Domestic abuse policy

We encourage managers to think creatively about what they can do with the resources they have to support staff while working from home. 

• As employees may not see their colleagues every day, managers must stay in contact. They should have regular one-to-ones and support and supervision sessions with their staff
• Help support employee wellbeing by sensitively asking how they feel about the changes to their working environment. Ask whether there is any support which can be put in place to make this easier for them
• Ask staff to think about their existing support systems, such as friends, family or neighbours and how they can strengthen these. To help them develop their bespoke support plan, read safety planning guidance on the SafeLives website. 
• Victims and survivors may want to discuss and review any existing support plans in place. They may need further help. It is essential to communicate with HR, safeguarding leads and the senior leadership team to discuss individual cases.
• Domestic abuse signs that may have been spotted by work colleagues will not be as noticeable when working from home. Aim to have sufficient time during video calls to check in with people. It will also help employees to stay connected to their workplace and their peer group, reducing isolation
• There can be visible injuries or other signs of someone using physical violence and intimidation, such as broken objects or damage to the home. However, domestic abuse is so much more than physical abuse. Other things to look out for might include: 
  • changes in behaviour, acting in an unusual way or out of character for them 
  • withdrawing from previous sources of support (for example, team chat threads or catch-ups)
  • wariness or anxiety about their partner or a family member coming into the room while you are speaking with them 
  • reluctance to talk about their home situation or avoiding answering questions about it 
  • signs of tension, audible conflict in the home, shouting at children or others 

None of these things specifically indicate that a staff member is experiencing domestic abuse. However, they may suggest that they are struggling with something and may require help with that issue. It is essential that you explore it with them and identify appropriate support. 

Safety planning 

We will:  

• prioritise the safety of employees if they make it known they are experiencing domestic abuse. When employees disclose domestic abuse, we will encourage contact with EDAN Lincs and make any other appropriate referrals where necessary
• work with the employee and EDAN Lincs or any other agency, with the employee's consent, to identify what actions we can take. We want to increase personal safety at work and home as well as address any risks there may be to colleagues
• look at measures to ensure a safe working environment (for example, changing a telephone number to avoid harassing phone calls or temporarily taking their name or picture off public or internal systems)
• temporary or permanent changes to working times and patterns
• temporary or permanent changes to where they park (for example, well lit and near to a main door)
• change specific duties (for example, to avoid potential contact with an abuser in a customer-facing role)
• redeploy or relocate them (for example, if they are a front-of-house employee on a main reception)  
• locate office space for them to work in if working from home is no longer a safe option. Telling other householders that we have asked the employee to return to an office environment, not because of any other situation, will limit the risk increasing.  This applies to both employees who are being abused and those who choose to abuse.

Working from home increases the proximity of those in an abusive relationship. If we can offer office space to an employee, it will alleviate some of the household's pressure. It can reduce the risk and hopefully allow us to provide employee support.

If both the abused and abuser work for us

Where both the abused person and alleged abuser both work for us, we will consider appropriate action. We may include taking steps to protect the victim and alleged perpetrator from: 

• working together 
• coming into contact in the workplace 
• having access to information about each other in the workplace 

We encourage all employees to report if they suspect a colleague is experiencing or perpetrating abuse. Employees should speak to their manager about their concerns in confidence.  

Those who abuse   

We do not condone domestic abuse perpetrated by employees under any circumstances. We will not treat it as a purely private matter. We recognise that we have a role in encouraging and supporting employees to address abusive behaviour.  

If an employee approaches management about their abusive behaviour, we will provide information about services available to them.

Employees need to be aware of the potential consequences if found to be perpetrators of domestic abuse and:

• have a responsibility for giving advice
• come into contact with or support vulnerable people or children

Employees found to be assisting abusers in perpetrating abuse (for example, giving access to facilities) may be subject to disciplinary action. If we find that an employee has made malicious allegations about colleagues perpetrating abuse, we will treat it as a disciplinary offence.

Notification 

Managers must report certain offences to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). HR will advise managers whether we must make a referral. It is usually the case where there is an offence against a child or vulnerable adult. 

The DBS has the power to bar individuals from working with specific groups. Any such restrictions could have an impact on an employee's continued employment with us.  

If the role of an employee identified as a perpetrator is part of the MARAC process, we will notify the community safety strategy co-ordinator – DA lead immediately. If they have access to the Modus system, we will withdraw access pending investigation. 

We have a Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) who may be involved in managing and overseeing individual cases. The LADO may provide advice and guidance to us liaising with the police and other agencies. They will monitor the progress of cases to ensure they are dealt with quickly and follow a thorough and fair process.  

Managers must direct all referrals relating to vulnerable adults to the safeguarding vulnerable adults team.