Part 4: Local authority support Section 57: Support provided by local authorities to victims of domestic abuse
Subsection (1) places a duty on each relevant local authority in England (that is tier one local authorities namely county councils, unitary district councils, the Greater London Authority and the Council of the Isles of Scilly – see section 61) to assess the need for "accommodation-based support" for victims and their children within its area (subsection (1)(a)), to prepare and publish a strategy for the delivery of the support within its area (subsection (1)(b)), and to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of this strategy (subsection (1)(c)).
	Subsection (2) defines "accommodation-based support" as meaning support, in relation to domestic abuse, for victims and their children who live in "relevant accommodation". Such support may include:
Overall management of services within safe accommodation – including, the management of staff, payroll, financial management of services and maintaining relationships with the local authority (such functions will often be undertaken by a service manager);
Support with the day-to-day running of the service, for example scheduling times for counselling sessions, group activities etc.;
Advocacy support – development of personal safety plans, liaison with other services (for example, GPs and social workers, welfare benefit providers);
Domestic abuse-prevention advice – support to assist victims to recognise the signs of abusive relationships, to help them remain safe (including online) and to prevent re-victimisation;
Specialist support for victims with relevant protected characteristics and / or complex needs, for example, translators and interpreters, faith services, mental health advice and support, drug and alcohol advice and support, and immigration advice;
Children’s support – including play therapy and child advocacy;
Housing-related support – providing housing-related advice and support, for example, securing a permanent home and advice on how to live safely and independently; and
Counselling and therapy for both adults and children.
	What constitutes "relevant accommodation" for the purposes of the definition of accommodation-based abuse support will be specified in regulations made by the Secretary of State (in practice the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government). The Government intends that the description of such accommodation to be broad based encompassing dedicated specialist services which provide a safe place to stay for victims of domestic abuse and their children which may include:
refuge accommodation;
specialist safe accommodation;
dispersed accommodation;
sanctuary schemes;
and move-on or second stage accommodation.
	Subsection (3) provides that a relevant local authority must, in carrying out its functions, give effect to the strategy.
	Subsection (4) requires that prior to publication of a strategy the relevant local authority must consult the domestic abuse local partnership board established under section 58, local authorities within the relevant local authority’s area (that is tier two local authorities, namely non-unitary district councils or London Boroughs) and any other persons considered appropriate (for example, local providers of domestic abuse services).
	Subsection (5) requires a relevant local authority to keep the strategy under review. The frequency of such reviews may be determined in regulations made by the Secretary of State (subsection (10)(e)). A relevant local authority may make any changes to or replace the strategy, and must publish any revised or replacement strategy A relevant local authority must also keep under review any effect of that strategy on the provision of other local authority support for victims of domestic abuse or their children that is provided or funded by the authority (see the definition of "other local authority support" in subsection (6); in effect, the definition covers other local authority support provided in its area which is not accommodation based support).
	Subsections (7) and (8) require tier two local authorities to co-operate with the relevant (tier one) local authority in any way that the tier one local authority considers necessary for the purpose of discharging its functions under this section, so far as is reasonably practicable, for example, through the provision of information.
	Subsections (9) to (11) enable the Secretary of State, by regulations, to make provision about the preparation and publication of domestic abuse support strategies. Such regulations are intended to provide for a consistent approach to these strategies across England. Regulations may specify, amongst other things, the date by which the first strategy must be published, the frequency with which a relevant local authority must review any effect of its strategy on the provision of other local authority (domestic abuse) support in its area and the procedure to be followed in preparing strategies.
	This section places a duty on relevant local authorities to appoint a domestic abuse local partnership board for the purposes of advising the authority on the exercise of its functions under section 57 and the provision of other local authority support in the authority’s area.
	It sets out the minimum required members of the board to best represent local agencies. In addition to a representative from the relevant local authority (who is expected to chair the board), the board membership must include at least one person representing the interests of: tier two local authorities in the relevant local authority’s area; victims of domestic abuse; children of domestic abuse victims; charities and other voluntary organisations that work with victims of domestic abuse; persons who provide or have functions relating to health care services; and policing and criminal justice agencies. Subject to these minimum requirements, the composition of the board is a matter for the relevant local authority.