Agenda item

8.1

The Superintendent, South Yorkshire Police, Benn Kemp submitted a presentation to the Board detailing the South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit (VRU).

8.2

The VRU was formed in September 2019 from a Home Office grant and was one of 20 countywide.  The Unit was based at the Police Station at Shepcote Lane.  The unit was made up of a small team with wide ranging skills and backgrounds from community development, housing, policing and early help to domestic abuse.  The needs assessment was annually refreshed and had an area profile of 16 priorities, more recently with a 17^th being added to reduce and tackle poverty.

8.3

The Board were advised of the priorities and of the Health and Wellbeing interventions such as regular community engagement, preventing violence forums and Plan B Custody navigators etc.  There were A&E Navigators based in the Northern General Hospital’s major trauma centre and provided person-centred support to people admitted to A&E.  There had been a 12-month pilot project to introduce a navigator to the emergency department at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.  So far there had been 62 referrels in connection with –

·       Assault Victims

·       Assault Perpetrators

·       Fighting in school

·       Behavioural issues/disruptive in school

·       Bullied at school

·       Anxiety

·       Anger outbursts causing injury

8.4

The VRU had also funded the core costs over the winter period for the Sunday Centre.  The centre offered free hot meals and a friendly chat to around 100 street homeless or vulnerable adults in Sheffield.  It was advised that a paramedic now attended the Centre to offer medical treatment.  There were further plans to link the Centre to support charities for the women who attend for advice on health, sexual abuse, street working and domestic abuse.

8.5

The Board gave credit to South Yorkshire Police regarding the word carried out.

8.6

The Health and Wellbeing Board noted the update.