Victim Care and Advice Service Cleveland, County Durham and - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Launch of the Victim Care and Advice Service – Cleveland, County Durham and Darlington 11th November 2016

VERNA FEE,

DURHAM AND CLEVELAND VICTIM SERVICES, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Launch of the Victim Care and Advice Service – Cleveland, County Durham and Darlington 11th November 2016

RON HOGG,

DURHAM POLICE CRIME AND VICTIMS’ COMMISSIONER

Launch of the Victim Care and Advice Service – Cleveland, County Durham and Darlington 11th November 2016

GRAHAM STRANGE

VCAS MANAGER

Main Developments

• Staff transferred from Victim Support on the 1.4.16
• All staff were appointed to posts by 8.4.16
• Cloud based Case Management System was in use from the 13.4.16
• Remote working and Flexible working hours
• All VCAS Victim Care Officers and Team Leaders operate from Police premises

increasing visibility and engagement with operational Police Officers

• All VCAS staff have access to Police Crime Recording Systems
• VCAS staff are working close to the police but have not surrendered

independence or confidentiality

More Developments

• Focus on vulnerability - On those that need help to cope with the

immediate impact of being a victim of crime and those that need support in their recovery, rather than crime type

• Initial telephone contact
• VCAS support process
• Quarterly output and outcome monitoring reports
• Effective accountability structure with the Commissioners

Partner working

• Developed relationships and established referral pathways to and from many partners
• rganisations
• Recent third party referrals have been made from the Police, the Witness Service, the Refugee

and Asylum Seeker Forum, a Community Psychiatric Nurse, local psychiatric Crisis Team, a Head Teacher and Local Authority

• We have developed excellent working relationship with : -
• Neighbouring victim referral services i.e. Victims First Northumbria and Supporting

Victims in North Yorkshire

• The National Homicide Service – Victim Support
• The Witness Service – Citizens Advice Bureau
• On occasions we provide support whilst the victim engages with the other service and on
• thers we refer the victim to the new service and close the case
• Many police officers now see VCAS as being part of the solution and are making contact with

Victim Care Officers direct to ask for support

Additional Workload that we did not anticipate

• Support for families following suspicious deaths that have not been

classed as a homicide

• Changes in crime recording that has led to an increase in the

number of anti-social behaviour incidents being recorded as crimes

• f harassment
• Some of the more complex cases of Anti- Social Behaviour have

been referred to VCAS for support

• Volume and complexity of fraud cases
• Complexity of issues effecting Asylum Seekers and Refugees

Volunteers

• Role Profile agreed for VCAS volunteer
• 8 volunteers transferred from Victim support to VCAS
• Established VCAS volunteer recruiting process and have appointed

a further 7 volunteers

• Developed and delivered VCAS volunteer training
• VCAS volunteers: -
• Carry out joint visits with the Victim Care Officers
• Provide operational support on behalf of the Victim Care Officers
• Act as Quality of Service Champions

Restorative Justice

• Developed a process to raise awareness of Restorative Justice for

victims of crime to assist in their recovery

• Created a separate section on the VCAS Case Management System
• Prepared a short film that shows interviews with three victims that

have been through the Restorative Justice Process

Action Fraud

• All fraud offences are reported nationally to ‘Action Fraud’
• At present Action Fraud forward a list of fraud victims to the local Police

at the start of each month

• We review this list to search for cases where it is felt that the victim may

need some support to assist in their recovery or if it is felt that they are at risk of repeat victimisation

• Frauds are committed over the telephone, through email, letter, door

step, dating and many other cynical ways.

• Many are not reported, people often feel embarrassed, others do not

realise that they have been a victim of a fraud and actually believe the fraudster

Action Fraud – Action Taken

• Built sound working relationships with Home Instead Care, a service commissioned to provide anti-

fraud awareness. In Cleveland we carry their toolkits and issue prevention advice to all victims of crime aged over 60 years regardless of crime type

• In Durham we are developing an advice booklet based on ‘The Little Book of Big Scams’ that has

been developed by the Metropolitan Police. This will also be used to give preventative advice.

• Visited community banks and took part in anti-fraud initiatives
• Attended Police Cyber Crime awareness training and received information from Regional Cyber

Crime leads

• Held meetings with Trading Standards Leads to offer our services to victims that they encounter.
• We are taking part in a joint Police / Trading Standards operation to identify residents that appear
• n a National Priority list
• Have worked with the Office of the PCC to create a number of ‘Scam Champions’ to receive training

to deliver the National Friends Against Scams awareness.

Findings of initial Victim Needs Assessments

The most common victim needs are in connection with them: -

• Being emotionally distressed
• Living in fear of repeat victimisation
• Being socially isolated
• Having a negative outlook to recovery

This is demonstrated in the following case studies: -

Case Study ‘Claire’

• Claire was a 16-year-old student who was performing well at school and was

studying hard for her GCSE’s

• She was violently assaulted in the school yard by three other pupils
• Her injuries only amounted to bruising and grazing. The non-physical impacts of

this crime were much more significant.

• The reason for the attack is unclear but believed to be motivated by jealousy
• Her ability to concentrate was affected, she was frightened to attend school, she

suffered panic attacks, feared re-victimisation and lacked confidence in her ability to sit her exams.

• Whilst working with her she also disclosed that she had previously witnessed

Domestic Violence upon her mother and had also herself been subject to abuse in a recent relationship.

Case Study ‘Claire’

Support provided

• Personal alarm
• School Advocacy
• Extra support was provided at school during

examination time

• Referral to Witness Service
• Police Advocacy
• Referral to IAPT service
• Completion of ‘Feeling Graph’
• Provide information on out of school activities

– Art classes, Dance classes, creative writing classes

• Referral to Young Persons Programme

(Harbour) Immediate Emotional Support

• Face to face
• Telephone
• Initial Coping Strategies – Breathing, Colour,

Music, Memory Onward Referral

• IAPT (Talking Changes)
• CAMHS
• Harbour (Young Persons Programme)

Testimonial “VCAS helped and supported me through a difficult time, you made a difference in my life that I will always remember”

Case Study ‘Mary’

• Mary was a 70-year-old female living alone following the passing of

her husband a few months earlier

• Mary reported to the police that an unknown person had caused

damage to her metal railing fence by bending it out of shape

• It was identified that Mary was in poor health, felt very isolated,

had very little money and poor management of what she did have

• As a result of her fence being damaged and local youths ‘hanging

around’ she felt that she may be further victimised

• She had very little if any support around her
• A Police Officer referred Mary to VCAS for support

Case Study ‘Mary’

Support provided

• Mary received immediate emotional support

giving her the opportunity to talk about the issues affecting her

• Arrangements were made during the initial visit to

make a GP appointment and commence support for her ill-health

• Age UK provided support with regard to the

financial concerns and Mary has now been on a ‘day

• ut’ with them. She enjoyed this and is now

arranging further engagement with other groups

• Security lighting has been fitted outside her home

and a dummy CCTV has been provided which has given her greater confidence when alone in her home

Immediate Emotional Support

• Face to face
• Telephone

Practical Support

• Dummy CCTV
• Funding and fitting security lighting
• Referral to Age UK – financial advice and isolation
• Support seeking medical support

Onward Referral

• Age UK

GP Testimonial “Mary explained that she is ‘over the moon’ with the support provided and hoped that what had been done would prevent any further issues”

Case Study ‘Lucy’

• Lucy, is a 46 year old lady of African descent having recently

arrived in the UK

• She was subject to a prolonged course of action that amounted to

a racially aggravated crime, with a female shouting racist abuse at her in the street.

• She lived alone and no support network around her, she felt unsafe

in public places and began to spend excessive amounts of time in her home rather than risk any further threats or intimidation

• The Police had arrested the offender and they had been charged

with Racially Aggravated Public Order Offences

Case Study ‘Lucy’

Support provided

• Lucy was visited by the Victim Care Officer and

talked at length for the first time about her feelings of vulnerability and isolation

• The Victim Needs Assessment identified

concerns about her emotional state, her social isolation and her outlook to recovery

• Lucy was provided with a personal attack

alarm

• The VCO contacted the local Neighbourhood

Police Inspector who tasked Local Officers to call in on Lucy to provide ongoing reassurance

• She was given information on local community

groups and projects and ultimately started volunteering for a local charity.

Immediate Emotional Support



Face to face



Advocacy



Referral to MIND to address anxiety issues Practical Support



Personal Attack Alarm



Door and Window alarms



Referral to MVDA to address Social Isolation



Referral to Living Life Services to address Social Isolation



Help in seeking medical support Onward Referral



MIND



Living Life Services Testimonial “The Victim Care Officer took the time to listen to my concerns although at times it had been difficult to explain as English not my first language. The security items provided made me feel safer in my home”

Final Case Study - Pamela

• Pamela is a Zimbabwean lady residing in the Middlesbrough area
• She had been a victim of hate crime on a number of occasions and tolerated

the crime choosing not to report it to the Police

• Pamela is an active member of the Regional Refugee Forum and in April 2016

met with members of VCAS and explained the many challenges faced by people from Refugee and Asylum Seeker backgrounds

• In August, Pamela has occasion to speak with a call handler at a local company.

As a result was left feeling very hurt and distressed, believing that she had been racially insulted.

• Pamela rang VCAS and asked for some support.

Final Case Study - Pamela

• A VCO sent a letter of complaint on Pamela’s behalf to the manager of the call

centre who launched an investigation

• Feedback was received that Pamela had spoken to an inexperienced member
• f staff not normally expected to deal with customers. A breakdown in

communication had occurred which had resulted in Pamela becoming distressed and feeling victimised

• Arrangements have been put in place for Pamela to attend the call centre and

provide a briefing to the workforce about RAS issues and cultural differences. This will enhance the skills of the workforce and reduce the likelihood of misunderstanding or conflict.

• Pamela is now a valued volunteer with VCAS and as a result of our involvement

with her family, her daughter has now joined the local Police Cadet Programme where she is making new friends.

Launch of the Victim Care and Advice Service – Cleveland, County Durham and Darlington 11th November 2016

BARONESS NEWLOVE,

VICTIMS’ COMMISSIONER FOR ENGLAND AND WALES

Launch of the Victim Care and Advice Service – Cleveland, County Durham and Darlington 11th November 2016

• DR. ELAINE WEDLOCK

WHAT WORKS VICTIMS 11 NOV.PPT

Launch of the Victim Care and Advice Service – Cleveland, County Durham and Darlington 11th November 2016

BARRY COPPINGER

CLEVELAND POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER