This week Knowsley Council continues to fund and deliver Domestic Abuse training to staff from local organisations and in house teams including Livv Housing, Children Social Care, Adult Social Care, the Youth Offending Service, and The Probation Service.
The professional development workshops are being delivered just days after White Ribbon Day (on Friday 25 November) and during the subsequent United Nation’s 16 Days of Activism, which run from White Ribbon Day to Human Rights Day on 10 December.
30 people have signed up to take part in the three-day training which will develop officers’ professional expertise in this area and aims to ensure they feel equipped with the knowledge needed to support residents who are experiencing domestic abuse. Over the course of the training, they will learn about the impact of Domestic Abuse on the victim/survivor, learning about the effects and signs of trauma, hearing about the influence of abusive behaviour in the home on children – from before conception into childhood. Importantly the training explores the psychology of perpetrators, giving participants examples of the behaviours demonstrated by those committing the abuse.
So far this year Knowsley Council has provided training to 240 other professionals with a further 60 due to complete it before the end of December 2022.
The training forms a key part of Knowsley Council’s Domestic Abuse strategy, launched earlier this year, which outlines how victims, and their children will be supported if they experience domestic abuse, and how partners will work together to stop the cycle of abuse. Read the strategy here.
Cllr Shelley Powell, Knowsley’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods said:
“We are committed to tackling Domestic Abuse in our communities. By funding this training, we are ensuring that our partners, who work closely with our residents on a daily basis, have the knowledge and information they need to best support someone who is experiencing domestic abuse.
“We recently marked the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, but it’s something we do all year round. Our residents are never alone and there is always help available.”
Where can I turn for help?
If you, your child, or anyone in the family are at immediate risk of harm, you should contact the police urgently, call 999. If you are not at immediate risk but are concerned, please contact one of the Knowsley services listed below:
Knowsley Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub
Tel: 0151 443 2600
Or
Knowsley Early Help Hub
Freephone helpline on 0800 073 0043 and ask for your information to be passed onto the Early Help Hub and one of our staff will call you back.
Or
The First Step (Specialist Domestic Abuse Service)
Tel: 0151 548 3333
Website: www.thefirststep.org.uk
National support can also be found at:
National Domestic Abuse Helpline – 0808 2000 247
Men’s Advice Line – 0808 801 0327
National LGBT+ Domestic Violence Helpline – 0800 999 5428