This guide and the research activity that contributed to it was funded via the Economic Social Research Council (ESRC) Impact Acceleration Fund. It has been co-produced by two researchers from Durham University’s Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse (CRiVA) and Centre for Neurodiversity and Development, Dr Nicole Renehan and Dr Vicky Butterby. The guide has been developed in collaboration with specialists from Neurodivergent-led organisations and domestic abuse specialist organisations from the voluntary and statutory sector in England and Scotland. To help write this guide, Nicole and Vicky facilitated a series of Action Learning Sets (ALS), which brought neurodivergence and domestic abuse specialists together to discuss, share their expertise and reflect upon neurodivergence in relation to different aspects of domestic abuse perpetrator interventions. The content of these discussions was analysed in conjunction with previous research (section 1.6.2) in this area. The guide was then piloted across several intervention sites, shared with experts within the wider domestic abuse sector, and reviewed to form the basis of this guide.
The following people took part in the Action Learning Sets, sharing their expert opinions and reflections from practice:
Guide contributors
Amanda McCormick
Make a Change (MAC) Development Lead, Respect
Darryl Burns
Regional Equality Manager, Probation North East
Dianne Thom
Caledonian National Trainer & Advisor, Community Justice Scotland
Gill McKinna
Head of Caledonian System National Team, Community Justice Scotland
Kay Aldred
Development Lead, Neurodiverse Connection
Liz Ostrowski
Prevention of domestic abuse specialist consultant
Monika Labich
Monika Labich Therapy and Coaching
Rebecca Vagi
National Lead (Make a Change), Respect