Staff in a range of agencies will be working with people affected by domestic abuse. Make sure you read your own agency’s policy and protocol in relation to domestic abuse.

Women and children have consistently said that they would trust and disclose abuse to a health care professional, if they were encouraged and supported to do so. The guidance published in 2005, “Responding to domestic abuse -a handbook for health professionals” will be useful for staff working in any agency, not just the NHS. It gives information on the effects of domestic abuse, levels and costs of abuse as well as guidance for staff on Selective and Routine Enquiry.

www.dh.gov.uk/en/……../DH_4126161

Recent Publications

Here are some recent publications.Please let us know of any other new documents which relate to domestic abuse and will help improve understanding and practice.

Improving Safety, Reducing Harm: Children, young people and domestic abuse DH (2009) – This is a link to a toolkit which provides information about children and domestic violence, an overview of Every Child Matters, commissioning services, risk assessment and safety planning, guidance for schools, explanations of key standards and policies, sample forms and key fact sheets.

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_108697

Saving Mothers’ Lives – Reviewing maternal deaths to make motherhood safer 2003-2005. CEMACH December 2007

http://www.cemach.org.uk/Publications/CEMACH-Publications/Maternal-and-Perinatal-Health.aspx

Safe to Return? Pakistani women, domestic violence and access to refugee protection – A report of a trans-national research project conducted in the UK and Pakistan by South Manchester Law Centre in Partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University

SafeToReturn.pdf