One of the key priorities in the Police and Crime Plan is `Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls.’
To deliver on this commitment, the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) is leading coordination of the Tees-wide Domestic Abuse Perpetration Strategy. This strategy launched in April 2025.
Workforce Development
A key workstream of the strategy – workforce literacy and development – has a delivery plan.
The plan includes increasing frontline practitioner confidence and capability in conducting routine enquiry. This approach supports the early identification of individuals, who may be causing harm in the context of domestic abuse.
As a strategic partner in the Tees-wide programme, Changing Futures South Tees invited the Office of the PCC (OPCC) to submit a funding proposal to support delivery of the strategy.
The funding criteria specified any allocation must be delivered exclusively within the South Tees and spent by 31 March 2026.
In consultation, partners agreed workforce development-focused activity was a priority for the funding submission.
In the context of an unsuccessful bid to the Home Office for perpetrator funding in 2023, the OPCC had already identified a gap in local training provision: Domestic Abuse Routine Enquiry (DARE) with a perpetrator focus, with no local providers offering this specialist training.
As a result, the OPCC had previously identified The Hampton Trust as a suitable provider, capable of delivering a CPD-accredited, evidence-based programme endorsed by the Home Office. This provider was, and is,able to deliver at scale and speed.
Successful Bid
Based on this information, and with timescales being limited, the OPCC, with agreement from The Hampton Trust, submitted a proposal to the Changing Futures South Tees Board in July 2025.
The OPCC asked for £30,000 to support the delivery of DARE training to150 frontline practitioners across South Tees.
The Changing Futures South Tees Board discussed the request. A meeting on 6 October 2025 confirmed funding of £30,000. It must be spent by 31 March 2026.
Middlesbrough Borough Council will administer the funding. The OPCC will enter into a direct grant agreement with the Hampton Trust.
Updates on spending and delivery will be provided to Changing Futures South Tees after delivery ends on 31 March 2026.
Decision 2025/26 – 018: Domestic Abuse Routine Enquiry (application, 148kB)