Training of Counsellors
Deliverables
Before the video counselling intervention commenced, Danish midwives and the Spanish psychologist participated in special training sessions. The purpose of the training was to both prepare the counsellors for the STOP-intervention and to train them in conducting video counselling with pregnant women exposed to IPV.
The training of the 10 Danish midwives included:
- Three days of training between January 11-13, 2021,
- Two hands-on training sessions at end of February and in the beginning of March, 2021,
- Follow up sessions (planned for when the intervention has been launched).
The training of the Spanish psychologist has included:
- Two days of training between January 21-22, 2021,
- Hands-on training sessions in February 2021,
- Follow up sessions (planned for when the intervention has been launched).
Due to the Covid-19 related restrictions, all training has been conducted virtually, except for the two hands-on training sessions with the Danish midwives in February/March.
The training sessions in both countries were planned and adjusted to fit the needs of the participants. Therefore, the training of the Danish midwives, who had little or no knowledge about the STOP-project and IPV, were longer than the training of the Spanish psychologist.
In the training of the Danish midwives and the Spanish psychologist, the focus was the theoretical framework of the video counselling sessions, and specific methods in relation to the framework. The training also covered communication techniques for counselling IPV-victims, the use of a safety-planning app, and best practice when conducting video counseling.
As part of the training sessions, the participants were asked to evaluate the training and provide feedback to the lecturers. The evaluation of the training is included in this document. The overall conclusion is that most of the participants were “very satisfied” and “satisfied”.
As this deliverable is confidential, it is not made available here.
Development of Training Manual for Conducting Video Counselling
Deliverables
A training manual developed for the IPV counsellors who conduct video counselling in the STOP-project. The manual was developed to support the counsellors and provides information including workflow, basic guidance, and methods related to the different sessions of the intervention.
There are minor differences between the interventions in Spain and Denmark. Therefore, two separate manuals were developed: one for the Danish midwives and one for the Spanish psychologist to align the manual to the context where it is used. Both manuals include guidelines and information for the situations where the counsellor is in contact with the women exposed to IPV: pre-session, video counselling and post-intervention evaluation.
The manuals cover topics such as general contact information (on project members, midwives, and technical support), an introduction to the STOP project, guidelines and workflows for the individual sessions, a theoretical framework, description of relevant methods for awareness raising, support and empowerment, best practice for video counselling, information about danger assessment, etc.
In Denmark, the manual was printed and delivered to the 10 midwives in the STOP-project as part of a training visit. At this visit, the manual was thoroughly explained and reviewed.
In Spain, it was not possible to visit the psychologist due to the COVID-19 situation. Therefore, the manual was sent digitally, and later explained and reviewed via video conference.
As the deliverable is confidential, it is not made available here.
Consortium Meeting in beautiful Granada
Deliverables
On November 25-26, the STOP consortium reached quite a milestone. Not so much a milestone related to the project activities but a milestone for the collaboration.
After working together for more than a year, we finally managed to meet each other in person for the first physical consortium meeting in the project lifetime. The consortium met in beautiful Granada for a two-day meeting and Granada was the perfect location as the city celebrated the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25th.
This consortium meeting focused on the current status of the project and we also started planning for 2022 which will be a(nother) busy year in the STOP project. During 2022, we will offer our services to thousands of women across the Region of Southern Denmark and Andalucia. We will also finalise the data collection and start working on the publication of our results and experiences from the project.
We look forward to sharing it!
STOP Consortium Meeting November 2021
Deliverables
We are now fifteen months into the STOP project and have managed to get to know each other but meeting in person should ease reflections and discussions. Thanks to the Spanish team for organizing it.
STOP Consortium Meeting June 2021
Deliverables
The third consortium meeting in the STOP project was decided in December as an unofficial, additional consortium meeting. The spring and summer of 2021 is a key period in the project and with our next consortium meeting scheduled for late November, the project group wanted this opportunity to check in on the progress of STOP and help keep momentum.
Screening tools ready for use
Deliverables
The Spanish screening tool is an electronic application for tablets and the Danish screening is an electronic screening survey. Both screenings programs are developed to identify pregnant women exposed to IPV in antenatal care centres for recruitment into the video counselling project. The screening tool in both Spain and Denmark includes basic demographic data and validated questionnaires suitable for antenatal care settings (the AAS, ISA and/or the WAST-Short). In Spain the recording of provision of the women’s interest in participating in the screening and the counselling; her informed written consent for the screening according to the requirements from the Andalusian Ethical Committee; and follow-up data.
The two screenings programs have been developed in a collaboration between the two countries. In order to share knowledge and take each individual country and population into account, which also demonstrate the motive for the tools few differences.
Find the deliverable here: STOP D2-5 vs 2
STOP - Danish screening tool for IPV
Deliverables
As part of the STOP, a report has been prepared to present the Danish screening tool to be used in the screening for IPV among pregnant women in the Danish site.
The report provides a description of the Danish screening programme In the report, you will also find screenshots of the different sections of the electronic questionnaire sent to all pregnant women in the Region of Southern Denmark.
Report on end-user needs
Deliverables
A report on the end-user needs has been developed, including the technical specification for video-based counselling service and app based support in the STOP-project.
In order to develop the STOP intervention, focus group interviews, individual interviews and workshops were conducted with relevant stakeholders in both Denmark and Spain. The following were identified as the main aspects where the women are in need of support:
- Acknowledgement: The pregnant woman does not see herself as a victim of violence and finds it hard to accept.
- Ambivalent emotions towards the partner: They have a lot of dreams and hopes regarding their relationship, and this makes it hard to accept that their “life project” to create a family is broken.
- Fear of the system: Fear of losing custody of their child if they communicate their situation.
- Resources: Worries about being on their own, having to do everything on their own and without financial support from the partner.
- Low self-esteem: Finding it difficult to make decisions and taking actions to change their situation.
- Isolation: Rebuilding their connections and relations in the world, helping them identify their network and learn about the resources available for help.
The user needs were translated into technical specifications for the video counselling software and the safety planning app.
STOP - Spanish screening tool for IPV
Deliverables
As part of the STOP, a report has been prepared to present the Spanish screening tool to be used in the screening for IPV among pregnant women in the Spanish site.
The report provides a description of the electronic Spanish screening application, which has been developed to identify pregnant women exposed to intimate partner violence. In the report, you will also find screenshots of the different sections in the app such as the introduction to the project and the included questionnaires (AAS, WAST-short, and ISA.
STOP Data Collection
Deliverables
As part of the STOP, a report has been prepared to present the data collection across the two sites.
The report provides an overview of the data collection in the context of WP4. Here, you will find an overview of the study population followed by a description of the STOP interventions and training of midwives and psychologist for the data collection. Furthermore, it provides a description of the qualitative data collection, the management of the data and monitoring of the intervention, and ethical considerations in relation to the data collection.