(Con):...Finally, policy 14 encourages Police and Crime Commissioners to work
with local schools to ensure that any child who experiences
domestic abuse gets the support they need, after a bad night at
home, from the minute they go through the school gate. In his
book Blue, former borough police commander for Southwark, John
Sutherland, recounts how for those young men who go on to cause
serious harm,
“it all began behind closed doors—hidden in their homes and their
childhoods. It’s one of the undeniable conclusions of my
professional life”...
(Con):...While
I welcome and endorse the manifesto’s conclusions and policy
recommendations, I believe that the authors of this document have
missed a trick. I say this because Police and Crime Commissioners
should have been given a much more prominent place in it. PCCs
already play a key role in this area of government business. By
the very nature of their statutory responsibilities, they are
best placed to deliver many of the policy recommendations set out
in the manifesto, particularly those which are best delivered
locally.
As my noble friend has already mentioned,
PCCs have a place in the document, but it is in relation to only
one policy area, education, where it is recommended that they be
encouraged to work with schools in their local area to ensure
that any child living in a household where domestic abuse is
present is automatically offered early support. This is obviously
a good idea. Many police forces across the country are already
involved in this scheme, and I am happy to say that many more are
planning to introduce it shortly.
PCCs are also involved in countless other programmes aimed at
strengthening families. But this should come as no surprise.
After all, PCCs are explicitly tasked with keeping local
communities safe. Although the manifesto does not say so in
terms, we all know that those brought up in families where
violence is common and love and support are rare are much more
likely to find themselves on the wrong side of the criminal
justice system, whether for serious crimes or anti-social
behaviour.
Therefore, it is clearly sensible, when thinking about how best
to deliver the policy recommendations of this manifesto, to look
to our local Police and Crime Commissioners. They are already
committed to strengthening families as the most effective way of
keeping their communities safe. They have already established
close working links with the other parts of the criminal justice
system and with the other local agencies, such as health and
education, which are critical to building strong families. Most
importantly, they are directly accountable through the ballot box
to those whose lives are most directly affected by the success or
failure of these policies...
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department
for Education (Lord Agnew of Oulton) (Con) (Maiden
Speech):...My noble friend Lady Eaton made a point
about the Armed Forces covenant and family hubs. I will look into
this with my noble friend in the Ministry of Defence and write to
her separately. Similarly, I will follow up with my noble friend
at the Home Office the point made by my noble friend
about Police and Crime
Commissioners.
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