Court Coordination at the Specialist DA Court

Description

The existing Specialist Domestic Abuse Court (SDAC) Coordinator role has historically operated as part of a tri-borough arrangement funded by Hammersmith & Fulham, Westminster City Council and the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. Following the withdrawal of funding from the partner boroughs, the Council wishes to pilot an H&F-only SDAC model to preserve the benefits of specialist court coordination for H&F residents whilst gathering evidence on future delivery options. Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse (STADA) currently delivers the SDAC coordination function and forms a key part of the established SDAC infrastructure at Westminster Magistrates' Court. The role relies on specialist domestic abuse expertise, established relationships across the criminal justice system and knowledge of local operating procedures that could not be replicated within the required timeframe without significant disruption to the service. In addition, STADA is widely recognised as a national leader in the development and delivery of Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts. Awarding the pilot contract to STADA will enable the Council to maintain participation in wider national discussions regarding the future of SDACs and support ongoing engagement with Government and criminal justice partners on the delivery of the commitment to expand SDAC provision nationally. The contract will maintain key elements of the SDAC model for H&F residents, including coordinated case management, multi-agency partnership working and performance monitoring at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.