Domestic Violence as the Execution of Physical and Emotional Threats - Case Study Example

Risk Assessment and Management Plan Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 What is the Nature of the Proposed Risk Activity? 3 What arethe Reasons for Proposing this Risk Activity? 5 Where will this Risk Activity Occur? 10 What is the Timescale for the Risk Activity? 12 Conclusion 12 References 14 Name of Individual: Janice Name of Key Worker: Domestic Violence Worker Date: 30/01/2013 Introduction Domestic violence is an execution of physical, emotional threats, sexual, economic abuse and isolation among partners involved in marital as well as in live-in along with dating relationships. Domestic violence is a common phenomenon among people of various age groups, cultures as well as countries. Moreover, domestic violence affects individuals from all aspects of life which include socioeconomic backgrounds, religious as well as educational backgrounds (The State of Queensland, 2012). This factor i.e. domestic violence affects women who possess limited resources. People suffering physical disabilities as well as having psychiatric problems are among the main sufferers of domestic violence. Furthermore, children are also directly or indirectly influenced by domestic violence (Iowa State University of Science and Technology, 2011). What is the Nature of the Proposed Risk Activity? In accordance with the case, Janice, who is the mother of two and a half year child Sam was observed to be suffering from a problem of mental health i.e. bipolar disorder. Janice was least caring about the nutrition as well as the medical needs of Sam. Subsequently, Sam was removed from the care of Janice. After three months when Janice’s condition stabilised through medication, Sam’s care was restored to Janice. Moreover, for two years Janice and her partner Doug was together as well as had another child named Jessie but there were various incidents of domestic violence among them. Due to the stoppage of medication, Janice’s conditions worsened which led to further extreme violence among them. However, the partners were majorly concerned about their children. Domestic violence worker is required to support Janice in order to protect her goals and facilitate her to be able to take care of her children. The Mental Health Service is concerned about Janice and her children as she missed her two group support meeting consecutively. Moreover, it was observed in the last meeting that Janice was asking for money from other members of the group. The Police had approached o the Department of Child Safety in order to discuss about this family in the SCAN (Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect) meeting. The meeting was organised as they were concerned about the safety of children. The disability service provider and Child Health Clinic were concerned about the health of Evelyn and Jessie respectively. The Educational or School Counsellor was concerned about Sam who was negatively impacted by the acts of domestic violence, results of which were seen in his behavioural aspects towards the other students. The discussion will emphasize on the role of domestic violence workers of an agency i.e. Department of Domestic Violence. Moreover, the paper will also reveal risk assessment and risk management concepts and subsequently provide a plan to support Janice. What are the Reasons for Proposing this Risk Activity? Domestic violence is considered as a crime which mainly affects the physical as well as mental health of children and women. Moreover, domestic violence is considered as a breach of human rights. Women as well as children who are suffering due to domestic violence are required to be provided with utmost supports and services. Domestic violence workers are entrusted with the responsibility of seeking that women as well as children suffering from domestic violence are offered with practical, financial, emotional as well as legal support (State Government of Victoria, 2012). The services to be rendered by domestic violence workers are to offer preventive as well as support services for domestic violence. Furthermore, the domestic violence workers should perform their activities or services in accordance with certain values which state that people including children are required to live their life with dignity as well as without fear both in their home and within their surrounding environment. The key duty of domestic violence workers is to provide care and safety requirements to victims. Furthermore, domestic violence of any sort is unacceptable irrespective of any cultural justifications. People have justified rights to confidentiality where law as well as safety of individuals should not be compromised (Kennedy & Richards, 2004). The perpetrator of domestic violence is accountable for the violence committed to victim. Furthermore, domestic violence sufferers who plan to remain in violent home environment are respected as well as supported with their decisions (Government of Western Australia, 2007). The following are the various standards to be adhered by domestic violence workers while conducting the activities. There are ten principles which are required to be followed by domestic violence workers in order to ensure that they carry out their work in an effective manner. If these principles are adhered to by the domestic violence worker then the risk activity of domestic violence can be reduced substantially. The principles are as follows: Safety The domestic violence worker is entrusted with the duty to ensure that women as well as children are provided with safety requirements. Moreover, the workers should also ensure that women are not only offered with physical safety but also their psychological or emotional safety should be ascertained. Workers should certify that risks associated with women as well as children are identified in an appropriate manner. Furthermore, women as well as children should be offered with various safety plans with the intention of promoting better safety (The State of Queensland, 2002). Respect Women should be treated with respect as well as dignity. Domestic violence workers are required to develop trust as well as healthy relationship with women who suffer violence. Moreover, with enhanced trust or belief, these workers will be able to acquire better understanding of violence committed along with initiating appropriate rectifying measures (The State of Queensland, 2002). Access and Equity The domestic violence workers are required to ensure that women suffering violence should have appropriate access to service of domestic violence agency. Moreover, the services to be rendered are required to be affordable as well as relevant to all women. Furthermore, barriers to domestic violence services should be identified as well as mitigated in order to provide equitable services to women (The State of Queensland, 2002). Empowerment Domestic violence workers should ensure that the information regarding the empowerment of women is provided in a timely manner to women. Moreover, the workers should also make certain that such information is accurate as well as up-to-date. The workers should possess the capability of acquiring important information about women as well as clarifying their requirements. Furthermore, workers should use ‘crisis intervention skills’ in order to identify probable effects of violence among women which include stress as well as lack of confidence among others (The State of Queensland, 2002). Confidentiality The information of women suffering domestic violence is required to be kept confidential in order to ensure their safety. The domestic violence workers should ascertain that such information are kept confidential as well as should inform women in circumstances where such information cannot be kept confidential (The State of Queensland, 2002). Coordination The services to be rendered to women suffering from domestic violence are required to be coordinated with other agencies in order to provide enhanced services to victims. Moreover, different agencies working together will facilitate in utilising available resources in an effective manner as well as in meeting the requirements of the victims efficiently (The State of Queensland, 2002). Advocacy The main work of domestic violence workers is to acknowledge as well as equip women who are sufferer of domestic violence with their adequate rights with the intention of providing better justice (The State of Queensland, 2002). Prevention The workers of domestic violence are entrusted with the task of alerting people of community as well as society about domestic violence with the objective of minimising violence. Moreover, proper education is required to be facilitated among people to prevent or mitigate domestic violence (The State of Queensland, 2002). Accountability Domestic violence workers are required to be competent as well as proficient to provide requisite support and to execute their work successfully. Moreover, the workers must be trained as well as educated in order to improve their skills. All these facets will facilitate workers in executing activities in an enhanced manner (The State of Queensland, 2002). Service Environment Services which are provided to domestic violence affected women as well as children must be ensured with respect to their quality. Moreover, policies as well as procedures are required to be formulated as well as executed effectively in order to provide reliable services (The State of Queensland, 2002). Where will this Risk Activity Occur? Risk assessment is a process of analysing as well as evaluating risks. Moreover, it is concerned with making judgements with regard to the capabilities as well as resources which are available with individuals in terms of social and personal aspects. Moreover, it also considers an assessment of benefits which are available with respect to psychological as well as physical factors along with emotional welfare. Risk assessment ascertains disadvantages as well as harms attached with risks. Workers or professionals must adopt a ‘Positive Risk Taking’ (PRT) approach in order to facilitate growth as well as prosperity to people who are at risk or in a harmful stage. In accordance with this approach, people who need help are provided with a risk taking opportunity so that they can improve their quality of lives (Titterton, 2010). Risks are required to be assessed as well as managed in an efficient manner in order to provide better support to individuals who face domestic violence (Titterton, 2005). Risk management is a process to ascertain that the negotiation is performed in an effective manner. The risks assessed are required to be consulted as well as communicated effectively. Moreover, the initiated procedures for risk assessment as well as management plan should be shared so that it is executed in a proficient manner (Titterton, 2005). A framework for risk assessment and management plan is designed with the objective of providing better assistance to domestic violence workers or professionals to identify risks which are attached with domestic violence (Humphreys, 2007). The framework comprises six elements. Firstly, workers are required to possess an enhanced understanding of domestic violence as well as risk attached with it. Secondly, a standardised procedure is required to be followed with the intention of identifying as well as assessing risk properly. Thirdly, a proper referral pathway as well as information sharing procedure should be formulated. Fourthly, appropriate strategies are required to be formulated for risk management which include case management as well as ongoing assessment. Fifthly, data are to be collected as well as analysed in order to ensure the appropriateness of strategies formulated. The sixth and last element is assigned with ensuring the quality of strategies as well as measures undertaken for the benefit of people who need help (State Government of Victoria, 2011). The risk associated with domestic violence in case of mental disorder patients are required to be analysed which will assist workers in understanding different aspects of violence that occurs in the ongoing relationship. Moreover, this assessment will facilitate in providing proper medical care facilities to mental disorder sufferer facing domestic violence (Riggs & et. al., 2000). According to the case scenario, Janice is suffering from a mental health related problem i.e. bipolar disorder. Moreover, with proper medication her mental problem was stabilised. She stayed with her partner Doug for two years but she faced domestic violence from her partner which worsened her mental problem. A domestic violence worker must follow all the above mentioned principles as well as values in order to understand and initiate appropriate actions or measures to provide suitable support. The worker should assist Janice to take accurate decisions. The decision to live with her partner is totally dependent on Janice. Janice should be provided with proper advocacy support in order to bestow appropriate rights so that Janice as well as her two children is offered justice. Furthermore, Janice should be provided with support from various agencies in order to protect her as well as her children. A proper risk assessment and management plan is required to be formulated with the motive of identifying risks as well as measures to be undertaken to assist both Janice and her children. The domestic violence worker is required to initiate a PRT approach so that Janice is provided with the responsibility of taking care of her children although she suffers from bipolar disorder. What is the Timescale for the Risk Activity? With the assistance of this approach, domestic violence workers will be able to execute their activities in a proficient as well as effective manner within a period of three months. In this regard, she must be provided with proper medication to take care of her children. In accordance with the case, the domestic violence workers are formulating plans to assist Janice in deciding to leave Doug. In this context, the domestic violence workers should provide better advocacy services to Janice so that she may be assisted with appropriate guidance which will help her to leave Doug. Furthermore, these aspects will also aid her to gain possession of her children. Conclusion Domestic violence is coercive behaviour comprising physical, psychological as well as sexual assaults among partners who are married or are in a relationship. Domestic violence mainly affects women as well as children with regard to mental or emotional health problems. There are certain specific values as well as principles in accordance with which domestic violence workers are required to conduct their activities to provide better support. Moreover, domestic violence workers or professionals should perform a risk assessment and management plan to identify risk factors as well as initiate appropriate measures for offering enhanced support to women and children who face domestic violence. With regard to the case, there are various departments which are involved in this case with respect to offering better support to the family. These departments also ensure the safety with regard to domestic violence as well as health of the family members. The domestic violence worker is required to understand the risks as well as the harms committed to Janice and her children. The domestic violence worker should adopt a PRT approach in order to allow Janice to take care of her children along with facilitating her to receive proper medication by working in collaboration with other agencies. Moreover, domestic violence workers are also required to provide Janice with better advocacy as well as guidance in order to assist her in deciding to leave Doug. This aspect will aid her in having parental control over her children as well as accomplish her lifelong objectives in an efficient manner. References Government of Western Australia, 2007. Guidelines for responding to Family and Domestic Violence. Documents. [Online] Available at: http://www.health.wa.gov.au/publications/documents/gudielines_for_responding_to_family_and_domestic_violence.pdf [Accessed January 27, 2013]. Humphreys, C., 2007. Domestic violence and child protection: exploring the role of perpetrator risk assessments. Child & family Social work, Vol.12, No.4, pp. 360-369. Iowa State University of Science and Technology, 2011. Let’s Talk About Domestic Violence. Sapp. [Online] Available at: http://www.soc.iastate.edu/sapp/DomesticViolence.pdf [Accessed January 27, 2013]. Kennedy, R. & Richards, J., 2004. Integrating Human Service Law and Practice. Oxford University Press. Riggs, D. S. & et. al., 2000. Risk for domestic violence: factors associated with perpetration and victimization. Journal of Clinical psychology, Vol. 56, No. 10, pp. 1289-1316. State Government of Victoria, 2011. Family Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework. Department of Human Service. [Online] Available at: http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/for-service-providers/workforce,-careers-and-training/workforce-training/child,-youth-and-family-services-workforce/family-violence-and-risk-assessment,-and-risk-management-training [Accessed January 27, 2013]. State Government of Victoria, 2012. Better Health Channel. Fact Sheet. [Online] Available at: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcpdf.nsf/ByPDF/Domestic_violence_services_for_women/$File/Domestic_violence_services_for_women.pdf [Accessed January 27, 2013]. The State of Queensland, 2012. Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012. Acts. [Online] Available at: http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/ACTS/2012/12AC005.pdf [Accessed January 27, 2013]. The State of Queensland, 2002. Practice Standards for Working with Women Affected by Domestic and Family Violence. Resources. [Online] Available at: http://www.communities.qld.gov.au/resources/communityservices/violenceprevention/practice-standards.pdf [Accessed January 27, 2013]. Titterton, M., 2010. HALE Series on Knowledge Transfer and Best Practice. Positive Risk Taking. [Online] Available at: http://www.haletrust.com/system/files/Positive+Risk+Taking.pdf [Accessed January 27, 2013]. Titterton, M., 2005. Risk and Risk Taking in Health and Social Welfare. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. 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