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Organisers of a rebranded programme for perpetrators of domestic abuse are hoping to see an increase in the number of self-referrals.
Delivered by Jersey Probation and Aftercare Service, the Building Healthy Relationships programme is expected to replace the Jersey Domestic Abuse Programme in the next six weeks.
Express met the officers behind the programme to find out how they get perpetrators to change their behaviours – and why they hope more people will refer themselves to the programme without being sent by the court or agencies.
The new name was borne out of feedback from clients on the Jersey Domestic Abuse Programme, said Kay McCarthy, the Assistant Probation Officer with responsibility for co-ordinating the programme.
She explained: “We did a piece of research and one of the clients came up with a ‘Building Healthy Relationships’ programme, which sounds a lot healthier and sounds a lot less stigmatising.”
Under Jersey's domestic abuse law – which came into effect in June 2023 – a number of domestic abuse perpetrators have been given orders to complete the Probation Service course.
However, it is hoped that a new self-referral option may encourage people to proactively enrol on the Building Healthy Relationships course if they think they need support.
Building Healthy Relationships comprises eight modules, starting with initial assessments and trust-building, and later moving on to topics ranging from the impact of domestic abuse on children to trauma and anger.
These are personalised and delivered mostly on a one-on-one basis, and the full programme takes around nine months to deliver.
“It’s about adapting the programme to suit their own capability or the way they learn,” said Ms McCarthy.
“It’s about looking at the need and adapting those things to ensure that there’s an understanding.”
Team Manager at the Probation Service, Natalie Elliott added: “We had an example of somebody who was going through a diagnosis of autism, very high-functioning, but in a group setting [it was] very difficult to adapt that for them.”
Once they have established trust, officers help clients to talk about their own relationships and use third-person scenarios to help course attendees to understand which behaviours are healthy or not.
Safeguarding is central to the programme, Ms McCarthy explained, and probation officers are in contact with other agencies such as Jersey Domestic Abuse Service and Victim Support throughout the process.
When someone comes into the service, they are assessed to find out if they are even suitable for the programme – as alcohol or drugs issues, for example, can be an obstacle which has to be handled first.
The Probation Service has also made efforts to include women and LGBTQ+ people to its domestic-violence programme.
Before Adapt was phased out in early 2021, the service only accepted men – but is now seeing a more diverse cohort, with a client who is in a same-sex relationship and a woman both undertaking the course already.
To find out more about the course, visit the Government website, call 441900, email probation@courts.je, or visit in-person at 1 Lemprière Street in St Helier.
Express met the officers behind the Building Healthy Relationships programme to find out how they get perpetrators to change their behaviours – and why they hope more people will refer themselves to the programme without being sent by the court or agencies...
You can listen to the full interview below or search 'Bailiwick Podcasts' on your favourite podcast provider.
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