Phil Winterbottom, UK Head of Safeguarding and Protection at Cygnet Group, a provider of mental health services, asks whether health and social care services are truly equipped to identify, respond to, and prevent domestic abuse — and what must change to make a lasting difference.
Are health and social care services really equipped to tackle domestic abuse? We all know the question — but few of us are ready for the answer.
We recently held roundtable discussions at the Palace of Westminster and an Independent Sector Safeguarding Network (ISSN) event, and what emerged was both revealing and uncomfortable. The conversations exposed gaps, inconsistencies, and areas for improvement across every level of the system. The consensus was clear: our approach remains fragmented, and we are still struggling to move towards a unified, trauma-informed, system-wide response.
Leaders explored whether current training and safeguarding protocols are sufficient to identify and respond to domestic abuse — for both service users and staff. It was clear that DA training is often inconsistent, piecemeal, and seen as an afterthought. There is strong demand for national, tiered, trauma-informed training that is embedded in university curricula and delivered to all staff, yet practical challenges stand in the way. Frontline colleagues face time pressures and see training as another burden on already overstretched services.
The result? A “tick-box” culture that leaves people ill-equipped to act. Organisations such as Women’s Aid have long called for comprehensive training to build confidence and competence — a message echoed by attendees at both events.
Even existing HR mechanisms, such as safer recruitment and Person in a Position of Trust (PiPoT) pathways, are failing those at risk.
One provider put it plainly: “PiPoT is broken.”
Across local authorities, inconsistent interpretation and high thresholds for harm mean opportunities for early intervention are missed.
Moving beyond a tick-box approach and embedding truly trauma-informed, person-centred care requires a cultural shift — and that responsibility sits with us all. Sector and provider leaders spoke powerfully about the need for psychologically safe environments for disclosure and “routine enquiry” about domestic abuse.
As one attendee reflected: “Work could be the only safe place for people — and it can become unsafe when disclosure is made.”
That point stayed with me. Creating a workplace culture that actively supports survivors means integrating domestic abuse support into staff wellbeing, not treating it as a separate issue. It could include access to counselling, legal advice, and flexible leave. As providers, we must stretch our thinking beyond reactive measures and create environments where staff feel safe to disclose without fear of retribution — recognising that for some, the workplace might be their only safe space.
So, what would a “gold-standard” approach look like — and what’s standing in the way?
Leaders called for a unified national policy on domestic abuse within health and social care: one that is trauma-informed, intersectional, and co-produced with survivors and experts. It must include:
- Mandatory Domestic Abuse Lead or Champion roles at all organisational levels
• Mandatory tiered training
• Robust, system-wide data recording and sharing to improve inter-agency collaboration and learning
Yet the barriers are all too familiar. Leaders spoke of fragmented systems, inconsistent practice, time constraints, low confidence, disconnected IT, and fear of information-sharing across agencies.
As one contributor put it: “The foundations are currently built on sand — ever-changing and at risk of falling at any time.”
If we are serious about protecting people from harm, we can’t keep building on sand. Without a robust national framework and real investment in change, our sector will continue to struggle to provide the safety, care, and dignity that victim-survivors both need and deserve.
Because the tough question isn’t whether we’re equipped — it’s whether we’re truly willing to change.
