A SCHEME aiming to tackle domestic abuse by working with perpetrators is now running on a permanent basis across North Wales.

Dean Jones is the Detective Inspector for North Wales Police's domestic abuse perpetrator programme ADAPT (Agencies Domestic Abuse Perpetrators Tasking).

The initiative sees North Wales Police chair a multi agency panel once a month to discuss a cohort of domestic abuse perpetrators from each of the six local authorities.

READ MORE: Figures show scale of violent domestic abuse in north Wales

It aims to reduce re-offending of domestic abuse perpetrators, safeguard adults and children at risk of domestic abuse and break the cycle of abuse of the perpetrator by changing or disrupting offender behaviour.

Speaking about the project, which began as a six month pilot last year and has since secured funding to run on a permanent basis, 

DI Jones said:  "I believe this is in it’s infancy and will evolve as court issued orders such as stalking protection orders need policing, and this is where the ADAPT team will also come in."

The Leader: A generic picture highlighting domestic abuseA generic picture highlighting domestic abuse (Image: Agency)

Agencies currently represented in ADAPT meetings include the police, Probation services, Health and mental health services, Social services (both children and adult), DASU/GORWEL, substance misuse, housing including homeless teams and the Prison Service.

The project works with two types of perpetrator; the engaging and non-engaging.

The 'engaging perpetrator' will work with their partners by accepting that their behaviour needs to change and will seek or be referred down a therapeutic pathway of interventions.

READ MORE: Plea to not suffer in silence as domestic abuse continues to be an 'epidemic'

But the 'non-engaging perpetrator' does not wish to work with partners and does not believe they need to change or recognise the harm that they cause.

The panel uses its collective tool kits to formulate tactical options to prevent/protect, disrupt and enforce.

Perpetrators are discharged from the program when they have engaged and there is sufficient progress shown, they have not engaged and all available tactical options have been exhausted, they have moved out of the North Wales area or they have gone to prison.