The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about challenges as well as opportunities for us all. Over 100 delegates attended a #PartnershipSummit hosted by the Strategic Partnerships Team from the county council to demonstrate a continued commitment to further develop collaborative and effective solutions, which address the housing, health and support needs of vulnerable adults and for people experiencing domestic abuse.

The morning’s agenda was designed to support partners to deliver the Hertfordshire Complex Needs Strategy and evoke change. The afternoon, provided platform for stakeholder engagement that coincided with the annual 16days of activism campaign and the local response thus far to the newly enacted Domestic Abuse Act (2021).

The event took place on 29 November 2021 with a packed morning programme where partners revisited and strengthened the attachment to the vision set out in the county’s Complex Needs Strategy, as well as look towards a future beyond Covid.

The afternoon set the overview of Hertfordshire’s new strategic priorities for tackling domestic abuse within the county, and what stakeholders have told us to date.  This included a ‘soft launch’ of the draft Hertfordshire Domestic Abuse Strategy (2022-2025) as part of consultation activities to help further inform its development, prior to the full and final Strategy publication in January 2022.

We were delighted to welcome Key Note sessions from the Domestic Abuse Commissioners Office - providing an overview of the Domestic Abuse Act and local strategies; setting out how these can be delivered in the context of a coordinated community response - and Victim Focus; addressing the importance of adopting a trauma informed approach and survivor co-production.