Parent abuse: A Greater Manchester
Perspective - “Post austerity”
Simon Retford
Professional Doctorate Student: University of Portsmouth
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Detective Superintendent: Greater Manchester Police
West Yorkshire Police, Wakefield
Wednesday 29th October2014.
Presentation
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‘In context’
Research Aims & Objectives
Research Plan
Key themes
Pilot Findings
Next steps: contribution to knowledge & practice
‘In context’
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Detective Superintendent at GMP
Professional doctorate student
“ ‘Parent abuse’: what’s that?”
The academic context
The policing context
The safeguarding context
The austerity context & budget / staff cuts
The ‘more with less’ factor
Research Aims & Objectives
Academic :
• To construct & contextualise PA across Greater Manchester through
qualitative investigation.
• To identify Multi-agency collaborative responses.
Policing / Safeguarding :
• To better understand what PA is in Greater Manchester?
• To understand who does what in responding to it?
• To identify what already is working well & where?
• To identify who is working well with who & how?
• To develop recommendations to better respond to ‘PA’ in Greater
Manchester.
• Ultimately, to better safeguard vulnerable people!
Research Plan
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Exploratory primary research
Semi-structured in-depth interviews
Involving: Agencies & charities
Small sample: pilot study Summer 2013
Key themes & findings ‘inform’ the main research
Recommendations
Key Themes
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Defining Parent Abuse
Victims & perpetrators
Causes & ‘aggravators’
A growing problem or better reporting
Prevalence & awareness
Signposting & solutions
“What, another safeguarding problem?”
“But it’s already happening!”
Austerity, social policy & collaboration
‘Pilot’ findings
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Growing awareness
Ethnic minority families
Drugs, alcohol & Mental Health
Under-reporting & the ‘fear factor’:
– Shame, blame, care plans & criminalisation
• Signposting, policy & solutions
• ‘Holistic’ support
• Collaboration opportunities
Next steps: contribution to knowledge & practice
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The PA ‘bandwagon’: timing is everything!
‘Prof Doc’ thesis process
Ongoing ‘change’ programmes
Not ‘another’ vulnerability
Collaboration & austerity
Responding: PA ‘versus’ DV / DA
Implications of inaction
Thank you & any questions?
simon.retford@gmp.police.uk
Tel: 07917 883702