FOI 232770
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 232770
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 2nd March 2023. Please find below the response to your request:
What changes have been made to the force’s approach to recording offences as a result of Part 3 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (children as victims) coming into force on 30 January 2022?
Reply
The advice provided by the NPCC Domestic Abuse Portfolio and the College of Policing in May 2022 to police forces was clear that the purpose of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 was to ensure children’s needs are appropriately assessed and met, with the existing safeguarding, risk assessment and referral processes & procedures continuing to be followed to ensure children receive support and remain visible in the multi-agency response to DA.
For all domestic abuse investigations where there are children, in addition to the recording of DASH/DARA risk assessments, we now record a separate child risk assessment which enables the necessary processes and procedures to take place to ensure children’s needs are appropriately assessed and met. In addition, we have updated our training programmes and relevant policies to ensure the changes in the legislation are reflected.