Information

This report sets out our findings from six joint targeted area inspections (JTAIs) carried out between October 2024 and June 2025. JTAIs are carried out by Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

Together, we looked at how local partnerships and services respond to children who are at risk of, or who have been victims of, domestic abuse.

Our inspection focused on the unborn children and children aged 0 to 7 years who are victims of domestic abuse. We also inspected how strategic arrangements in the local area worked to protect all children.

This report shares the most significant findings from these inspections. It aims to help improve practice, knowledge and understanding for local areas, partners and agencies working in domestic abuse.

A copy of the report can be downloaded here

PFCC Response

In Northamptonshire, Voice continue to provided specialist victim support to children and young people who have been victims of DA in the county through our IDVA and MARAC service, but also through our CYP victim service which provides access to specialist counselling.

We have also made funds available to the specialist sector for a children and young peoples support worker in the specialist VAWG sector.

The OPFCC have also been using our convening powers through the serious violence duty to commission a partnership deep dive into domestic abuse for children and young people up to the age of 25. This has enabled us to understand our partnership data, look for opportunities for earlier identification and then commission services to support violence prevention.

This has also resulted in a dedicated pathway of early help for children and young people through our internal ACE/Youth work team for DA incidents at home but also child on parent violence. This early offer of support complements local safeguarding and early help pathways provide by LA’s and the children trust.