The PODAS service

The prevention of domestic abuse service (PODAS) is part of the domestic violence and abuse service (DVAP). It offers one-to-one support to adults and young people over 16 years of age who recognise and want to take responsibility to change their abusive behaviour. 

Deciding to get help is a hard step. It takes commitment and determination. The PODAS service will work with you, on a one-to-one basis, to:

• challenge your views
• improve your self-awareness
• provide strategies and skills for minimising future abuse.

They offer practical and emotional support to help you move forward.

PODAS aims to lower the risk to victims and children by offering intervention to those at risk of causing domestic abuse.

Who the service can help

Abuse is something that is said or done that hurts your partner, or family member, physically, emotionally, sexually, or psychologically.

Domestic abuse is a number of abusive behaviours, both physical and non-physical, that may occur frequently or infrequently. You don’t have to use all of these behaviours to be abusive: some people use a wider range of behaviours than others and with varying frequency. It can happen in any relationship regardless of race, gender, class, age, ability or sexuality.

Ask yourself whether:

• you lose your temper and feel out of control?
• you hit, push, or hurt your partner?
• you apologise and then do it again?
• you make others feel scared?

Find out more about domestic abuse

If you know you have been abusive and you don’t know what to do or how to stop, contact the PODAS team for help:

Accessing the service - find out more

What the service offers

The PODAS domestic violence and abuse prevention programme is for adults and young people over 16 years of age who want to change their abusive behaviour. It is a series of one-to-one or discussion-based group sessions.

During the sessions

We use a variety of interactive exercises to make the learning realistic, stimulating, and relevant to your own situation.

The programme can help you:

• stop being violent and abusive
• cope with your anger
• learn how to relate to your partner in a respectful and equal way
• deal with difficulties in relationships in non-abusive ways.

You may have different reasons for your behaviour. We can help you find the support you need to stop being abusive.

What is domestic abuse?

Support sessions

The programme is made up of around 27 sessions, of about an hour each, covering a range of topics. We recommend a minimum of 15 sessions, followed by the Caring Dads Programme, if appropriate. Your needs will be continually assessed so we can tailor the support you receive to your requirements.

There are two parts to the assessments:

• IA One - this involves getting to know you, your participation agreement and consent to share, and your support plan.

  Confidentiality and your consent to share - more information
• IA Two - the domestic abuse, stalking, harassment and honour-based abuse risk identification checklist (DASH RIC) to determine the level of risk you pose to others.
  DASH RIC risk assessment - more information

Attendance

Although attendance is voluntary, you must commit to the minimum attendance requirement, which is determined by your situation. Minimum attendance generally includes two assessments and 15 sessions, which will take around 17 hours. This can be increased for people who show a higher risk of causing domestic abuse. The programmes are run in Bridlington, Goole, and Beverley.

To make sure that sessions are managed and safe, and that participants are fully engaged with the process, there are various rules that you must accept and follow:

• if you miss two sessions without giving notice, your attendance with be reviewed and support might be removed
• violence or aggressive behaviour will not be tolerated
• no drink or drugs should be taken in the 24 hours before a session
• phones must be switched off during each session
• entry to a session is prohibited after 15 minutes
• there will be one break during a session
• current, or your most recent partner, may be contacted prior to your attendance.

What the programme covers

The programme aims to challenge, educate, and empower you to be aware of your actions, reactions, and levels of self-control. It covers:

• What is violence and abuse?

• What is domestic abuse? Find out more
• Why am I violent? 
• Controlling your own behaviour and how you can choose not to be violent
• Taking responsibility for your behaviour without blaming others
• Understanding the impact of violence and abuse on your partner and children
• Managing the end of a relationship
• Learning different, non-abusive ways of dealing with difficulties in a relationship
• Dealing non-abusively with your partner’s anger
• Building respectful relationships through negotiation and listening
• Learning how to notice when you are becoming abusive, and how to stop. 

If you would like help with your behaviour, and you are aged 16 or older, you will need to be referred to the PODAS service:

Caring Dads


Caring Dads is a 17-session programme designed for fathers who acknowledge the need to change their behaviour towards their partner (or ex-partner) and children, and who have regular contact with their children. The programme aims to:

• help fathers improve their relationship with their children
• end controlling, abusive and neglectful behaviours within relationships.

To benefit from the Caring Dads programme, you will need to be referred to the PODAS team.

Confidentiality

This service is confidential and information will only be shared with other agencies with your agreement. You will be asked to sign a consent to share form. This allows you to say which agencies we can share information with, or store, receive, or request information from.

There are some exceptions to this. If we feel that a child or young person is at significant risk of harm, we have a duty to follow child protection procedures and report our concerns to social care. Also, in certain circumstances, if we think there is a risk of a crime being committed, we will share information to offer further protection.

We may inform your partner, if you have one, that you are receiving support from PODAS to challenge and change your abusive behaviour, but no details of the support you are receiving will be shared.