Who We Are

Simon has over 20 years’ experience of working in the domestic abuse and sexual violence sector and has specialised as an academic for 11 years in agency responses to these issues. Since 2020, Simon has worked as an independent consultant, producing a range of statutory reviews, such as Domestic Homicide Reviews and Adult Safeguarding Reviews. Additionally, Simon has evaluated agency responses to Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), co-authored national research, and delivered training and awareness programmes to a range of statutory and non-statutory agencies. Simon was the country’s first male Domestic Violence Coordinator (later, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Partnership Manager), and was responsible for developing and implementing several countywide, multi-agency strategies and associated action plans over the course of a decade. This role involved coordinating and embedding activities such the DASH RIC, MARAC, IDVAS, ISVAS, and DHRs (including piloting the process for the Home Office in 2010) within local services, and undertaking four countywide, multi-agency needs assessments. Simon’s ties to the specialist voluntary sector remain strong, and he acts as an independent academic advisor to a number of local and national charities.

Simon’s Qualifications

2024

Certificate in Chairing a Domestic Homicide Review (Level 3), OCN London

2010

Leadership & Management Diploma (Level 5), Institute of Learning Management

2002

Master of Arts, University of East Anglia, Norwich (recipient of the Arthur Miller Foundation Scholarship)

2001

Personal Advisor Diploma (Level 5), University of Suffolk

2000

Bachelor of Arts (Hons.), Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge

My Training and Continuing Professional Development

    • 2022 - 4 Features of Honest, Trauma Informed Engagement with Families in Reviews, Review Consulting

    • 2022 - Domestic Abuse Prevention Through Learning Reviews

    • 2022 - National Policy Responses to Domestic Abuse, AAFDA

    • 2022 - The Community Response to Domestic Abuse, AAFDA

    • 2022 - The Role of Specialist Domestic Abuse Support Services, AAFDA

    • 2022 - The Role of Financial Institutions and Domestic Abuse, AAFDA

    • 2022 - Criminal Justice Responses to Domestic Abuse, AAFDA

    • 2022 - Social Care Responses to Domestic Abuse, AAFDA

    • 2022 - Health Responses to Domestic Abuse, Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA)

    • 2022 - Children as Victims of Domestic Abuse, SafeLives

    • 2022 - Community Informed Risk Assessment, Prof. Neil Websdale / Arizona State University

    • 2022 - Strangulation Prevention Training, Alliance for Hope International / Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention

    • 2022 - Homicide Abuse Learning Together (HALT) Conference, Manchester Metropolitan University

    • 2022 - Safeguarding Vulnerable Individuals, ARU

    • 2022 - Coordinating the Police Response to Violence Against Women and Girls, National Police Chiefs’ Council

    • 2023 - Knowledge Exchange on Domestic Abuse and Asian Women in East England, Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)

    • 2023 - VKPP Annual Conference

    • 2023 – Policing Institute for the Eastern Region (PIER) Annual Conference

    • 2023 - ‘Illuminating the Past to Make the Future Safer?’ Exploring the Potential and Peril of Domestic Homicide Reviews as a Mechanism for Change, Dr James Rowlands / University of Central Lancashire

    • 2024 - The National Referral Mechanism and S.45 Defence, National Policing Vulnerability Knowledge and Practice Programme (VKPP)

    • 2024 - Fatality Review Conference 2024: The State of the Art (online) at Arizona State University

    • 2016 - Conducting a DHR, AAFDA

    • 2017 - Unconscious Bias, ARU

    • 2017 - Information Security Awareness, ARU

    • 2017 - Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking, ARU

    • 2017 - Prevent Statutory Duties, ARU

    • 2018 - Managing Conflicts of Interest, ARU

    • 2018 - Research Integrity, ARU

    • 2019 – 3rd European Conference on Domestic Violence, University of Oslo

    • 2020 - General Data Protection Regulations, ARU

    • 2020 - Policing Vulnerabilities and the Future of Police/ Academic Partnerships, N8, University of Manchester

    • 2011 - DHR Chair Training, Home Office

    • 2014 - Research Methods, ARU

    • 2014 - Conferencing, Presenting & Networking, ARU

    • 2015 - 1 st European Conference on Domestic Violence, Queen’s University, Belfast

    • 2015 - Working Effectively with Women and Children Experiencing Domestic Abuse: Messages from Research, University of Bedfordshire

    • 2005 - Freedom Programme Facilitator Training, Pat Craven