Project to help children impacted by domestic abuse has supported more than 1,000 families

A project that sees domestic abuse experts help social work teams to protect children has supported more than 1,000 families across Cornwall since 2022.

Family DASAs (Domestic Abuse Support Advisors) work alongside designated children’s social workers to provide face-to-face support, advice and guidance to families impacted by domestic abuse.  

There is now a DASA in each of Cornwall Council’s nine Family Assessment Teams (FAST teams) based in Launceston, Liskeard, Bodmin, St Austell, Newquay, Truro, Camborne, Redruth and Penzance.  

The teams provide a range of support in homes, signposting to domestic abuse services and have more recently been providing drop-in support from Cornwall’s Family Hubs.   

Being co-located with children’s social workers means Family DASAs can ensure children and families affected by domestic abuse get the help they need as quickly as possible.   

They are able to build meaningful and trusting relationships with the children so they can begin their recovery quickly and remain safely with their families.   

The DASAs are employed by First Light, which is a leading DASV (domestic abuse and sexual violence) charity commissioned by Cornwall Council.  

The project began in March 2022.  

Cllr Barbara Ellenbroek, cabinet member for children and families at Cornwall Council, said:  

“Domestic abuse can have a significant and long-lasting impact on children who witness it so it is great to hear that the Family DASA project is helping families and social work teams tackle the issue head-on.  

“It is one of the council’s priorities that Cornwall should be a brilliant place to be a child and grow up and this means ensuring they have a safe home environment that allows them to flourish and fulfil their potential.”  

The Family DASA project aims to:  

• Improve the lives of children by looking at issues and situations from their perspective. 
• Build relationships with families impacted by domestic abuse, to empower and support change and improve outcomes for children impacted. 
• Work in partnership with children’s social care staff to ensure children and young people are supported to have a voice in families. 
• Provide a single point of contact to practitioners in the FAST teams for domestic abuse, undertaking risk assessments and referral pathways into our integrated service. 
• Provide direct work with families, contributing to social work assessments and child plans where there is domestic abuse, including advice, information, and advocacy to all genders experiencing domestic abuse. 
• Identify and deliver effective interventions to increase safety and reduce risk and, where required, develop a package of support with other organisations. 

Rebecca Sargent, head of service and lead for the project at Cornwall Council, said:  

“Domestic abuse can have a far-reaching impact on the lives of children and their families. It can impact on a child’s health, education and social needs and there may be other issues such and housing and financial difficulties that children and families experience as a result of domestic abuse. 

“The Family DASAs are able to work together with social workers and other social care staff to enable children and their families to access support which means they quickly get the right help they need. 

“We are also now seeing our Family DASA team working with midwives, health visitors, school nurses and other education staff to ensure that children and their families receive a joined-up response.” 

Ann Toms, domestic abuse manager at First Light, who oversees the project, said:  

“The Family DASA project has really gone from strength to strength and now plays a vital and integral role in child safeguarding.  

“Our advisors are experts in domestic abuse and perfectly placed to provide help and guidance to both the social work teams and the families and children who have been impacted.  

“The hope is that this project will continue and grow to support families impacted by domestic abuse. Since it began we have shown that the family DASAs have improved families’ lives and reduced risk. We are continuing to develop this project and be creative in our approach to reach out to families that need support. The team is dedicated and proactive. They have built good relationships with social care and the families they are working with, and we are confident this will continue.”  

Safer Futures provides Domestic Abuse Support to anyone across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. If you, a family member, friend, or acquaintance needs support or advice, please make contact via the website at www.saferfutures.org.uk or call 0300 777 4 777.  

If you are concerned about the safety of a child who may be impacted by domestic abuse in Cornwall, please contact the Multi-Agency Referral Unit (MARU) at multiagencyreferralunit@cornwall.gov.uk or 0300 123 1116.  

For more information visit Child protection and safeguarding - Cornwall Council  

Family DASA (Domestic Abuse Support Advisor) case study - Sarah:  

Sarah is a mother-of-three and is expecting her fourth child. She has been working with Cornwall Council’s social care team on and off since 2019.  

Sarah has been in several abusive relationships and her children have witnessed a lot of abuse. One of her ex-partners would even call her children down to watch her being abused and degraded.  

Sarah started a new relationship with a man called Daniel and very quickly became pregnant. Daniel soon revealed himself to be extremely controlling and abusive. Last year he kicked and strangled Sarah and she had a miscarriage.   

Sarah had disclosed to her social worker the abuse she has suffered and made a police statement, following which Daniel was arrested and placed on police bail. It was at this point Sarah was referred to First Light but was not ready to take up this offer of support.  

Sarah did engage with the criminal justice system and was putting things in place to safeguard her children. She had also ended the relationship.  

The police involvement concluded and no further action was taken due to Sarah withdrawing from the legal process. She slowly started to let Daniel back into her life and became pregnant again. She then quickly recognised that Daniel's behaviour had not changed.   

Daniel assaulted Sarah again and she asked him to leave the family home out of concern for her and her children's safety. She disclosed to her social worker that she was afraid of Daniel explaining that he had come back into their lives and she was now fearful about what he would do next.  

The social worker introduced Sarah to a Family DASA from First Light and they quickly built a trusting relationship. At the time of the referral, Sarah's risk level had increased due to the recent separation and working closely with the social worker they were able to put in a robust safety plan which extended to other family members.   

Sarah was given support through the criminal justice system where her long-term safety was prioritised. The Family DASA was able to provide domestic abuse awareness and other referral pathways were made within the integrated service to support Sarah and her children.  

This case demonstrates effective collaborative working between First Light and social work teams. Working closely, addressing risk and being able to access resources has enabled Sarah and her family to remain in their property. They are no longer living in fear and are now on their way to recovery.