Stalking Perpetrator Intervention, Independent Victim Advocacy and System Wide Training

The Authority seeks to commission a specialist stalking service across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The Service shall address stalking-related harm through assessment, perpetrator intervention, independent victim advocacy, safeguarding, dynamic risk management, professional development, monitoring and system learning.

The Service shall operate as part of the wider multi-agency response. It shall complement and strengthen existing police, probation, safeguarding, victim support and protective order arrangements, but it shall not replace statutory agency responsibilities.

The Service is intended to support the objectives of the Home Office Domestic Abuse and Stalking Perpetrator Interventions Fund, subject to confirmation of funding. The Service shall contribute to improved victim safety, strengthened perpetrator accountability, earlier intervention, improved multi-agency responses and learning about effective stalking perpetrator intervention.

Commissioning rationale:

• Create a dedicated referral and intervention pathway for stalking perpetrators.

• Improve victim safety through functionally independent advocacy and safety planning.

• Strengthen multi-agency risk management, information sharing and escalation.

• Improve professional confidence, referral quality and stalking identification.

• Generate reliable learning about implementation, engagement, outcomes and future commissioning requirements.

Strategic Outcomes:

The Provider shall be accountable for delivery of activities and outputs within its control. Some system-level impacts depend on police, probation, safeguarding, courts, health, local authorities and other agencies and cannot be attributed solely to the Provider.

For contract management and evaluation purposes, outcomes shall be understood at three levels:

• Provider-Controlled Deliverables: activities and outputs directly within the Provider’s control, including referrals processed, assessments completed, advocacy offers made, interventions delivered, risk reviews undertaken, safeguarding escalations made, reports submitted and training delivered.

• Provider-Influenced Outcomes: changes to which the Provider is expected to make an evidence-informed contribution, including improved victim safety, increased perpetrator accountability, reduced dynamic risk indicators, improved engagement, improved referral quality and stronger multi-agency risk management.

• System-Level Impacts: longer-term changes to which the Service may contribute but which cannot be attributed solely to the Provider, including reduced repeat victimisation, reduced serious harm, reduced repeat police contact and a stronger local response to stalking.