Issue - meetings

Officer presentation on Violence Against Women and Girls

Meeting: 29/10/2018 - Community Safety Scrutiny Commission (Item 5)

5 Officer presentation on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)

Sharon Ogden, Safer Communities Team Manager, will present the enclosed briefing.

 

Licensing will attend to provide an update on their work delivering the Women’s Safety Charter; see enclosed certificate and poster. 

 

Kirsten Watters, Public Health consultant, will present on the preventative strand of Southwark’s sexual and reproductive health strategy; Healthy and Fulfilling Relationships.

 

Nina Dohel, Director of Education, will attend to present on changes to the delivery of sex education and safeguarding in schools.

 

Kate Moriarty-Baker,NHS Southwark Clinical Commissioning Group, Director of Quality & Chief Nurse will attend to report on her role chairing the present multi agency VAWG Delivery Group.

 

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The chair invited Sharon Ogden, Safer Communities Team Manager, Southwark Council, to presentthe report on VAWG circulated with the agenda.  Kate Moriarty-Baker, Director of Quality & Chief Nurse, NHS Southwark CCG imputed.

 

The following points were made in the Commissions subsequent discussions with officers:

 

Is the impact of the Women’s Safety Charter being assessed? Members suggested this could be worthwhile, with a follow up survey of women and premises. This follow up would also be an opportunity to bring the charter to the attention of premises once again, as the original staff who signed it may have moved on. Members asked if signing up to the charter could be a licencing condition.

 

There was a discussion on rolling this out to other councils. Officers said that there have been other initiatives; such as ‘Ask Angela’ and a wave project. MOPAC also have a night safety charter. Evaluation would establish whether this was an impactful initiative and if promotion more widely could be justified. A map would be useful to see coverage to date.

 

 Officers explained that there were not plans to evaluate this in the work programme and this would incur significant officer time. As such it would need to be planned for; this could be a Commission recommendation.

 

A map would be useful to see coverage to date.

 

 

Kirsten Watters, Public Health consultant, presented on the preventative strand of Southwark’s sexual and reproductive health strategy; Healthy and Fulfilling Relationships – enclosed with the minutes.  

 

There was a discussion on defining what a healthy relationship was and the different cultural views; it is important to acknowledge these differ. Stigma is an issue preventing people accessing timely treatment. Officers were asked how to combat this and they responded that research and targeted communication can help.

 

Officers were asked what outcomes they were looking for and they highlighted a focus on prevention and promoting healthy relationships. The approach is to have a more integrated system strategy.

 

Officers were asked on their views on the present government consultation on Sexual Health teaching – Public Health has provided a professional submission.

 

A member highlighted the success of the ‘Ask Frank’ drugs information portal and asked if something similar had been considered for sexual health. Officers said that this is not presentably being considered, however the London online testing service is considering a user generated online forum with questions.

 

Members asked if there was specific Southwark PSHE guidance. Offices said they do suggest toolkits. There is a RE Southwark specific syllabus. Members said it is worth bearing in mind that Academies are exempt from the requirement to teach sex and relationship education. Trusts and standalone schools are more likely to approach the local authority for resources; where as large academy chains may have in-house resources.  A recent Southwark sexual health event saw high attendance from teachers.

 

 

Nina Dohel, Director of Education, presented on changes to the delivery of sex education and safeguarding in schools.

 

Members asked if there was a duty to report back to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5