ORKNEY DOMESTIC ABUSE FORUM

Terms of Reference and Working Structure

1.    The Purpose of the Orkney Domestic Abuse  Forum

1.1   To reduce and prevent incidents of domestic abuse through effective co-operation between the private, public and voluntary sectors in the provision of high quality appropriate services and the protection of people and children experiencing, affected by or at risk of suffering domestic abuse.

2.    The Scope of the Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum

2.1   The Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum will seek to cover all issues relating to domestic abuse that is defined in the following way:

"Domestic abuse (as gender-based abuse), can be perpetrated by partners or ex-partners and can include physical abuse (assault and physical attack involving a range of behaviour), sexual abuse (acts which degrade and humiliate women and are perpetrated against their will, including rape) and mental and emotional abuse (such as threats, verbal abuse, racial abuse, withholding money and other types of controlling behaviour such as isolation from family or friends)".

2.2   The Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum does recognise that men can be victims and women can be perpetrators, that abuse occurs in same sex relationships and that a family member can be violent towards another family member, but that the majority is male against female.

2.3   The Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum recognises that domestic abuse affects women, men, the elderly, children, ethnic minority groups, and people with a disability.

3.    Terms of Reference

3.1   The terms of reference of the Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum are to:

• To monitor the effectiveness of the "Strategy to Combat Domestic Abuse in Orkney"
• To secure multi-agency agreements on priorities for strategic action plans and the means of resourcing them
• To performance manage and monitor achievement of the action plans and best value performance indicators
• To identify and monitor the extent of domestic abuse and advise on further strategic responses to prevent and reduce its incidence
• To promote a better understanding of the scale, impact and meaning of domestic abuse
• To support, enable and deliver services for adults and children experiencing domestic abuse or at risk of suffering domestic abuse
• To secure consistency in policies and of services across and within agencies designed to create accessible, safe and supportive environments in which domestic abuse can be reported
• To work in partnership to develop and share good practice which meets the needs of people affected by domestic abuse
• To develop feedback and consultation mechanisms to ensure strategic intentions are relevant, reviewed and responsive to local needs, expectations and concerns
• To promote the development, production and delivery of awareness raising and multi-agency training programmes
• To oversee and monitor the work of Sub Groups as established by the Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum

4.    Responsibilities and Reporting Arrangements

4.1   The progress of the Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum and its working groups will be reported to the Community Planning Partnership through the Community Safety Forum.

4.2   All members of the Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum will be expected to feedback progression/issues to their respective agencies and pass on their agencies views to the Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum.

4.3   All members of the Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum will be expected to share relevant information at meetings and contribute to the agenda as appropriate.

4.4   The minutes of the meeting will be circulated to all members of the Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum for wider dissemination to other interested parties.

4.5   The Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum recognises the responsibility of members to take forward actions in the arena where they have most influence.

4.6   There is an expectation that all Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum members will ensure that domestic abuse information and developments are circulated within their own agency.

5.    Membership of the Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum

• Orkney Islands Council - Department of Community Social Services (Children & Families, Criminal Justice and Support Services); Housing Division; Department of Education and Recreation
• NHS Orkney
• Northern Constabulary
• Women's Aid Orkney
• Voluntary Action Orkney
• Family Mediation
• Victim Support Orkney
• Citizen Advice Bureau
• DASAT
• Orkney Housing Association Ltd
• Children's Panel Reporter
• Orkney Alcohol Counselling and Advisory Service
• Procurator Fiscal

6.    Arrangements of the Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum

6.1   The Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum will meet on a quarterly basis.

6.2   The Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum will be chaired by an individual member of the Forum, elected or chosen by the full membership and the post will be reviewed annually.

6.3   The Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum will seek to oversee the work of any Sub Group established by the Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum.  It will be responsible for setting the strategy agenda, approving the work programme/action plan of each Group and for ensuring that targets are met.

6.4   The Terms of Reference and membership of the Forum will be reviewed annually.

7.    Sub Groups

7.1   A varying number of Sub Groups will be formed according to the ongoing needs of the Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum and its member organisations.

7.2   Each Sub Group will work according to set terms of reference developed with and agreed by the Forum and may be time limited.

7.3   Each Sub Group will meet as often as deemed necessary by the Group membership.

7.4   Each Sub Group will be responsible for developing and regularly reviewing an ongoing action plan/work programme that is endorsed, approved and overseen by the Forum.

7.5   Each Sub Group will be accountable to the Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum.  The Chairs of the Sub Groups must report on progress on their actions/targets on a quarterly basis to the Forum.

8.    Equal Opportunities

8.1   The Orkney Domestic Abuse Forum will ensure that it considers equalities issues in all its work and service delivery and will not discriminate on the basis of colour, race, gender, nationality, sexual preference, marital status, age, class, disability, religious or political beliefs.