Equally Safe Joint Strategic Board Minutes: March 2025

Attendees and apologies

Attendees

Kaukab Stewart MSP, Minister for Equalities, Scottish Government 

Councillor Maureen Chalmers, Community Safety and Wellbeing Spokesperson, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)

Rachel Adamson, Third Sector Specialist, Zero Tolerance

Mariam Ahmed, Third Sector Specialist, AMINA

Sandy Brindley, Third Sector Specialist, Rape Crisis Scotland

Amanda Coulthard, Local Authority Leadership, Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers

Jennifer Gilmour, Justice, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (attending on behalf of Emma Forbes)

Anne Hayne, NHS Lanarkshire (attending alongside Trudi Marshall)

Catriona Kirkpatrick, Third Sector Specialist, Engender

Kelly McIntosh, Education, Association of Directors of Education Scotland

Karyn Mccluskey, Justice, Community Justice Scotland

Trudi Marshall, Health, NHS

Anna Mitchell, Systems Change, Safe and Together

Marsha Scott, Third Sector Specialist, Scottish Women’s Aid

Linda Thompson, Third Sector Specialist, Women’s Support Project

Apologies

Karen Allan, Housing, Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers

Olivia Brown MSYP, Scottish Youth Parliament

Lucy Denvir, Public Health, NHS 

Emma Forbes, Justice, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

Joanna MacDonald, Social Care, Scottish Government

Sarah Taylor, Justice, Police Scotland

Sophie Gwyther, Local Authority Leadership, VAW Network

Items and actions

Item 1 – Welcome and Apologies

Cllr Chalmers welcomed members and introduced Trudi Marshall who is joining the Board as new health representative, replacing Eddie Docherty.

Item 2 – Minutes of September Meeting and Actions Arising

The Minister asked members for any final comments on the December meeting minutes and no further amendments were raised. All actions from the December meeting were noted as having been progressed or completed.

Anna Mitchell requested an update on AP3 and AP4 regarding the Equally Safe Ministerial Group (ESMG): both actions are to be carried forward on the action log for the next JSB meeting as an ESMG has not occurred to allow the action to be progressed.

ACTION 1: SG officials to upload the December minutes to the SG webpages.

ACTION 2: Officials to ensure that AP3 and AP4 from the December meeting are noted on the action log for the May meeting.

Item 3 – Scottish Government Update

Nel Whiting updated the group on the GREVIO Baseline Evaluation reporting process and next steps. The Scottish Government is awaiting receipt of the report (expected in April) following a fact-checking exercise. The Home Office, as State Party will liaise with devolved administrations to prepare a response which will be published alongside the report later this year.  An action to respond to GREVIO recommendations is contained within the Equally Safe delivery plan and work with Scottish partners will begin once the report is signed off and published.  

Nel Whiting noted that the Council of Europe is developing an instrument on Technology-Facilitated VAWG. SG has provided comments on the current recommendations to the Ministry of Justice and officials will keep JSB members updated as this work progresses.

Jeff Gibbons provided an update on the 5 Jurisdictions Group meeting held in February, which offered an opportunity to share experiences and explore potential areas for collaboration. Officials and the Open University are developing a note of agreed areas of interest which will be used to prompt the work and focus of the group moving forward.

Jeff Gibbons also updated the group on officials engagement with the Open University to develop a shared understanding of Technology-facilitated VAWG. The Scottish Government’s internal forum is being used to shape the response to Ofcom’s consultation on online safety for women and girls.

ACTION 3: SG officials will keep members updated and work with members to deliver GREVIO’s final recommendations report.

ACTION 4: SG officials to share the 5 Jurisdictions Group paper with the JSB once agreed by 5 jurisdictions and shared with relevant Ministers.

ACTION 5: SG officials to extend an invitation to JSB and Mhor Collective to attend the meeting with Ofcom on the online safety for women and girls consultation.

Item 4 - Sustainable Funding

The Minister confirmed to the Board the recent uplift to the Delivering Equally Safe (DES) fund, which was marked by a visit to SAY Women in February.

Katy Betchley noted that the Minister and Cllr Chalmers have agreed on next steps in relation to sustainable funding, including the formation of a short life working group which will replace the current Project Board and report to the JSB. A needs assessment tool for VAWG services will be developed by the Improvement Service with engagement with relevant partners.

Members welcomed the uplift to the DES fund but expressed concerns about the ongoing impact of the National Insurance contributions on third-sector organisations and that annual funding cycles (as opposed to previous 3 year cycles) continue to cause a lack of stability. They also emphasised the importance of developing the needs assessment tool in collaboration with cross-VAWG expertise.

ACTION 6:  SG Officials to seek an update on discussions with UKG regarding the increase in National Insurance contributions for third-sector organisations.

ACTION 7: Marsha Scott to provide further information on previous funding cycles.

Item 5 - Equally Safe Delivery Plan Progress Update

Johanna Davidson-Scott provided an overview of the Equally Safe delivery plan Bi-annual Progress Report findings.

Members agreed that the current report is a working document, and a conversation followed on current progress and potential areas for further discussion and collaboration regarding the deliverables and actions in the plan.

The ‘RAG’ status relating to the development of a funding model was queried and it was agreed that this should be moved from green to amber.  Ann Hayne suggested there was more information to be captured in relation to work on trauma informed responses to VAWG. Kelly McIntosh flagged that reporting cycles for the delivery plan are not aligned with school reporting cycles so there will be a lag in what can be reflected in the document from a schools perspective.  

Public protection and the role of the National Public Protection Leadership Group (NPPLG) was considered by the Board. Members showed interest in exploring further how to strengthen links between child protection and adult protection.

ACTION 8: Officials to ensure an agenda item on public protection is included at future JSB meeting.

ACTION 9: Officials to follow up with Association of Directors of Education Scotland (ADES) to discuss reporting against education commitments in the ES delivery plan.

ACTION 10: Officials to update the RAG status on action 7.2 in the ES delivery plan in relation to sustainable VAWG funding, from green to amber.

ACTION 11: Officials to follow up with Ann Hayne in relation to developing a trauma-informed approach to support a reduction in health inequalities (action 8.3 in the ES delivery plan).  

ACTION 12: SG officials to share a written Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE) update with the Board.

Item 6 – Gender-Based Violence & Learning Disabilities Steering Group Action Plan

Members of the Gender-Based Violence and Learning Disabilities Steering Group delivered a presentation on their 3-year Action Plan. They highlighted the increased risk for women with learning disabilities in experiencing VAWG, the importance of listening to the voice of lived experience and outlined some of the links with the Equally Safe strategy, including the delivery plan.

Board members welcomed the presentation and expressed interest in further engagement with the Steering Group.

Item 7 - Summary of Actions

Officials provided a summary of the meetings actions.

Item 8 - AOB and close

Sandy Brindley acknowledged the passing of Professor Fiona Raitt.

Anne Hayne noted that the second phase of the Women’s Health Plan is commencing and highlighted the opportunity to embed VAWG within it.

Actions

• SG officials to upload the December minutes to the SG webpages.
• Officials to ensure that AP3 and AP4 from the December meeting are noted on the action log for the May meeting.
• SG officials will keep members updated and work with members to deliver GREVIO’s final recommendations report.
• SG officials to share the 5 Jurisdictions Group paper with the JSB once agreed by 5 jurisdictions and shared with relevant Ministers.
• SG officials to extend an invitation to JSB and Mhor Collective to attend the meeting with Ofcom on the online safety for women and girls consultation.
• SG Officials to seek an update on discussions with UKG regarding the increase in National Insurance contributions for third-sector organisations.
• Marsha Scott to provide further information on previous funding cycles.
• Officials to ensure an agenda item on public protection is included at future JSB meeting.
• SG Officials to follow up with Association of Directors of Education Scotland (ADES) to discuss reporting against education commitments in the ES delivery plan.
• SG Officials to update the RAG status on action 7.2 in the ES delivery plan in relation to sustainable VAWG funding, from green to amber.
• SG Officials to follow up with Ann Hayne in relation to developing a trauma-informed approach to support a reduction in health inequalities (action 8.3 in the ES delivery plan). 
• SG officials to share a written Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE) update with the Board.