Date: Wednesday 27th November

Time: 2.00 – 4.00pm

Programme:

· What is a learning disability and why are they important for DA professionals to know about? Claire Stowe, Wiser

· Barriers to accessing DASV services & good practice recommendations. Dina Holder, The Women’s Centre Cornwall and The DIVAS

· The experience of women involved in Domestic Abuse within Child Protection proceedings. Jo Morgan, Devon Link Up.

There will also be time for questions at the end of the session.

Speakers

o Claire Stowe

Claire Stowe has worked with adults with a learning disability since 2001. She joined Plymouth Highbury Trust in 2006 as a general advocate and found her specialism in working with parents with a learning disability whose children were subject to Child Protection plans and / or Care Proceedings.

This led to an advocacy project specifically for parents with a learning disability being formed and funded in 2015.

Throughout this time, Claire found a significant number of mothers were experiencing domestic abuse. As a child protection plan action point, these mothers were referred to mainstream DA services which sadly didn’t meet their learning needs and resulted in them either not engaging or not retaining the information shared with them. This resulted in the ‘WISER programme’ being developed and delivered in 2018 . A 6 week programme for women with a learning disability designed to meet their learning needs. The WISER programme is now preparing to be offered to services and agencies working with women with a learning disability across the UK next year.

Claire now manages ‘The View’ team at Plymouth Highbury Trust. Along with the WISER programme, The View provides volunteer advocates for parents, peer support groups and accessible information for professionals working with adults with a learning disability.

WISER - Plymouth Highbury Trust

o Dina Holder

Dina Holder has wide ranging experience of both the social care and criminal justice statutory sector and of the voluntary sector specialist Sexual Violence and Domestic Abuse support services. She has a master’s in social work with a Criminal Justice specialism. She has been working for The Women’s Centre Cornwall since September 2017 as the Community Engagement Manager.

Dina has spearheaded The Women Centre Cornwall’s work on inclusion, diversity and equity through leading the development of Community Engagement projects. Dina supports women with learning disabilities and/or neurodivergence to become Educators for our DIVAS project and Campaigners to change and improve responses to women with learning disabilities and neurodivergent women- locally, regionally and nationally.

Through the #Nevertoolate project, Dina has raised the profile of the issues facing older women around sexual and domestic abuse and currently leads a countywide partnership project with The Women’s Centre Cornwall, Age UK and Cornwall Council to improve understanding and increase the numbers of older people accessing support.

https://www.womenscentrecornwall.org.uk/

o The DIVAS

Women with learning disabilities and neurodivergent women who have experienced gender-based violence have been invisible for too long. Their experiences, stories and collective trauma have often been overlooked in legislative and policy discussions on eradicating gender-based violence and advancing gender equality. However, the DIVAS have said, ‘we will not put up with it and we will speak out’.

The DIVAS are incredible women, who all have lived experience of sexual and/or domestic abuse. They are Experts by Experience and speak out to influence local and national policy and service delivery. They want to MAKE A DIFFERENCE so that other women do not have to experience what they have been through. They are also proud to be Educators, having trained hundreds of professionals on how to improve how they work with women facing similar issues across the peninsula and nationally, including police officers, commissioners and providers of specialist support.

As well as being a peer support group and providers of training for professionals and women in the community, the DIVAS also provide consultancy to Local and National services and commissioners.

The views and voices of the DIVAs are integral to driving this project forward. Click on the links below to hear from the DIVAS

The Women's Centre Cornwall | DIVAS

WE ARE THE DIVAS LINK: https://youtu.be/-bmlep4bR4Y

THE BILL OF RIGHTS LINK: https://youtu.be/wWRth_6ebik

o Jo Morgan

I work for Devon Link Up and am a Qualified Independent Advocacy Manager with over 25 years’ experience working alongside people with learning disabilities. My role is project lead and I oversee three contracts including Advocacy Services in Torbay for parents in pre-proceedings.

Devon Link Up was established in 1991 and is a user-led Charity which provides a wide range of services including Speaking UP groups, support for the Torbay Learning Disability Partnership Board Ambassadors and a service for Carers of Adults with Learning Disabilities. The Charity also manages a 32 acre Farm based in Broadclyst which gives people the opportunity to learn new skills and experiences.

Hello | Devon Link-Up

Domestic Abuse and Learning Disabilities Webinar