Recommendation - Avon and Somerset Police, March 2025

The IOPC recommends that Avon and Somerset Police implement a dynamic triaging process for Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) applications. This will establish the level of risk for the applicant throughout the process and prioritise those with a higher level of potential risk. 

Avon and Somerset Police must take the necessary steps to ensure that the safeguarding of applicants is sufficiently considered, particularly when there is a delay to the disclosure, so that an effective communication and safeguarding plan can be implemented. 

This recommendation has arisen following the review of three Death and Serious Injury reviews involving Avon and Somerset Police’s response to applications made under the DVDS (otherwise known as Clare’s Law). Clare’s Law is where the police disclose information about previous violent or abusive offending, including emotional abuse, controlling or coercive behaviour, or economic abuse by an individual, where this may help protect their partner or ex-partner, and any relevant children, from violent or abusive offending.

In all three cases, the applications were not completed within the statutory 28 day period and sadly, three women were victims of crime during that time, including offences of assault and serious sexual assault. 

It is acknowledged that Avon and Somerset Police has put in place some measures to assist in the processing of DVDS applications, including a review of guidance and system workflows. However, it is noted that applications for the force have increased significantly and are estimated to grow further. 

Whilst the measures being put in place suggest that removing the backlog of outstanding applications is ongoing, there needs to be a greater focus on safeguarding victims at every stage of the application. This is particularly true when the suggested maximum timescales for each part of the application and disclosure process, as set out in the DVDS Statutory Guidance, may not be achieved. 

Currently, there is no formal structure to assess and prioritise DVDS applications, leading to inconsistencies in handling requests and delays in addressing critical safeguarding needs. An effective triage and risk assessment system provides a formal structure to identify and prioritise applicants most at risk at an earlier stage in the process. 

This practice has been adopted by other police forces and will assist officers and staff in making a timely, informed decision as to the level of risk for each applicant and to implement the necessary safeguarding measures much sooner, particularly if a delay occurs in respect of relevant information being disclosed. 

Accepted

We have implemented a dynamic triaging process which enables Sergeants to review and risk assess all DVDS applications as they are made and allows for continual re-assessment as an application sits within the queue.  A priority grading tool has been created, which supports officers to determine whether applications meet high, medium or standard risk, and contact and progression is then prioritised as a result.

There has been considerable scrutiny around our performance of DVDSs within the last eighteen months, and a comprehensive improvement plan has been put in place to review, with governance into a dedicated Gold Group, chaired by an ACC.  One element of this is an over-arching performance framework and data dashboard, which has been created enabling closer supervision of risk status, timeliness and tracking of each application stage.  

Whilst the 28-day target remains a challenge, we are confident that with closer scrutiny, we have a clear understanding of all applications which sit outside of this window, and the reason or rationale as to why - some of which is often related to non-engagement with the applicant.