Focus
Activities that South Lanarkshire has been focussed on include rolling out Safe & Together training to targeted groups and key workforces, whilst also undertaking the Trainer Certification to become a Partner Agency. Support is also being provided to practitioners to assist in embedding learning into practice.
Outcomes
Although no full evaluation or case file audit has been completed, practitioners who have completed the Core training have indicated that they have a greater understanding of the impact of domestic abuse and intersectionalities. This has been evidenced through the post-test, as well as local evaluations and informal feedback. Feedback on training has also been positive, indicated by the following:
I enjoyed the training and how much it challenged my thinking in my practise. The group discussions were helpful and I found it particularly helpful completing the key observations at the end of each section as it helped me to summarise what I had learned using my own words and understanding of it. The training has really made me think about how I (and my team, and SW as a whole) respond to survivors in DA situations, and the lack of accountability we place on perpetrators – I’lldefinitely be raising this in our next team meeting.
Enablers
Progress has been aided by sustainable long-term funding to support this work, as well as joined up working across local partners.
Barriers
Staff turnover has been high in some frontline services which presents a number of challenges. This mainly has impacts on current staff’s capacity to access the training. We have also experienced challenges for Police colleagues in the domestic abuse unit due to shift patterns. To overcome this, e-learning for the Core training has been offered in place of in person training. Additional funding was needed to cover this cost, which the Council has agreed to provide.