Policing Innovation Forum 2017: Early Intervention in Domestic Abuse
The 2017 N8 PRP Innovation Forum focused on the issue of early intervention and trigger behaviours, primarily in the context of domestic abuse. The event attracted over 80 delegates from 14 police forces, academics from across the country, and other stakeholders and third-sector actors.
Key speakers:
- Prof Amanda Robinson, University of Cardiff
- Stephanie Waddell, Early Intervention Foundation
- Chantal Hughes, Hampton Trust
Workshop leaders:
- Jon Shute, The University of Manchester
- Jane Thursfield, West Midlands Police
- Clare McGregor, Coaching Inside and Out
- Paula Forster, Leicestershire County Council
- Stephanie Waddell, Early Intervention Foundation
- Matthew Guy and Chris Marshall, Safer Schools, West Yorkshire Police
Debate on Innovations
The morning session debated innovative approaches to domestic abuse and coercive control and Prof Amanda Robinson (University of Cardiff) presented the opening keynote on assessing and managing priority perpetrators. There followed presentations from Stephanie Waddell on the work of the Early Intervention Foundation, and Chantal Hughes on CARA, an experimental policing strategy which runs small group discussion workshops for men who received conditional cautions for first arrests for low-harm domestic abuse. Prof Robinson then joined them for a panel discussion.
Stephanie Waddell
Chantal Hughes
Strategy Workshops
The afternoon was split into two rounds of workshops which showcased research and projects from other areas in which early intervention had been used to tackle problem behaviour, including anti-social behaviour, crime, and mental health. Workshop attendees were invited to consider what lessons could be learned from these areas in the development of early intervention strategies and tactics in domestic abuse.
- Jon Shute, The University of Manchester – Gang Prevention and Intervention
- Jane Thursfield, West Midlands Police – Early Intervention to Prevent Football Disorder, ASB, and Violence
- Clare McGregor, Coaching Inside and Out – Can hopeless people (or people at rock bottom) really change their own lives?
- Paula Forster, Leicestershire County Council – Early Intervention in Health Care
- Stephanie Waddell, Early Intervention Foundation – Early Intervention and Innovation in DA
- Matthew Guy and Chris Marshall, Safer Schools, West Yorkshire Police – Early intervention in schools and the community
In a closing session, the workshop convenors summarised their sessions for the benefit of those who had not attended, and Dr Steve Brookes and Dr Geoff Pearson from the N8 PRP Innovation Forum reminded delegates of the opportunities the N8 PRP offers for practitioner and academic partnerships who wish to engage in research, training, or knowledge exchange.
