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Key Constituent
Agencies
West Yorkshire Probation Service
2004/5
Since September 2001 West Yorkshire
Probation Service has been a pilot
area for the introduction of the
Duluth domestic violence programme.
Offenders convicted of domestic
violence offences can be required
by the courts to attend a programme
consisting of eight modules(24
sessions) which aims to challenge
the violent and abusive behaviour
of men towards their female partners.
One of the modules covers the subject
of partnerships and time is spent
exploring issues around responsible
parenting
The pilot is now coming towards
completion and the Home Office
intends to make some changes before
commencing a national role out
of the revised programme in the
autumn of this year. The most significant
change, based on the experiences
and recommendations of staff delivering
the pilot in West Yorkshire, is
the introduction of a ninth module
concentrating specifically on responsible
parenting. This additional module
will focus both on the impact of
violence on children and on the
effect witnessing violence has
on children. Staff in Leeds have
introduced a video, Home Truths,
made with the support of the Leeds
Inter Agency Project (LIAP), in
to their work and it has proved
to have a powerful impact. The
video features children who have
experienced violence in the home
telling their story in cartoon
form. Staff report this has a profound
effect on many of the offenders
participating in the programme.
The impact of domestic violence
on children is a critical issue.
The West Yorkshire pilot concluded
the Duluth programme, while having
many benefits, did not deal in
sufficient detail with the effect
violence in the home has on children.
It is pleasing to see the recommendation
made by West Yorkshire staff has
been accepted by the Home Office
and the revised programme will
now cover the subject in greater
depth by devoting an entire module
to responsible parenting.
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