent to or from West Berkshire Council
may be subject to recording and or monitoring in accordance with UK
legislation, are subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information
Act 2000 and may therefore be disclosed to a third party on request.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[West Berkshire Council request email]
2. http://www.westberks.gov.uk/

Dear Ms Thompson, 

I write further to your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000.  Colleagues have provided the following information: -

 Has West Berkshire Council Children’s Services department arranged for
its social care staff to attend domestic abuse training on The Safe &
Together Model? (As set out in the BASW England: Domestic Abuse Guidance
for social workers April 2021).

 

No

2. If the answer to question 1 is yes, please tell us the number of staff
in this department, and by their job title, that have attended this
training as of 8th August 2022.

3. If the answer to question 1 is no, please tell us if your children’s
services department has arranged for its social care staff to attend
domestic abuse training on Women’s Aid Change That Lasts Programme? (As
set out in the BASW England: Domestic Abuse Guidance for social workers
April 2021).
No

4. If the answer to questions 1 and 3 is no, please tell us if your
children’s services department has provided any other specific training to
staff to deal with domestic abuse cases?

 

All children’s social care staff have access to Community Care inform
where they can independently access information, training and reflective
activities on domestic abuse. This includes learning material in relation
to controlling and coercive behaviours and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

 

All children’s social care staff can access Domestic Abuse Awareness
training, facilitated by Reducing the Risk. Reducing the Risk also
facilitate Domestic Abuse champions training for staff who have completed
the Domestic Abuse Awareness training.

 

Staff access online training via the Council’s online learning platform
Learning Time.

This includes modules on:

Domestic Abuse (Children’s social care staff)

Domestic Abuse Awareness (all council staff)

Understanding LGBT Domestic Violence and Abuse- this course funded by the
Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner and has an assessment at the
end.

5. If the answer to question 4 is yes, please tell me the name of this
training, how it was delivered, it’s duration and whether it was mandatory
or optional?

 

Community care inform can be assessed online at any time by children’s
services staff. It can be used as a training and development tool within
staff supervision.

 

The Domestic Abuse Awareness training is facilitated three x per year,
face to face from 10am- 4pm. This is the same for the Domestic Abuse
Champions training but participants have to have completed the Domestic
Abuse Awareness training before the Domestic Abuse Champions.

 

The online training on Learning Time can be assessed online at any time by
staff. The exact timings to complete these courses varies but

Domestic Abuse Awareness (approximately thirty minutes)

Domestic Abuse Children’s social care (approximately one hour)

Understanding LGBT Domestic Violence and Abuse (approximately three to
four hours)

 

Domestic Abuse training is not mandatory but it is recommended and all
staff are encouraged to attend.

6. If the answer to question 4 is yes, please also tell us the number of
staff in this department, and by their job title, that have attended this
training as of 8th August 2022?

 

The Domestic Abuse Awareness training is now facilitated by an outside
organisation and they do not record the job titles of the staff completing
the training.

2018 – 3 sessions held – 16 WBC attendees

2019 – 8 sessions held – 52 WBC attendees

2020 – 1 session held – 4 WBC attendees

2021 – 1 session held – 6 WBC attendees

2022 – 2 sessions held (to date) – 9 WBC attendees

 

 

It is not possible for me to identify at this time how many people have
accessed Domestic Abuse Training on Community Care Inform.

 

The online training access via Learning Time is:

Domestic Abuse Awareness, twenty three people have attended

Domestic Abuse Children’s social care, four people have completed.

Understanding LGBT Domestic Violence and Abuse, six people have attended.

7. If the answer to questions 1 and 3 is no, please tell us if your
children’s services department has provided any other specific training to
staff on Controlling and Coercive Behaviours (Coercive Control) to deal
with domestic abuse cases?

 

The training on Domestic Abuse Awareness includes training on coercive and
controlling behaviours.

8. If the answer to question 7 is yes, please tell me the name of this
training, how it was delivered, it’s duration and whether it was mandatory
or optional?

Answered above

9. Has West Berkshire Council Children’s Services department arranged for
its social care staff to attend training on the Domestic Abuse Act 2021
(and the Statutory Guidance July 2022)?

 

The Domestic Abuse Awareness training includes training on the Domestic
Abuse Act 2021.

10. If the answer to question 9 is yes, please tell us the number of staff
in this department, and by their job title, that have attended this
training as of 8th August 2022.

Answered above.

If you are unhappy with the way your request has been handled or the
outcome of your request, you may ask for an internal review. You should
contact The FoI Reviewing Officer, Legal & Democratic Services, Council
Offices, Market Street, Newbury RG14 5LD, email [email address],
within 40 working days, if you wish to request a review. 

  

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: - Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9
5AF. 

 

Yours sincerely, 

 

Sharon Armour 

 

Sharon Armour (Solicitor)  

Principal Lawyer – Planning & Governance  

Legal & Democratic Services, West Berkshire Council, Market Street,
Newbury RG14 5LD  

DX30825 Newbury  

[1]www.westberks.gov.uk  

 

 

 

════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

From: Out of his Control <[2][FOI #886411 email]>
Sent: 12 August 2022 08:53
To: foi <[3][West Berkshire Council request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Domestic Abuse Training

 

This is an EXTERNAL EMAIL. STOP. THINK before you CLICK links or OPEN
attachments.

Dear West Berkshire Council,

I am requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act (2000)
regarding the following:

1. Has West Berkshire Council Children’s Services department arranged for
its social care staff to attend domestic abuse training on The Safe &
Together Model? (As set out in the BASW England: Domestic Abuse Guidance
for social workers April 2021).

2. If the answer to question 1 is yes, please tell us the number of staff
in this department, and by their job title, that have attended this
training as of 8th August 2022.

3. If the answer to question 1 is no, please tell us if your children’s
services department has arranged for its social care staff to attend
domestic abuse training on Women’s Aid Change That Lasts Programme? (As
set out in the BASW England: Domestic Abuse Guidance for social workers
April 2021).

4. If the answer to questions 1 and 3 is no, please tell us if your
children’s services department has provided any other specific training to
staff to deal with domestic abuse cases?

5. If the answer to question 4 is yes, please tell me the name of this
training, how it was delivered, it’s duration and whether it was mandatory
or optional?

6. If the answer to question 4 is yes, please also tell us the number of
staff in this department, and by their job title, that have attended this
training as of 8th August 2022?

7. If the answer to questions 1 and 3 is no, please tell us if your
children’s services department has provided any other specific training to
staff on Controlling and Coercive Behaviours (Coercive Control) to deal
with domestic abuse cases?

8. If the answer to question 7 is yes, please tell me the name of this
training, how it was delivered, it’s duration and whether it was mandatory
or optional?

9. Has West Berkshire Council Children’s Services department arranged for
its social care staff to attend training on the Domestic Abuse Act 2021
(and the Statutory Guidance July 2022)?

10. If the answer to question 9 is yes, please tell us the number of staff
in this department, and by their job title, that have attended this
training as of 8th August 2022.

Yours sincerely,

Tracy Thompson

Out of (His) Control

Twitter: @outofhiscontrol

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