Dawn Velody
Employers Initiative on Domestic Abuse - Flagship Conference 17th October 2024
I had a great day at EIDA's flagship conference In London on October 17th, so much drive and desire to make lasting change, kindly hosted...
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Domestic abuse awareness: training your staff and
supporting your colleagues
"Domestic abuse is a horrific crime that shatters the lives of those affected and it is unacceptable in any situation. It is a crime that affects people across society. We know that anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexual orientation or background. With almost 2.3 million victims every single year, the costs related to domestic abuse in England and Wales are estimated at around £71 billion per annum."
Victoria Atkins, Safeguarding Minister, 2021
The 2021 Domestic Abuse Act requires thousands of organisations to put domestic abuse at the top of their agenda. We can help.
Over the last decade, I have trained thousands of people working in a range of sectors. Online and in person; from small organisations to multinational corporations; across the UK and internationally.
Each training session I deliver is carefully planned for the individual group. This is essential for successful learning.
I'm not interested in ticking boxes. The aim is to equip individuals within organisations with the knowledge, skills and confidence to identify and respond to domestic abuse.
Is it your job to organise training for employees who have a safeguarding responsibility for children and families?
Domestic abuse is the most common factor amongst children considered to be "in need"of support from local authority children's social care, featuring in 50% of all social care assessments.
(Department for Education, Children in Need figures, 2018)
In order to identify domestic abuse early and protect adults and children, staff need training which provides them with knowledge, tools and confidence. The Domestic Abuse Act of 2021 places new responsibilities on local authorities and their staff to identify and respond to domestic abuse. I can help you with the various training needs you will have across your services, and deliver training sessions at your premises, online, or a mixture of both.
I am a freelancer and this enables me to price the training so that you are able to reach a larger number of staff within your tight budgets.
Are you an employer or HR professional looking to embed domestic abuse awareness in your organisation?
56% of employers said that employees experiencing domestic abuse led to absenteeism.
(Durham University for Vodafone Foundation, 2018)
1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. This means that most employers will have staff who are experiencing domestic abuse and the workplace can be a lifeline for people who need to access support. Employers can play a crucial role in raising awareness and embedding domestic abuse training as one element of wellbeing and people strategies.
It is essential to embed safe and consistent responses to domestic abuse across your organisation. I can help design a training programme by conducting a training needs analysis as the first action. We'll work out the right mixture of in-person sessions, remote training and other support to suit your situation.
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"This was very useful, there were things I would not have thought about looking for which will make me so much more vigilant when visiting individuals and families. I would highly recommend this training. Thank you"
Family Support Worker
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