Understand policy, response and intervention in relation to domestic abuse — NCFE Apprenticeship Assessment Qualification Health & Social Care Revision
This subtopic examines the legal and procedural frameworks governing responses to domestic abuse in the UK, including key legislation such as the Domestic
Topic Synopsis
This subtopic examines the legal and procedural frameworks governing responses to domestic abuse in the UK, including key legislation such as the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and government strategies like the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy. It equips learners with the knowledge to respond appropriately to disclosures, navigate multi-agency safeguarding structures, and understand the full spectrum of support available to both survivors and perpetrators, while identifying common barriers to access.
Key Concepts & Core Principles
- Coercive control: A pattern of intimidation, degradation, isolation, and control with threats or use of physical or sexual violence. It is now a criminal offence under the Serious Crime Act 2015.
- The Duluth Model and Power and Control Wheel: Frameworks that illustrate how abusers use power and control tactics (e.g., economic abuse, using children, intimidation) to dominate victims.
- The Cycle of Abuse: A three-phase pattern (tension building, acute explosion, honeymoon) that explains why victims may stay or return to an abuser.
- Multi-agency working: Collaboration between police, social services, health, and specialist domestic abuse services to manage risk and support victims, often through MARAC and safeguarding procedures.
- Domestic Abuse Act 2021: Key legislation that widened the definition of domestic abuse to include economic abuse and coercive control, and strengthened protections for victims (e.g., banning cross-examination in person).
Exam Tips & Revision Strategies
- When responding to case studies, always follow the ‘recognise, respond, refer’ framework, and explicitly mention safeguarding procedures.
- Use correct terminology: e.g., ‘survivor’ rather than ‘victim’ (unless the individual prefers it), and refer to the Domestic Abuse Act’s definition of controlling or coercive behaviour.
- In written assessments, reference specific local and national organisations by name (e.g., Refuge, Women’s Aid, Mankind Initiative) to demonstrate breadth of knowledge.
- For multi-agency questions, structure your answer around the local safeguarding framework, naming the agencies involved and their specific responsibilities.
- When discussing barriers, provide a short rationale for each barrier to show deeper understanding of its impact.
Common Misconceptions & Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing civil remedies (non-molestation orders) with criminal sanctions, and not recognising that domestic abuse is a pattern of behaviour, not just physical violence.
- Assuming that disclosure automatically requires reporting to authorities, rather than first prioritising the survivor’s consent and safety.
- Believing that support for perpetrators only involves punishment, rather than also including behaviour change programmes and helplines.
- Overlooking hidden barriers such as digital poverty or lack of private space to seek help when listing obstacles.
- Thinking multi-agency working means simply sharing information without consent, instead of coordinated risk assessment within data protection laws.
- Teaching that domestic abuse can be reduced solely through reactive measures, ignoring the importance of cultural change and early intervention.
Examiner Marking Points
- Award credit for identifying key legislation (e.g., Domestic Abuse Act 2021) and government responses (e.g., the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme), explaining their purposes.
- Expect learners to outline a step-by-step response to a disclosure that prioritises safety, affirms the survivor, maintains appropriate confidentiality, and signposts to specialist support.
- Look for evidence that learners can differentiate between universal and specialist support services for survivors, and identify specific services for perpetrators (e.g., Respect Phoneline, perpetrator programmes).
- Assess learners' ability to identify at least three barriers to accessing support (e.g., language, disability, fear of authorities) and suggest practical ways to overcome them.
- Check for understanding of multi-agency roles by asking learners to describe the function of a MARAC and the contributions of at least three different agencies.
- Reward learners who link primary prevention strategies (e.g., school-based education, public campaigns) to the reduction of domestic abuse incidence.