Richmond Council has approved a new Domestic Abuse Policy for its housing services, aiming to provide a safer and more compassionate response for residents experiencing abuse.

The Adult Social Services, Health and Housing Committee greenlit the policy, which consolidates existing procedures and referral pathways to ensure a coordinated approach across the borough. The policy is underpinned by the statutory definition of domestic abuse as set out in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, recognising various forms of abuse including physical, emotional, economic, and coercive control.

To ensure the policy's effectiveness, the council plans proactive communication, including internal communications to embed the policy within the organisation and external communications to share it with partners. An easy-read version of the policy will also be created for wider distribution to the general public. The council intends to map out a communications strategy over the next six months to ensure sufficient impact.

The policy quite clearly states that we expect people to be responding in an empathetic manner, officials said. As with any policy, this will take some embedding across the organisation, generating awareness, so it isn't simply just a case of publishing a policy and expecting people to pick it up.

Key features of the new policy include:

  • Embedding Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) standards across teams.
  • Following the Domestic Abuse Act 2021's definition of domestic abuse, recognising various forms of abuse and acknowledging children as victims if they witness abuse.
  • Emphasising support and multi-agency arrangements, including the role of Refuge, one-stop shops, and sanctuary schemes.
  • Prioritising training staff to respond empathetically and guide victims through available options. Staff will receive specialist domestic abuse training designed by Refuge, which includes initial and refresher sessions and reflects the DAHA standards. The training has been informed by operational staff and survivors.
  • Highlighting the importance of the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) in responding quickly and effectively to domestic abuse cases.
  • Acknowledging that domestic abuse takes different forms across different intersectional backgrounds, including race, disability and language.

Councillor Paulina Vassileva, Tenants’ Champion, raised concerns about customer service protocols and ensuring staff handle domestic violence inquiries with appropriate gravity. She said she was very confident in the strength of the policy, but wanted to ensure that general customer service, which is often the first point of contact for some residents, are not complacent for something like more dire consequences like domestic violence.

Councillor Stephen O'Shea asked how officers would be enabled to identify and engage with people who might not have yet reached the point of self-reporting. He said that officers are in a unique situation where they are going into the homes and engaging with people, so they can be the first to pick up on signs.

Councillor Andy Hale asked how the council would ensure the policy was robustly promoted and how it would address other forms of violence, such as antisocial behaviour.

The committee also granted the Executive Director of Resident Services the authority to adopt the policy, pending a final consultation with survivors of abuse to help shape the final version and ensure it covers the right areas based on their personal experiences.

The policy aligns with the Council corporate plan's strategic priority of making Richmond a safer borough. The Equality Impact Needs Assessment found no negative impact to protected groups, and an overall positive impact on individuals with protected characteristics.