Virtual College’s new online course to generate awareness of domestic violence and abuse
Every year, over two million people in England & Wales suffer some form of domestic violence or abuse and every 30 seconds, someone contacts the police in relation to these issues.
On average, before they get help, high risk victims live with domestic violence and abuse for 2.6 years and twenty-three per cent attend accident and emergency as a result of their injuries in the preceding year.
Virtual College has created a new, online course, ’Awareness of domestic violence and abuse’ replacing its previous learning resources. This will help those who, during the course of their work, may come in to contact with children, young people or adults at risk. This course is particularly relevant to professionals in domestic violence and abuse services, social care, healthcare and housing organisations, police and probation services and educational establishments.
Since Virtual College’s original online course was launched in 2007, over 7,000 professionals from organisations such as the NHS, councils, safeguarding boards and the probation service have already completed domestic violence and abuse training.
Tablet and iPad accessible, the new course aims to give learners an awareness of what domestic violence and abuse is and how to identify it, whilst also describing best practice when supporting those experiencing domestic abuse. The online course includes sections on MARAC (Multi-agency risk assessment conference), barriers to children disclosing, effects on vulnerable adults and faith-based abuse.
New sections are provided on the coordinated community response model, the DASH (domestic abuse, stalking and honour-based violence) risk identification checklist, APVA (Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse), stalking and harassment.
The attractive and sympathetic graphical design includes interactive scenarios and roleplays, an animated book feature and challenges and quizzes throughout to enhance levels of interactivity and learner engagement. Further resources and a glossary are provided for extended study.
Virtual College’s Health and Social Care Director, Judith Clarkson, commented:”On average, victims seek help 5 times from professionals before getting the support they need for the domestic violence and abuse to stop. We hope that this course will help to increase awareness about this serious issue.”
For further information: http://www.safeguardingchildrenea.co.uk/awareness-domestic-violence-abuse