Sheffield Strategic Planning Group
for Domestic Abuse
TRAINING PLAN FOR DOMESTIC & SEXUAL ABUSE 2011 – 2014
All those who work with adults, children and young people, should be trained in
domestic and sexual abuse, in parallel with their responsibilities in relation to
safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
This Training Plan is intended to provide guidance for employers and staff from
statutory and voluntary sector agencies in Sheffield in planning and accessing
domestic abuse related training. Most of the training is delivered free of charge,
thanks to funding and resources from NHS Sheffield and Sheffield Safeguarding
Children Board.
The table at Appendix A provides a framework to support employers and staff in
thinking about which training is appropriate for different job roles (adapted from the
Safeguarding Children training template in Working Together 2010).
It identifies the groups as:
o those who have occasional contact with adults and/or children and young
people, who may identify concerns;
o those who work directly with adults and/or children and young people,
who can contribute to assessing risk, intervening, and engaging people in
safety planning, where there are concerns about domestic and sexual abuse;
o those who have specialist roles to work with children and young people;
o those with specialist roles as domestic abuse champions and MARAC
representatives, and those who manage services and undertake Section 47
child protection or adult safeguarding enquiries, and/or Domestic
Homicide Reviews.
It is up to managers and supervisors to discuss with individual staff members which
group they fall into and therefore what their training needs are, using the table as a
guide. The question for each person should be:
What training do I need to complete so that I am confident and able to
effectively carry out my responsibilities to help make sure that adults,
children and young people affected by domestic abuse are safe and have
access to appropriate services and support?
Staff should comply with any additional agency guidance that has been developed in
their own sector, which should broadly fit into the framework described in this
Training Plan.
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF TRAINING
The following section describes the responsibilities of employers, agencies, Sheffield
Domestic Abuse Partnership (DAP), Sheffield Safeguarding Children Board (SSCB),
Sheffield Adult Safeguarding Partnership (SASP), VIDA Sheffield (formerly Sheffield
Domestic Abuse Forum), and Ashiana Sheffield.
The Strategic Planning Group for Domestic Abuse (SPG) has overall responsibility
for ensuring that single and multi-agency training is available in the city to meet
identified needs. VIDA Sheffield, working with SSCB, is responsible for delivering,
monitoring and quality assuring the core multi-agency training programmes. Ashiana
Sheffield, working with SSCB, has the overall responsibility for developing and
delivering the programme on Systems of Abuse (including Forced Marriage, ‘Honour’
Based Violence & Female Genital Mutilation). Quality assurance reports will be
provided to the Training Sub-group of the SPG on a regular basis.
The employer is responsible for the organisation and delivery of induction and basic
in-house training and refresher training – it is recommended that domestic abuse
issues are always reflected in initial safeguarding training at induction, including
information resources for Sheffield DAP Helpline, and e-learning where appropriate.
Employers are also responsible for releasing staff to attend the appropriate external
training appropriate for different staff groups. This document provides information
about the free multi-agency training available in Sheffield, and opportunities for
commissioning tailored programmes for single agencies.
Any additional training required for specific staff about their particular roles arising
from new developments, including learning from Domestic Homicide Reviews and
serious case reviews, is also the responsibility of the employer.
Agencies are advised to identify at least one Domestic Abuse ‘Champion’ or lead
role, who will keep up to date with developments in the sector and the range of
training available, and help to ensure that training issues are followed through within
their organisation. Key agencies should provide a representative to attend the
Training Sub-group of the SPG (see Appendix B for current membership of Training
Sub-group, co-ordinated by VIDA Sheffield).
Employers should have their own training plans in place so that they can
provide information to the SPG / DAP about making the right training provision
for their staff. They should also have systems in place to record staff attendance on
appropriate training.
e-learning or Face to Face Training?
It is intended that over time a number of e-learning packages will be developed, or
made available, for use in Sheffield. These can be very useful to raise awareness
about domestic and sexual abuse issues and to describe particular processes, but
should not replace, or be considered a substitute for, experiential face to face training
for those working directly with adults, children and young people.
Like safeguarding children and adults, work to assess risk and intervene in domestic
abuse is not a predictable science with right or wrong answers, and every situation is
different. It requires professional judgement and collaboration, and the training
should offer staff the opportunity to engage with issues and discuss their thoughts
and feelings about the work, to build their confidence while developing their
knowledge and skills.
SUMMARY OF TRAINING CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN SHEFFIELD
e-learning options
The first phase of domestic abuse related e-learning for Sheffield has been
commissioned by NHS Sheffield, so is health focused, but will be very useful for
practitioners from a wide range of backgrounds. It can be accessed via the training
page on the VIDA website: www.vidasheffield.org.uk and there will be links to it from
the SheffDAP, SSCB and other agency websites.
Free multi-agency training:
1: Domestic Abuse Awareness & Multi-Agency Working
2: See Me, Hear Me: working with children & young people affected by
domestic abuse
3: Safeguarding Children & Young People Affected by Domestic Abuse
4: Domestic Abuse Risk Assessment & MARAC
5: Systems of Abuse, including Forced Marriage, ‘Honour’ Based Violence &
Female Genital Mutilation
Courses 1 & 2 are delivered by VIDA Sheffield – a specialist voluntary sector
provider – in collaboration with Sheffield Women Against Violence Trainers
(SWAVT), a collective of specialist trainers with experience of delivering domestic
abuse services and responses, which holds the copyright for the programmes.
Publicity is targeted at men and women working paid or unpaid with voluntary and
statutory agencies in Sheffield. To ensure a good multi-agency mix and a range of
perspectives, places are normally limited to two people per organisation. Most of the
multi-agency training courses are funded by NHS Sheffield.
Single agency and tailored training can also be commissioned from VIDA Sheffield.
Information and booking via the VIDA website: www.vidasheffield.org.uk
Courses 3 & 4 are delivered in collaboration with Sheffield Safeguarding Children
Board by the VIDA Director with designated trainers from SSCB and SY Police.
Course 5 is a new course developed by Ashiana Sheffield, in collaboration with
Sheffield Safeguarding Children Board, and is delivered by Ashiana and specialist
trainers from SWAVT.
Information and booking via SSCB: www.safeguardingsheffieldchildren.org.uk
Training course aims:
1: Domestic Abuse Awareness & Multi-Agency working
Course Aims:
 to raise awareness of the realities and effects of domestic abuse
 to help workers to develop their skills and confidence in developing early and
effective responses to domestic abuse
 to identify resources available in the city to support their work
 to promote the importance of continuous risk assessment and safety planning,
and working together with other agencies.
2: See Me, Hear Me: working with children & young people affected by abuse
This course is designed for those who who work directly with children and young
people, and who have already participated in Domestic Abuse Awareness training. It
is a rewarding, and sometimes emotionally demanding, course.
Course Aims:
 recognise and respond to the needs of children & young people affected by
domestic abuse
 develop creative ways to enable children to communicate about their feelings
 feel more confident, skilled and resourceful about dealing with children's
trauma and their experiences
Information and booking for the above two courses is via the VIDA website:
www.vidasheffield.org.uk
Free multi-agency training provided via Sheffield Safeguarding Children
Board (SSCB): Information and booking for the following three courses is via their
website: www.safeguardingsheffieldchildren.org.uk
3: Safeguarding Children and Young People Affected by Domestic Abuse
A multi-agency, two-day course for practitioners who encounter child protection or
domestic abuse issues in their work but already have a basic understanding of both.
Applicants will have ideally already attended the VIDA Domestic Abuse Awareness
training, or equivalent, and foundation level safeguarding children training.
Course Aims:
 To provide practitioners with an understanding of the research and knowledge
base in the field
 To explore the impact of domestic abuse on children
 To develop skills in assessment and intervention
 To clarify use of the Common Assessment Framework and South Yorkshire
Child Protection Procedures in relation to domestic abuse
 To inform participants about new developments in the city in relation to
domestic abuse risk assessment & Multi-Agency Risk Assessment
Conferences.
4: Domestic Abuse Risk Assessment & MARAC
A one day training programme developed as a collaboration between VIDA, SSCB
and SY Police, for managers and experienced workers in contact with children,
young people and their families. The course is designed to increase confidence and
skill in using the DASH domestic abuse risk assessment tool, and understanding the
Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) process.
Course Aims:
 To provide practitioners with an understanding of the national context for this
approach to safeguarding adults experiencing domestic abuse, and their
children.
 To develop skills in using the DASH domestic abuse risk assessment tool to
identify high risk cases.


To clarify use of the DASH tool, alongside the Common Assessment
Framework and Child Protection Procedures, where children are living with
domestic abuse.
To enable workers to understand the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment
Conference process and refer cases appropriately to the MARAC, to promote
early, effective multi-agency responses.
5: Systems of Abuse including Forced Marriage, ‘Honour’ Based Violence &
Female Genital Mutilation
Course aims:

To help workers explore their understanding of multiple perpetrator systems of
abuse, including forced marriage, so called ‘honour-based’ violence and
female genital mutilation.

To highlight good practice in identifying and meeting the needs of potential
victims of such abuses.

To signpost to useful resources and share information about agencies offering
support.
AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT
The Training Sub-group conducted a Training Needs Analysis and Mapping Exercise
during 2010-11, to inform the development of this Training Plan. A number of areas
for development have been identified.
Domestic Homicide Reviews: identify opportunities to flag up the new statutory
DHR process in existing training programmes, and create a short presentation that
can be delivered at briefing events, linking the domestic homicide requirements with
the DASH Risk Assessment & MARAC processes.
Sexual abuse / sexual violence: identify opportunities for strengthening the sexual
abuse content of existing programmes, and clarify options for developing a local
more specialist programme, building on work done by SWCTS, SRASACS, and
national providers.
Learning Disabilities: a new programme has been developed and piloted with the
Learning Disabilities Team, focused on ways of working with people with learning
disabilities on issues of domestic and sexual abuse – to be reviewed and offered
more widely.
Combined induction training in D&SA, Safeguarding Children and
Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults: given pressures on staff time, there is interest in
developing a combined programme to introduce staff to abuse issues, being alert to
signs and indicators of abuse, sharing information about concerns, signposting to
specialist services.
Contact for ideas to feed in to future training development with the
Training Sub-group: Maureen Storey, VIDA Sheffield: m.storey@vidasheffield.org.uk
APPENDIX A: SHEFFIELD DOMESTIC & SEXUAL ABUSE TRAINING PLAN
Target Groups
Training Content
Training Methods
Responsibilities
GROUP 1
 Understanding own
safeguarding roles and
responsibilities
 What is domestic abuse?
 What is sexual abuse?
 Signs and indicators to be
aware of
 What to do – sharing
information about concerns
 Signposting to the Helpline
Domestic Abuse should be an
integral part of safeguarding
training in all agency induction
processes
The employer is responsible
for organisation and delivery.
Can be delivered through
briefings and e-learning
VIDA Sheffield is responsible
for ensuring that e-learning
is available to relevant staff
within organisations.
Staff in infrequent contact, or
who have periods of intense but
irregular contact, with adults
and/or children and young
people, who may identify
concerns about domestic and
sexual abuse
For example:
reception & admin staff,
maintenance staff, volunteers
GROUP 2
Those who work directly with
adults and/or children and young
people and who could potentially
contribute to assessing risk,
intervening, and engaging people
in safety planning, where there
are concerns about domestic
abuse.
For example:
support workers, health workers,
housing officers, youth workers,
early years workers, police officers
Sheffield DAP resources to be
included in induction packs, to
promote Helpline
Refresher training every 5 years
The above plus:
 How domestic and sexual
abuse affect women/adults
and children/young people
 Impact on parenting
capacity
 Working together to ensure
early, effective responses to
domestic abuse
 Use of the DASH risk
assessment tool and
MARAC referral process,
alongside the CAF process
 Addressing risk factors and
added vulnerabilities e.g.
Single-agency training:
delivered in-house (e.g. NHS
Sheffield) or by trained
‘champions’, in collaboration
with domestic abuse specialists.
Can also be commissioned.
Multi-agency training:
 Domestic Abuse Awareness
& Multi-agency Working
 Safeguarding Children &
Young People Affected by
Domestic Abuse
 Domestic Abuse Risk
Assessment & MARAC
 Systems of Abuse including
The employer is responsible
for organisation of in-house/
single agency training.
The agreed training
providers take responsibility
for the delivery of core multiagency training, working with
other specialist providers
(see details in introduction).
Sheffield DAP/SPG is
responsible for ensuring that
single and multi-agency
training is available, and that
it is reaching relevant staff
within organisations.
learning disabilities, forced
marriage, HBV
GROUP 3
Those who work directly with
children and young people in
social care, pastoral and
therapeutic roles
For example:
CAMHS staff, early years staff,
youth workers, children’s workers,
learning mentors
GROUP 4
Domestic Abuse champions and
MARAC representatives, and
those who manage services and
undertake section 47 child
protection or adult safeguarding
enquiries, or Domestic Homicide
Reviews
The above plus:
 Ways of working with
children and young people
affected by domestic and
sexual abuse, to aid
recovery and engage in
preventative work.
 Content as for groups 2&3,
if managing or advising staff
in those groups.
 Participating in an effective
MARAC process
 Domestic Homicide Review
process
 Delivering experiential
training, and advising others
Forced Marriage, ‘Honour’
Based Violence & Female
Genital Mutilation
 Sexual Abuse training –
under discussion
Refresher training every 5 years
Multi-agency training – can
also be commissioned by
agencies as tailored training:
 See Me, Hear Me: working
with children and young
people affected by domestic
abuse
 Sexual Abuse training –
under discussion
Multi-agency training and
briefings, as discussed with
manager.
In addition, training and
professional development
related to specific role,
for example:
 MARAC Reps induction
 D.A. Training for Trainers
 Domestic Homicide Review –
Home Office online learning
and local panel induction
process
Refresher training every 5 years
Training providers are
responsible for quality
assurance, and providing
regular reports to the
Training Sub-group.
VIDA Sheffield and Sheffield
Safeguarding Children Board
take responsibility for the
delivery of multi-agency
training, working with
specialist providers where
needed.
The employer is responsible
for organisation and delivery
of any single agency training
and personal development.
Sheffield DAP / SPG is
responsible for ensuring that
single and multi-agency
training is provided, and that
it is reaching relevant staff
within organisations.
APPENDIX B: TRAINING SUB-GROUP of the
Strategic Planning Group for Domestic Abuse (December 2011)
Maureen Storey
VIDA Sheffield (Chair)
Janet McDermott
Ashiana Sheffield
Alison Higgins
Sheffield City Council DAP Manager
Alicia Marcroft
NHS Sheffield
Rachel Reynolds
Sheffield Safeguarding Children Board Training
Caroline Spencer
Safeguarding Children Service
Dawn Shearwood
Safeguarding Adults Training
Karen Harrison
South Yorkshire Police
Dawn Peet
South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service
Melanie Simmonds
The Isis Sexual Assault Referral Centre
Penny Hicks
Sheffield Homes
Vivienne Wright
Sheffield City Council Housing Solutions