This month, we are pleased to share research we have conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Justice into safeguarding processes in child contact centres in England. The research was commissioned to meet the requirements of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. Our findings highlight the importance of a system-wide approach to safeguarding adults and children from the risk of domestic abuse and other harm, recognising that the courts, local authority children’s services, and contact centres themselves all have a role to play in managing the risk of domestic abuse in these settings. 

In the area of criminal justice, HMICFRS have published two reports exploring serious youth violence, focusing on the effectiveness of police responses and on young people’s experiences. As part of our work for Central Government, Police and Crime Commissioners, Local Authorities, Youth Offending Teams, the Local Government Association and the Youth Endowment Fund, we are involved in evaluating a range of interventions which aim to support young people involved in or at risk of becoming involved in youth violence. Through our work, we have seen the impact of youth violence on young people and those around them, and also the potential for positive, long-term changes in outcomes when services respond and work together effectively to support them.

New member of the team

This month we also highlight a new Principal Consultant who has recently joined our team. Bethan Peach has particular expertise in relation to children, young people and families, wellbeing and mental health, and evidence-informed strategy support and capacity building. We're very excited that Beth is now part of our team. Download the Pulse for further details.