Domestic Abuse Housing Strategy

The Council’s Housing Service has a responsibility to assist residents seeking housing advice and assistance, which includes being homeless as a result of domestic abuse. It also has a role as a social housing landlord to assist tenants who are survivors, or victims living with domestic abuse; and if a tenant is a perpetrator, to hold them to account.

During the Council’s consultation to invite feedback on the Strategy, one response received described domestic abuse as a ‘silent killer.’ The Council recognises that abuse may put victims in situations where they are unsafe and urgently need support to find safety. This section sets out the ways in which the Housing Service will support both victims and survivors of domestic abuse.

Training

The Council provides training for staff which includes domestic abuse awareness training and Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) training. The Council also provides corporate training to all staff on subjects including equality and diversity, safeguarding and health and safety.

Training needs will consider how to equip staff with the confidence and knowledge to work with vulnerable people with complex needs (e.g. people with mental health needs, people who misuse substances). Training needs will also consider the impact of the different types of abuse someone may experience, and recognise that abuse is not always physical. Training will also focus on keeping the survivor at the centre of advice and taking a trauma informed approach when engaging with clients.

There are several members of Housing Services staff who are trained as Domestic Abuse Champions. These officers receive enhanced training in order to support colleagues to confidently signpost victims or survivors to the correct support services, and to ensure all support areas have been considered on cases.

Homelessness applications

Where a victim or survivor of domestic abuse is homeless or at risk of homelessness, a homelessness application will be taken by the Housing Solutions & Private Sector Team.

A person who is homeless as a result of being a victim of domestic abuse has a priority need as set out in the Housing Act 1996. The Act requires the Council to ensure that accommodation is available for occupation for applicants who have a priority need for accommodation, and the accommodation must be available for occupation by the applicant together with any other person who normally resides with them as a member of the family, or might reasonably be expected to reside with them.

Refuge/temporary accommodation

The Council works in partnership with Kent County Council to ensure the availability of specialist domestic abuse support services which includes the provision of safe accommodation in refuge. Refuge accommodation is a safe place for victims or survivors of domestic abuse and their children to stay for a short period of time whilst they receive support to move on. Temporary accommodation may also be used in an emergency.

Refuge and temporary accommodation will be sought in cases where it is not safe for the victim or survivor to remain in their current accommodation pending further enquiries under a homelessness application.

A number of refuge spaces are available in Kent for both women and men who are at risk of harm from domestic abuse and not able to remain living at home.

All refuge and temporary accommodation spaces will be arranged by the Housing Solutions & Private Sector Team.

Complex Case Panel

Where cases involving Council tenants meet a ‘complex’ threshold, they will be referred into the Housing Service Complex Case Panel. This joint panel between the Housing Solutions and Private Sector and Tenancy Services Teams work together to put in place plans for tenants with complex needs and who may be at risk of homelessness. This includes more than one complex issue which is putting continuation of the tenancy at risk and may include for example, issues of domestic abuse, mental health problems, substance misuse, anti-social behaviour, high level rent arrears. All tenants that are discussed at the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) are listed for discussion at the complex case panel as a matter of course in order for the panel to discuss offering any additional support. The tenant is flagged on the housing system as being a household experiencing domestic abuse and this remains on their tenancy profile for one year (in line with the live Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) case process).

Management Transfers

A ‘management transfer’ is where an urgent managed move is agreed on the basis that a council tenant is not safe to remain in their current home due to reasons of domestic abuse, violence, harassment, intimidation, hate crime, or threats of violence likely to be carried out. Management transfers are available to tenants of the Council and, at the request of a housing association, to housing association tenants. In accordance with the Housing

Allocations Policy, management transfer moves will be placed into Band A (highest priority). At the same time as the applicant is bidding on Kent Homechoice for a property, the Council will actively seek accommodation outside of this to ensure the quickest move.

Sanctuary Scheme

The Council operates a Sanctuary Scheme which works by providing additional security to a victim’s or survivor’s property or perimeter. It is available to anyone living in the Borough regardless of their tenure. This scheme will be considered if all of the following apply:

• The perpetrator does not live in the accommodation
• It’s safe for the victim/survivor to remain living there
• It’s the victim/survivors choice to stay

The Sanctuary Scheme is provided in-house by a maintenance supervisor who inspects properties for any identified security measures. The Council will also provide emergency lock changes to any domestic abuse case (regardless of tenure) as part of the Sanctuary Scheme provision.

Sanctuary Access For Eligible Residents (SAFER) Scheme

This scheme is run by Kent County Council (KCC) and allows any professional working with a survivor of domestic abuse to refer them to KCC to obtain property security advice and to arrange security measures to be installed in their home. The scheme is open to all residents. This allows survivors to remain in their own homes if it is safe and if they choose to do so.

As a social housing landlord, the Council has signed up as a partner to the scheme which means that referrers, and survivors living in a council property, do not need to request the Council’s consent for the installation of security measures in their home. However, survivors are encouraged to notify the Council of the works carried out to their home once completed.

Assignment of a Council tenancy by Property Transfer Order

A Property Transfer Order can be applied for in connection with matrimonial proceedings or civil partnership proceedings, or proceedings under the Children’s Act 1989. Property Adjustment Orders provide a long-term measure as they direct who should be assigned the tenancy. They may be appropriate in instances where the victim or survivor of domestic abuse has remained in the property and taken legal action to prevent the perpetrator from returning.

No recourse to public funds

No recourse to public funds is a condition imposed on someone because of their immigration status. This means they will not be able to claim most welfare benefits paid by central government or obtain housing assistance from a local housing authority.

It may be possible for Kent Social Services to make an assessment under certain legislation, where in these cases a referral to Kent Social Services will be made for any housing/homelessness approaches where the individual has no recourse to public funds.

The Destitution Domestic Violence Concession (DDVC) allows for some victims and survivors on spouse or partner visas to apply for leave to remain without the no recourse to public funds condition. This applies when a relationship has broken down because of domestic abuse, they are destitute, and intend to subsequently make an application for indefinite leave to remain as a victim or survivor of domestic abuse. These victims or survivors can then apply to claim public funds for up to three months while they make an application to settle in the UK.

Partnership Working

The Council works in partnership with a number of agencies to provide effective support and protection to victims and survivors. Working with other agencies ensures a co-ordinated response is provided and resources are maximised within Dartford.

Dartford Domestic Abuse One Stop Shop

The One Stop Shop offers free advice, information and support from a range of agencies under one roof at Dartford Borough Council’s Civic Centre every Tuesday morning between 9.30am and 12 noon. Representatives include the Council’s Housing Service, legal representation and domestic abuse specialist support provider Clarion, plus other agencies; all offering advice on issues concerning domestic abuse.

North Kent Domestic Abuse Forum

This Forum is an independent inter-agency partnership that brings together voluntary and statutory agencies, including the Council’s Housing Service, with the aim of strengthening partnership working, information sharing and coordinated service provision in response to domestic abuse. The Forum supports the Kent and Medway Domestic Abuse Strategy 2020-2023 and works to meet its aims.

Dartford Homelessness Forum

This is a multi-agency partnership group that enables the Council’s partners to come together to develop, monitor and effectively drive the Council’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy forward. This includes where homelessness is a result of domestic abuse.

Dartford Community Safety Partnership

This is a partnership made up of statutory agencies brought together under a shared responsibility placed upon them by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Facilitated by the Council’s Community Safety Unit, the partnership’s Community Safety Strategy contains priorities for addressing crime and disorder, including violent crime and domestic abuse.

Kent Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board

This is a partnership with responsibility for conducting a needs assessment for accommodation-based domestic abuse support in their area for all victims, survivors or their children, including those who come from outside the area; and, develop and publish a strategy for the provision of such support to cover their locality, having regard to the needs assessment.

Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC)

This is a regular meeting where agencies discuss high risk domestic abuse cases, and together develop a safety plan for the victim or survivor and his or her children. Alongside the Council’s Housing Service, agencies taking part can include the Police, Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs), Children’s Social Services, Health Visitors and GPs, amongst others.

The Council’s Housing Service will actively participate, where required, in Domestic Homicide Reviews, District Child Protection Panels, Adult Safeguarding Case Conferences, Adult Safeguarding Reviews and Multi-agency Public Protection Arrangements.