Region's Justice Social Work recognised on international stage

DOMESTIC abuse professionals from Dumfries and Galloway are helping to shape reform in France, after cultivating a special relationship over the last two years. Council staff have began sharing their expertise with French researchers back October 2023 when Dumfries and Galloway Public Protection Partnership and the University of the West of Scotland hosted a visit that focused on coercive control, and showcased the region's services and approaches. The relationship deepened in October 2024 when the council’s Justice Social Work Programme Delivery Team was invited to present at an international domestic abuse conference hosted in Agen, France. The exchange has since contributed to wide interest in France. In January 2025, the French National Assembly backed a draft law on coercive control, citing Scotland as a key influence. And in March, a Scottish representative, invited through the University of the West of Scotland, gave evidence to a French Senate enquiry on the topic. Councillor Andy McFarlane, chair of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Social Work Services Committee, said: “This is a powerful example of how the professional expertise of our local Justice Social Work team is shaping practice beyond Scotland. We’re incredibly proud that Dumfries and Galloway staff are influencing international reform on such an important issue.”