Mayor’s VAWG Fund – Sustaining Innovation – MASIP (STAC)

Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is a key priority in the Mayor’s Policing and Crime Plan (2017-21). The refreshed London VAWG Strategy (2018-21) aims to reduce the prevalence of VAWG in London, tackling perpetrators and supporting victims and survivors.

This decision sets out the proposed approach to sustain the Multi-Agency Stalking Interventions Programme (MASIP) in London, known as the Stalking Threat Assessment Centre (STAC).

MASIP is currently delivering across 3 Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) sites (STAC; Hampshire PCC and Cheshire PCC). It is currently fully funded through the Home Office Police Transformation Fund (PTF).

The existing funding arrangements cease in March 2020 and MOPAC seeks to sustain the project as part of Tranche 2 of the Mayor’s VAWG Fund.

The proposed funding arrangements for this project is included as part of the additional £15 million announced by the Mayor on 27th February 2019 (/press-releases/mayoral/mayors-15m-boost-to-tackle-violence).

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:

• Approve the award of a grant to the value of up to £171,000 for services for a one-year period (April 2020 to March 2021) to Suzy Lamplugh Trust, who will project manage the programme;

• Approve the award of a grant to the value of up to £410,000 for services for a one-year period (April 2020 to March 2021) to Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust (BEHMHT), for health interventions and support associated with STAC.

• Approve the award of a grant of up to £91,000 for services for a one-year period (April 2020 to March 2021) to National Probation Services (NPS), for Probation interventions and support associated with STAC.

1. Introduction and background

1.1. Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is a key priority in the Mayor’s Policing and Crime Plan (2017-21). The refreshed London VAWG Strategy (2018-21) aims to reduce the prevalence of VAWG in London, tackling perpetrators and supporting victims and survivors. The refreshed strategy underwent substantial consultation with victims, survivors and the members of the VAWG Board

1.2. In 2017 MOPAC were awarded funding over three financial years (Decision PCD291) through the Home Office VAWG Transformation and Police Transformation Funds to support earlier intervention.

1.3. Multi-Agency Stalking Interventions Programme (MASIP), funded by the Home Office Police Transformation Fund (PTF), is operational in 3 PCC areas – London: Stalking Threat Assessment Centre (STAC); Hampshire PCC and Cheshire PCC). PTF funding comes to an end in February 2020 and there has not to date been further announcements from the Home Office relating to on-going funding after this time.

1.4. MASIP is a proof of concept model programme to share learning and best practice across the three PCC areas to test out intervention programmes for stalking perpetrators. MASIP supports closer and more coordinated working arrangements between services at a local level, showing the value of cooperation and information sharing in responding to stalking. The underlying purpose of the project is to support the development of an evidence-based response to the management of stalking perpetrators to reduce the risk to victims and the community.

1.5. The project is enabling MOPAC and the Mayor to meet key priority areas in the Police and Crime Plan and VAWG Strategy.

1.6. The Mayor has committed to invest £15million of new money, across a three-year period to improve and increase the support that is available to victims and survivors of VAWG.

1.7. The budget has been allocated across three financial years 2019/20-2021/22. This funding will be delivered in four tranches:

1. Maintain existing investment.

2. Sustain current innovation.

3. Competitive grant allocation – developing grass-roots based provision.

4. Managing an increase in demand.

1.8. This decision relates to Tranche 2: Sustaining current innovation. Tranche 1 and Tranche 4 have already been allocated through DMPC decisions PCD448 and PCD633 respectively.

1.9. In order to better understand and build the case for investment to maintain, reduce or uplift the scale and scope of these projects, a feasibility study was commissioned and conducted. This included investment requirements from wider funding partners in order to support mainstreaming these programmes.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. STAC is a proof of concept model. Its 4-tiered intervention model will see over 1100 referrals triaged through multidisciplinary case consultations with regards to investigation, crime recording, police interviewing of perpetrators, and risk management. Of these referrals it is estimated 500 will require Tier 2 support; 60 will require Tier 3; and 40 will require Tier 4. The multi-agency clinic reviews referrals into the unit, risk assessing those deemed to be ‘stalking’ and providing advice to officers or other referrers where stalking is not deemed to have occurred at that time.

2.2. Referrals receive comprehensive analysis (triage) to best identify the case type, action plan and safeguarding plan. Its deliverables are to develop and test multi-agency approaches to stalking, focussing on high risk cases; test theories of obsession and fixation; enable health and the Criminal Justice System (CJS) to work together to develop rehabilitative interventions to address stalking behaviours; support and train partner professionals outside of STAC; and to disrupt behaviour of perpetrators unwilling to cooperate with relevant agencies.

2.3. The operational and programme management costs are £672,000 per year (2020-2021). An evaluation by University College of London (UCL) Jill Dando Institute is due to be finalised in July 2020.

2.4. MOPAC intends to sustain the project in London for one year beyond the end of Home Office PTF funding which comes to an end in March 2020. This is in order:

• To ensure the service can continue whilst the evaluation is completed;

• To use the findings from the evaluation to develop proposals and an established service model, calling on key partners/agencies to invest, in order to incorporate these into mainstream services to support an enhanced and sustainable pan-London model to managing stalking perpetrators.

• To enable MOPAC and the Mayor to meet key priority areas in the Police and Crime Plan and VAWG Strategy. Further investment is required to ensure the commitments are fully delivered upon after the current funding arrangements ceases.

2.5. STAC commenced operational delivery at the beginning of September 2018 confined to 24 months in total when Home Office funding ends. This therefore allows for no more than 18 months delivery. As a ‘proof of concept’ model, the programme (along with models in operation in other PCC sites) is in its infancy and much less developed that other perpetrator programmes currently in place. A minimum of a further 12 months’ delivery is critical to ensure wider understanding and design of a suitable model utilising findings from the evaluation; and engagement with and the support of statutory partners is secured to plan for longer term sustainability.

2.6. MOPAC intends to award grants up to the value of £672,000 for a one-year period (April 2020 to March 2021) to Suzy Lamplugh Trust; BEHMHT; and NPS, for continued project management of the programme and partner resource costs required for sustaining STAC.

2.7. STAC is delivered from one unit, with relevant personnel from Suzy Lamplugh Trust, health, the MPS and Probation working alongside each other. Multi-agency working is critical to service delivery and key agencies must work together to develop rehabilitative interventions to address stalking behaviours.

2.8. An enforcement and prevention approach is vital for this project to be successful through any sustainment. The Feasibility Study recommends increasing Probation resources in STAC. The effectiveness of the service model therefore is dependent on the MPS and Probation Services committing resources to STAC. MPS have agreed to maintain support for STAC in 2020/21 and MOPAC will engage with other key partners/agencies to seek their support and investment in STAC with the aim of mainstreaming the programme into their services beyond 2021.

2.9. Health attachment to STAC will continue to be key when considering the prevention and therapeutic requirement needed to treat stalking and effect long-term behavioural change. Whilst the programme continues into 2020/21 and the number of intensive health interventions are increased and completed, the findings from the UCL evaluation coupled with the impact of health interventions provided will help strengthen the case for health partners to invest in and remain an integral delivery partner of STAC.

2.10. Under Tranche 4: Managing an increase in demand DMPC decision PCD633 awarded the Suzy Lamplugh Trust funding to significantly increase the provision of dedicated stalking support advocators with a view to reduce escalation of risk and enable victims to better cope and recover. MOPAC will require all services it funds and that are delivered by Suzy Lamplugh Trust to be co-ordinated to ensure service delivery models and levels provide consistent support for stalking victims across London.

2.11. All partners involved in the national programme have been fully briefed on Tranche 2 of the Mayor’s VAWG Fund since its launch and have been kept updated throughout. All partners have commenced early conversations around sustainability of the programme in their own areas, and this continues through strategic forums as the programme approaches the final months of delivery in its current form.

2.12. MOPAC and Suzy Lamplugh Trust will continue to fully engage with the other two PCC sites for the remainder of the existing Home Office funded programmes and beyond, in particular as the programme evaluation nears its conclusion in order to ensure best practice is incorporated into existing London programmes. MOPAC’s funding to Suzy Lamplugh Trust as part of Tranche 2 of the Mayor’s VAWG Fund will be specifically for London delivery only.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. The funding for sustaining Drive in Croydon for a one-year period is confirmed within the additional £15 million announced by the Mayor on 27th February 2019 improve and increase the support that is available to victims and survivors of VAWG.

3.2. The budget for sustaining STAC for a 2-year period from April 2020 is broken down in the table below:

4. Legal Comments

4.1. In line with section 4 of MOPAC’s Scheme of Consent and Delegation, the DMPC has authority for the:

• approval of the strategy for the award of individual grants and the award of all individual grants (section 4.8).

4.2. In line with section 5.22 of MOPAC’s Scheme of Delegation, the Chief Executive Officer has authority for the finalisation of planning and contractual/grant arrangements, including relevant terms and the signing of contracts and grant agreements.

5. Commercial Issues

5.1. The recommendation made in this report follows the principal requirements as documented in the MOPAC Contract Regulations and authorisation requirement as in the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation.

5.2. The programme managers will continue to monitor progress against project milestones which are documented under item 2. Such actions will help mitigate risk and ensure the contract delivers value for money.

6. Public Health Approach

6.1. This Grant Award is informed by the Mayor’s public health approach to violence reduction and therefore part of MOPAC’s contribution to overall efforts led by the Violence Reduction Unit.

6.2. VAWG is a significant public health issue, costing the health care system £1.3 billion a year. Stalking has significant and enduring impacts on individual’s physical health and mental wellbeing. MASIP seeks to intervene with perpetrators and provide support to victims. MASIP aim to hold perpetrators accountable for their behaviour as well as increasing the visibility of perpetrator responses to these forms of VAWG.

6.3. MASIP has a health engagement element within the model (as a treatment option where appropriate for individuals who have engaged in stalking offending behaviour), and both programmes work in partnership with health, social care, criminal justice agencies and the voluntary sector to manage the risks posed by these individuals and seek to reduce repeat victimisation.

7. GDPR and Data Privacy

7.1. The programme uses personally identifiable data of members of the public. GDPR issues are identified and mitigations will be put in place through a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) to be completed by the provider(s), who will be the data controller(s) for the programme.

7.2. These requirements will be reflected in the standard GPDR compliance clauses contained within all contracts/agreements for this programme.

8. Equality Comments

8.1. The Equality Act 2010 puts a responsibility on public authorities to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and promote equality of opportunity.

8.2. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

8.3. The promotion of VAWG support services supports MOPAC’s equalities duties.

8.4. Stalking is a form of violence against women and girls. The Crime Survey of England and Wales 2015 found that 4.9% of women and 2.4% of men reported experiencing stalking in the previous year.

8.5. MOPAC is clear that provider is required to deliver the service in line with MOPAC’s equalities duties and this is reflected in the standard equalities clauses within the grant agreement/contract, as well as MOPAC’s monitoring framework of the service for its duration.

9. Background/supporting papers

9.1. PCD 291

9.2. PCD 448

9.3. PCD 633