Case Studies

Consultancy support to National Offender Management Service domestic violence programme

Consultancy support to National Offender Management Service domestic violence programme

In 2000 - 2001, ignition played a crucial role in the success of the West Yorkshire Probation Area Duluth programme ‘pathfinder’ project, where the company’s consultancy input to support effective practice was described by the Programme Manager as “essential” to the success of the pilot.

Out of the pathfinder arose the Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme or IDAP. The IDAP is very much based on the Duluth model, and is a six month long group programme for men convicted of domestic violence, i.e. actual physical assaults on their partner.

It became the standard probation group programme for men convicted of domestic violence offences.

IDAP is also a ‘volume’ programme, meaning that it is very popular with courts, and has very many convicted offenders sentenced to attend.

National support for practice
From 2001, following the completion of the Duluth pathfinder, Probation Areas began to roll out the IDAP. This is a complex process, and ignition’s experience in supporting the West Yorkshire pathfinder and unique experience and qualifications made the company an obvious choice elsewhere.

From 2001 – 2009 the company supported roll-out and delivery of the IDAP to almost a quarter of the probation areas in the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) including:

  • North Wales
  • South Wales
  • Gwent
  • Dyfed-Powys
  • West Yorkshire
  • Merseyside
  • Derbyshire
  • Greater Manchester
  • Kent

ignition input to programme group workers and women’s support staff included:

  • Integrating a more effective therapeutic perspective into the Duluth psycho-educational model
  • Group work skills
  • Core processes of engagement based in Motivational Interviewing
  • Effective use of experiential methods for developing skills in group members
  • Consideration of gendered team dynamics
  • Coaching and training in programme delivery
  • Consultancy on risk management processes
  • Regular practice support reports
  • Management reports concerning systemic aspects of the programme
  • Clinical supervision for personal effects of this extremely demanding work

Dr Mark Farrall, Director, was involved throughout and commented: "I and colleagues at Ignition are proud to have been able to contribute nationally to effective practice in helping abusive men change".