Practitioner guidance for domestic abuse and violence against women and girls

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Referral pathways

Practitioners can find out more information about a range of services along with details about how to make referrals on the violence against women and girls practitioner page

Solace Women's Aid

The first step for practitioners is to contact Solace Women's Aid who provide a range of confidential support on domestic violence and abuse for Barnet residents, men, women and LGBT, over the age of 16

Solace Domestic Abuse Advocacy and Support Service (DAAAS)

Call 020 3874 5003, Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm.

DAAAS offers information, advocacy and support to reduce risk and increase safety for adults and children affected by domestic abuse, including support for forced marriage and honour based violence cases. You can also contact Solace if you are looking for a refuge space.

If you're a practitioner working with a family

You can find out more about the support that is available and make a referral via the MASH. This is if you are a practitioner working with a family that's experiencing domestic violence and abuse at home. Go to the practitioner page on our Working with Children in Barnet website

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MARAC

MARAC is a meeting where information is shared on the highest risk domestic abuse cases. The panel consists of representatives from multi agency partners such as:

  • NW BCU Police
  • Probation
  • Health
  • Children Social Care protection,
  • Adult Social Care
  • Housing
  • Alcohol and Drug agency
  • Mental Health
  • Education
  • Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs)
  • other specialists from the statutory and voluntary sectors

Referral: Barnet DA MARAC Referral 
Enquiries email: DAMARAC@barnet.gov.uk or Mee.cheuk@barnet.gov.uk
Telephone: 07707 277089

The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) also known as Clare’s law

The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS), also known as Clare’s Law’ enables the police to disclose information to a victim or potential victim of DA about their partner’s or ex-partner’s previous abusive or violent behaviour. 

The scheme has 2 elements:

  • the right to ask (an individual or relevant third party can ask the police to check whether a current or ex-partner has a violent or abusive past)
  • the right to know (enables the police to make a disclosure on their own initiative if they receive information about the violent or abusive behaviour of a person that may impact on the safety of that person’s current or ex-partner)

Early intervention can save lives. Clare’s Law provides people with the information they need to escape an abusive situation before the risks escalate.

The National Scheme ensures that more people can make informed decisions about their relationship and escape if necessary.

Find out more and request information under Clare’s Law

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DA and VAWG Training

All multi-agencies practitioners can access free DA and VAWG training offered through the Barnet Children’s Workforce Development Partnership.

Violence against Women and Girls Forum

We have a voluntary multi-agency Domestic Violence and Violence against Women and Girls Forum that has an independent chairperson.

If you would like to join the forum, please contact the VAWG Strategy Manager, DAVAWG@Barnet.gov.uk

Barnet Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Delivery Group Terms of Reference

1.  Aims of the Barnet VAWG Delivery Group  

The Barnet VAWG Delivery Group will work to support victims of VAWG issues, the LBB VAWG Strategy and Action Plan 2022-2025.Its aims are to:

  • ensure a robust, coordinated response to VAWG issues across the key strategic partnership agendas and to plan the effective use of resources in Barnet
  • make explicit the roles, responsibilities and commitments of the key partners to ensure that VAWG outcomes and targets are agreed, owned and delivered and that there are clear lines of accountability
  • secure continuous improvement in the Barnet multi-agency response to VAWG and disseminate best practice and innovation across services in and outside the borough

2. Specific functions and responsibilities 

The VAWG Delivery Group will make decisions at strategic level on the:

  • development and performance management of the delivery of a 3 yearly Multi-Agency VAWG Strategy and Action plan 
  • development and implementation of policy and effective codes of practice for dealing with VAWG across agencies and link to Safeguarding children and adults 
  • reports and key performance indicators and targets received from partner agencies on their service area’s delivery within the VAWG Strategy and Action Plan, highlight needs and gaps in provision and make appropriate recommendations to ensure these are raised with the relevant service(s), boards, committees and forums
  • agendas raised by VAWG Forum Chairperson and LBB VAWG service delivery leads 
  • effective use of resources and prevention of duplication of VAWG work across the partnership agendas
  • monitoring reports and the progress of domestic homicide review recommendations
  • list of membership of VAWG delivery Group 

3. Structure, governance and accountability 

  • VAWG Delivery Group is a sub-group of the Safer Communities Partnership Board (SCPB) and works on its behalf to lead on the effective monitoring, scrutiny and governance of the multi-agency responses to VAWG
  • VAWG Forum and the MARAC Steering Group report to the VAWG Delivery Group  through their respective chairs 
  • VAWG Delivery Group will report to the SCPB on any aspect of its response VAWG. Any issues, which the VAWG Delivery Board cannot resolve, they will be referred to the SCPB for decision
     

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