Safeguarding
During 2020/21, there were 4390 Safeguarding Concerns received during the year in Derby. This is an 18% increase compared to the previous year. This is also higher than our comparator authorities’ average (2305) and higher than the national average (3278).
During 2020/21, the number of individuals involved in Section 42 Enquiries in Derby was 2235. This is a 2% increase compared to the previous year. This is higher than the national average (1002) and our comparator authorities’ average (891).
Derby has a lower percentage of Section 42 Enquiry number for females (54.9%) compared with the national average (57.8%) and our comparator authorities average (55.6%). Derby has a higher percentage of Section 42 Enquiry number for Males (45.1%) compared with the national average (41.7%) and our comparator authorities’ average (41.0%).
Most Section 42 Enquiries are undertaken for adults aged between 18 and 64 years (48%). This is higher than our comparator authorities’ average (39%) and higher than the national average (39%) for 2020-21.
76% of individuals involved with Section 42 Enquiries in Derby during 2020/21 were of White ethnicity. This is lower than the White population estimate for Derby (80.2%) and lower than the national White population estimate (85.5%). The next highest ethnic group in Derby is Asian/Asian British (5%). This is lower than the Asian population estimate for Derby (12.6%) and slightly lower than the national Asian population estimate (7.7%).
For concluded Section 42 Safeguarding Enquiries, the most common Type of Risk in Derby for 2020-21 was Neglect and Acts of Omission with 27%. This is lower than our comparator authorities’ average (32%) and lower than the national average (30%). The next largest Type of Risk in Derby is Physical Abuse (17%) and then Self Neglect (16%). In the previous year, Physical Abuse (24%) was the most common Type of Risk and then Neglect (21%).
During 2020-21, in Derby, the most common Location of Risk is a person’s own home with 61%. This is higher than our comparator authorities’ average (46%) and higher than the national average (50%). The next largest Location of Risk is Residential Care Home (12%). In the previous year, 53% were located in Own Home and then 13% Residential Care Home.
For concluded Section 42 Safeguarding Enquiries, the most common Source of Risk in Derby for 2020-21 is Other - Known to Individual with 63%. This is significantly higher than our comparator authorities’ average (49%) and higher than the national average (54%). The next largest Source of Risk is Service Provider (29%). This is similar to the previous year but lower than our comparator authorities’ average (34%) and slightly lower than the national average (30%) for 2020-21.
In Derby, 69.8% of concluded Section 42 Enquiries had risk identified and action taken in 2020-21. This is slightly lower than our comparator authorities’ average (70.3%) and the national figure (70.3%) for 2020-21. This is 7% lower than last year (77%). In addition, in Derby, 3% of concluded Section 42 Enquiries had risk identified and no action taken. This is the same as the previous year.
Derby had 23% of individuals involved in Section 42 Enquiries where the individual lacked the capacity to make decisions in 2020-21. This is 11% lower than the previous year (33%) and lower than our comparator authorities’ average (34%) and lower than the national average (30%).
For concluded Section 42 Enquiries where the individual lacked capacity, 87% of these were supported by an advocate, family, or friend. This is 4% lower than the previous year (91%) but slightly higher than our comparator authorities’ average (85%) and higher than the national average (81%) for 2020-21.
Domestic abuse and violence
Domestic abuse (DA) and sexual violence (SV) represent a significant health burden. This type of abuse is more common than thought, but quantifying the burden accurately is difficult because of under-reporting. For example, victims may fear the consequences of disclosing abuse more than abuse itself. In January 2015 a Health Needs Assessment (HNA) of the issue sought to determine the level of need in the Derby and Derbyshire area. Information was gathered from existing services including Helpline, Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVA) and the Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC), though the assessment concluded that it is impossible to accurately measure the incidence of DA or SV. What crime statistics and surveys do suggest, however, is that we are living in an increasingly safer society where crime is falling, but DA and SV are increasing. This is reflected in data from specialist services that have seen an increase in demand for services.
In order to meet the needs of the population resulting from DA and SV, the HNA made the following recommendations:
Policy and strategy
Ensure that development of the new county-wide strategy for domestic violence and sexual abuse takes into account the findings regarding unmet needs in Derby and Derbyshire.
Prevention
- Workforce development should be undertaken with statutory and health organisations to increase awareness of domestic abuse and sexual violence, to reduce stigma and challenge stereotypes.
- Preventative work in schools should continue and should use evidence based interventions to raise awareness of and change attitudes to abuse.
- Increased levels of preventive work should be undertaken to support national information campaigns. This work should be culturally sensitive to different population groups and may benefit from a social marketing approach.
Provision
- Encourage commissioners of all public services to require providers to ensure front line staff are appropriately trained to identify and respond positively to domestic violence.
- Encourage commissioners to require service providers to undertake an equality impact assessment to ensure that commissioned services are responsive to the needs of all victims, including those from minority groups (e.g. male, LGBT and BME victims).
- Encourage commissioners to require that all providers, including health and social care providers, carry out baseline assessments to evaluate whether practice is in line with the NICE guidance. Guidelines and assessment tools are available on the external website: NICE - Domestic violence and abuse: multi-agency working
- Develop a care pathway to ensure all organisations are able to respond positively to disclosure of domestic violence and signpost to appropriate services.
- Review commissioning and service provision around emotional support for children living with domestic violence, to build their resilience and mitigate impact on future health and wellbeing.
Recovery
- Work should be undertaken to understand whether a treatment or recovery model is best suited to people suffering or witnessing abuse. This work should inform future commissioning and service outcomes.