The challenges of developing and sustaining innovations among multi-agency services when supporting children and families affected by domestic abuse

Ash, Daniel P ORCID: 0000-0002-7486-2127 (2023) The challenges of developing and sustaining innovations among multi-agency services when supporting children and families affected by domestic abuse. In: European Conference on Domestic Violence, 11-13 Sept 2023, Reykjavik, Iceland. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Background and Purpose of Study: When children experience domestic abuse, it is important that police, education and social services provide a coherent multi-agency response. Often, different service providers will attempt to innovate when developing policies and processes for supporting children and families with the aim of making services more efficient and effective. However, such innovations can be difficult to develop and sustain because a range of competing policy environments that exist within each service, which can be a barrier to shared innovation. This study explores how such demands relating to policy, legislation, organizational structure, risk management approaches and practice traditions can hamper innovation. Methods: This paper reports on findings from interviews and focus groups with social care, police and school professionals in England about the implementation of innovations in domestic abuse work. Reflexive Thematic Analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2021) was used to analyse interview transcripts. Based on this analysis, some key findings are presented exploring the challenges of implementing joint innovations within these settings. Findings: Complex policy structures evolve over time to meet the needs of emerging findings from serious case reviews, ‘lessons learned’ processes and normal managerial or service development exercises. However, with each additional layer of policy that is developed, new and existing practices and policies can conflict, and this makes it more difficult for practitioners to innovate because of the ever increasing restrictions that are placed on them. Conclusions: By exploring the barriers and enablers that practitioners and senior leaders face when seeking to innovate, themes have emerged that could inform policy development and allow for more coherent policies to be developed to support children and families affected by domestic abuse.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Speech)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Education and Science
Research Priority Areas:	Society and Learning
Depositing User:	Daniel Ash
Date Deposited:	04 Dec 2023 11:51
Last Modified:	04 Dec 2023 11:51
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/13523

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