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<p>The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) takes the issue of domestic abuse extremely
seriously and is committed to ensuring that victims of abuse get the help and support
they need to use the Service safely.</p><p> </p><p>CMS has a Complex Needs Toolkit
for its caseworkers, which includes clear steps to follow to support customers who
are experiencing abuse. To improve the quality of the information we provide our customers,
from 1 April we will start using the DWP District Provision Tool (DPT) and retire
the Complex Needs Toolkit. The DPT contains the most up to date information for customer
help and support across England, Scotland, and Wales.</p><p> </p><p>CMS refreshed
its approach and understanding of domestic abuse to include financial and coercive
control and better awareness of how this affects all genders. A Domestic Abuse Plan
has been developed which outlines key steps for caseworkers to follow to ensure victims
of domestic abuse are supported. This includes advice on contacting the police if
the parent is in immediate danger. Caseworkers can also call the police on behalf
of the parent if requested to do so. As well as The Domestic Abuse Plan, CMS responds
to cases involving domestic abuse in several ways, including by acting as an intermediary
in Direct Pay cases, and providing advice on how to set up bank accounts with a centralised
sort code to limit the risk of a parent’s location being traced. There are no plans
to publish The Domestic Abuse Plan as it is a tool within CMS instructions for caseworkers
to follow.</p><p> </p><p>We reviewed domestic abuse training in 2021 to ensure caseworkers
are equipped to support parents in vulnerable situations. This included reviewing
the Home Office’s updated statutory guidance on coercive and controlling behaviour
to ensure CMS staff are equipped to recognise this form of domestic abuse and signpost
parents appropriately. In November 2023, a range of external stakeholders were invited
to two workshops and were provided with an overview of the current CMS domestic abuse
training to ensure it is in line with best practice. This opportunity allowed stakeholders
to offer insight and feedback which can help feed into the evolution of future domestic
abuse training. We are currently consulting with a range of external organisations
and charities to help us enhance and modernise our learning to incorporate the broadest
and most up to date information about dealing with victims and survivors of abuse.
There are no plans to publish the training programme.</p><p> </p><p>We have a comprehensive
learning journey for established and new colleagues. Domestic abuse training is covered
in the second week of colleagues joining CMS to ensure colleagues have the knowledge
and tools available to support customers.</p><p> </p><p>Through extensive Stakeholder
engagement and the evolution of domestic abuse training, CMS continues to evolve and
make positive changes to the way we deliver our service in order to support our caseworkers;
including developing a trauma informed approach to complex cases and cases involving
domestic abuse<strong>. </strong></p><p> </p><p>We commenced trialling the use of
a single, named case worker team to help ensure victims of domestic abuse are appropriately
supported. Evaluation of the trial has commenced, and this will inform the future
service offer for survivors of domestic abuse. Additionally, CMS has processes to
ensure there is no unwanted contact between parents and provides advice on bank accounts
with a centralised sort code so their location cannot be traced. We act as an intermediary
in Direct Pay cases to facilitate the exchange of bank details, which helps to ensure
no personal information is shared between parents. The Service also signposts to appropriate
charities and support lines.</p><p> </p><p>The Child Support Collection (Domestic
Abuse) Act received Royal Assent on 28 June 2023 following a Private Members Bill
that had full Government support. The Act will allow for a CMS to place a child maintenance
case onto the Collect & Pay service where it is requested by either parent, and
there is evidence of domestic abuse against the requesting parent or children in their
household by the other parent involved in the case. The Act is reliant on secondary
legislation required to implement the measures in the Act and set out the procedures
and evidence requirements. We have announced a consultation to seek views on how the
CMS collects and transfers maintenance in response to the Domestic Abuse Act receiving
royal assent. We are in the process of finalising the details of the consultation
and aim to publish it as soon as possible.</p>
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