Core Components

DART is a targeted indicated intervention aimed at mothers of children aged between 7-14 years who have experienced domestic abuse. DART aims to address the immediate and long-term negative effects that children are likely to experience (conduct problems, emotional distress and issues with their peer relationships) if they have been exposed to domestic abuse in order to improve their educational attainment along with improving the mother child relationship, helping them both to recover from the adverse effects. 

The programme is suitable for mothers and children (one child only per programme) who feel safe to participate in the programme, excluding families who remain in a relationship with the person who has been abusive. The primary delivery model for DART is

(A) delivery by a single organisation with four facilitators with relevant professional qualifications. However, the programme can also be delivered as model (B) by 2 facilitators and 2 trained volunteers which is permitted on the basis that the organisation delivering DART has a robust process in place in recruiting, assessing, training, and supervising the volunteers.  A third model of delivery is also permitted model (C) DART delivered as a partnership of organisations where two or more organisations in the same region who can pool resources to deliver DART if they share the same vision of supporting children and mothers recovering from domestic abuse.  This model requires a lead organisation to be identified.

The structure of the programme for each of the 3 models is the same.  The programme includes 10, 2-hour group sessions where the facilitators meet with the combined group undertaking joint mother child activity in the first hour followed by separate mother and child group activities (2 facilitators per group) and re-joining together at the end.  Within each child group there should be no more than 2-3 years age gap between children unless older but with a similar developmental ability. Only one child per family can participate in each group in order that mother and child can focus on their relationship.

During these sessions, mothers learn more about how domestic abuse happens and how it affects children, developing strategies that can be used as a parent to strengthen the child parent relationship. Through activities-based sessions, children build their own understanding of domestic abuse and how they are feeling. The training is designed to enable the mother and child to support each other through their recovery.  

DART is well operationalised with facilitators working from a manual, which provides comprehensive guidance for each session.  The 10 session topics, in order of delivery include (1) Welcome and defining domestic abuse (2) Domestic abuse and its impact (3) Feelings and relationships (4) Exploring feelings (5) Challenging emotions (6) Managing loss and embracing change (7) Healthy relationships (8) Safety planning and safe networks (9) Positive communication skills and, (10) Endings and moving forward.

Fidelity

In order to effectively replicate the programme, maintain fidelity and achieve the programme outcomes, DART requires all elements of the core programme (content, order and duration of sessions) to be implemented as prescribed in the Service Delivery Manual. Support to maintain fidelity is provided with the following resources (1) Implementation Pack, Service Delivery Manual,  Group Work Session Manual and Practice Guidance Manual including delivery resources and tools (2) standardised training and supervision (3) prescribed units including weekly session plans and outlines (4) central collection of data (reach and impact) and evaluation guidance information for agencies wishing to undertake their own evaluations and (5) agency organisational supports.

Modifiable Components

All core elements of the DART programme are required to be implemented as prescribed, however facilitators can make some adjustments to the mechanism for delivering each session outcome. 

The programme can also be modified for children with special needs e.g. Literacy difficulties and Autism Spectrum Disorder depending on the knowledge of the facilitator.  Modifications can include altering the level of materials used and reducing the number of activities.       

Exclusions to participating in the programme include (1) maternal inability to participate in group e.g. severe mental health issues (2) child inability to participate in group e.g. severe cognitive impairment or behavioural issues (3) child is known to have been subject to other forms of abuse, e.g. sexual abuse that is unresolved and may require alternative intervention.

The NSPCC DART programme was developed by teams across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Within the United Kingdom training and implementation support can be accessed from the NSPCC.

Support for Organisation / Practice

Implementation Support

DART provide structured implementation supports to all participating sites. Prior to implementation, each organisation is required to undertake a readiness assessment to ensure all service delivery requirements are considered and can be met.  Implementation is thereafter supported by regular visits from the national Implementation Manager with the first visit within six months of obtaining the licence followed up at 12 months, and then yearly for the duration of the licence.  These visits include collection of local data to review fidelity.  Additional follow up and support communication is also available as a minimum twice per year for the duration of the licence.

Licence Requirements

To deliver the programme a licence is required from the NSPCC, owners of DART intellectual property.  Following completion of training, a license is allocated to a site for a 5-year period subject to strict adherence to the programme protocol and session outcomes.  At the end of the 5-year period and following review, sites will then be licenced in perpetuity.  Where two or more organisations are collaborating to deliver DARTS, one lead organisation will be held accountable for the licence and compliance with its conditions.

Start-up Costs

The total cost to implement the DART programme is a one of cost of £5500 which includes:

• Pre implementation support including strategic briefings, stakeholder planning and readiness assessments;
• 5 days training for up to 15 DART Facilitators;
• DART hard copy and electronic manuals;
• DART editable leaflets;
• Post implementation support;
• Up to 9 hours telephone contact until the end of the first group;
• A site visit at 6 months, 1 year, and annually thereafter;
• Membership of the DART Community of Practice;
• Access to the DART share point site.

In addition, training for trainers is available at a cost of £150 per individual purchase or £1200 for a group of 15.

Building Staff Competency

Qualifications Required

A Person Specification is available which outlines the qualifications and skills required to become a DART Facilitator. DART recommends that facilitators should have a relevant professional qualification, such as a social work or health qualification. It is also essential that facilitators have accessed accredited child protection/safeguarding training and have had comprehensive training on domestic abuse.

Training Requirements

To deliver the DART programme facilitator training is an essential requirement. Training is delivered over 1.5 days and equips participants to deliver the DART programme consistently with the programme license requirements.  Following training, 9 hours post implementation telephone support, for the duration of the first group, is provided.  DART Train the Trainer is also available which is delivered over a 1-day duration to facilitators who have run at least one DART group. 

Supervision Requirements

DART facilitators must receive regular (every 4-6 weeks) individual reflective supervision, which aims to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the child and maintain fidelity to the model.  DART facilitators are also required to participate in three group supervisions with a professional who has a relevant qualification during the life of the DART group.

Theory of Change

The DART intervention is based on social learning, cognitive behavioural and developmental theory and is designed on the premise that domestic violence can have a damaging and undermining effect on the relationship between a mother and her children however, with appropriate support, children can recover once they are safe from violence.

DART aims to improve the immediate and long-term effects that children are likely to experience when exposed to domestic abuse, such as conduct problems, emotional distress and issues with their peer relationships. This intervention seeks to increase the self-esteem of mothers and children, strengthen the mother and child relationship and increase confidence in parenting abilities. 

Values

DART seeks to improve communication between mother and child, provide greater confidence to mothers in parenting, supporting mothers and children to develop a better understanding of how domestic abuse has impacted on their relationship to help mothers and their children to move forward as a family unit.

• Is working with mothers and children who have experienced domestic abuse a priority for your organisation?

Priorities

DART has been developed as an intervention strategy for mothers and their children (aged 7-14 years) who feel safe enough to participate in the programme, excluding families who remain in a relationship with the person who has been abusive.  DART priorities focus on building the mother and child relationship in order to help the child recover from the adverse effects of domestic abuse.

• Is taking an intervention approach to support mothers and children to recover from domestic abuse a priority for your service?

Existing Initiatives

• Does your service already provide intervention programmes helping families understand how the experience of domestic abuse may have impacted on the parent-child relationship?
• Does your service already provide interventions aiming to strengthen mother-child relationships and communication following domestic abuse?

Capacity

Four facilitators (or 2 facilitators and 2 volunteers) from a social work or health background are required to deliver the interventions with families.  DART recommends that in addition to the session time (10, 2 hr sessions) that facilitators have time for the planning, delivery and debrief of each session (one day). On the day of the group, time should also be spent allowing group facilitators to ‘check in’ with each other followed by a debrief of at least an hour.

• Do you have appropriate staff available to train?
• Do you have appropriate staff able to commit time to both training and delivery of the intervention?

Technology Support

• Do you have the technology to support facilitators to download, print and photocopy the materials needed to deliver the programme?
• Programme delivery may involve participants viewing online materials with the practitioner, do you have the technology available for facilitators to do this?

Administrative Support

• Do your current administrative procedures support your practitioners to implement a programme like this including receiving referrals from a variety of agencies?

Financial Support

The cost of implementing DART is £5500.00 which includes licensing, training, materials/resources and ongoing support.  In addition, training for trainers costs £150 per individual purchase or £1200 for a group of 15.  Running costs i.e.. provision of facilities, travel provision and sustenance for families (recommended) are not included in these costings.

• Do you have the finances available to support the implementation of this programme?

Comparable Population

DART has been developed as an intervention strategy for mothers and their children (aged 7-14 years) who feel safe enough to participate in the programme, excluding families who remain in a relationship with the person who has been abusive.

Evidence of the effectiveness of DART includes mothers with children aged between 7-11 years who have experienced domestic abuse.

• Is this comparable to the population you serve?

Desired Outcome

DART aims to improve the immediate and long-term effects that children are likely to experience when exposed to domestic abuse, such as conduct problems, emotional distress and issues with their peer relationships. This intervention also aims to increase the self-esteem of mothers and children, strengthen the mother and child relationship and increase confidence in parenting abilities.

Research has identified that children aged 7-11 years have experienced significantly fewer emotional and behavioural difficulties and mothers improved their self-esteem and confidence in their parenting abilities, developing a warmer and more affectionate relationship with their child following the intervention.

• Is reducing the short and long-term effects experienced by mothers and their children who have suffered from domestic abuse a desired outcome for your service?
• Is improving child-parent relationships and self-esteem a desired outcome for your service?