As already described in the November news – the „Blue Cards” procedure is initiated by filling out the „Blue Card – A” form by a person who, during official or professional activities, suspects that violence may be occurring in the family, or when they receive a report from a family member or witness to such an event. Further steps within the discussed procedure are taken by the interdisciplinary team and the diagnostic and assistance group, to whom the „Blue Card – A” form is provided.
The disciplinary team is appointed in a given commune by the mayor, mayor or city president. It consists of representatives of: social welfare organizational units, the communal commission for solving alcohol problems, the Police, education, health care and non-governmental organizations, in addition – probation officers, and sometimes also representatives of the Military Police or prosecutors. Meetings of the interdisciplinary team are held depending on the needs, at least once every two months. In the event of initiating the “Blue Cards” procedure, the person initiating it shall submit the “Blue Card – A” form to the interdisciplinary team within 5 days of completing it. Then, the disciplinary team shall appoint a diagnostic and assistance group within 3 days and submit the aforementioned form to it. These dates are for guidance only.
The diagnostic and assistance group shall include a social worker from the social welfare organisational unit and a police officer. In addition, it may also include:
- a social worker from a specialist support centre for people experiencing domestic violence,
- a family assistant,
- a class teacher who is the class teacher or a teacher familiar with the minor’s home situation,
- a person performing a medical profession, including a doctor, nurse, midwife or paramedic,
- a representative of the municipal commission for solving alcohol problems,
- an educator, psychologist or therapist,
- a professional or social probation officer. Members of the diagnostic and assistance group are required to continuously improve their competences in the field of prevention of domestic violence and ways of providing assistance to its victims.
The task of the diagnostic and assistance group is to make a diagnosis of the situation in connection with the suspicion of domestic violence and to take actions aimed at ensuring the safety of the person experiencing domestic violence and stopping domestic violence, alternatively – to decide on the lack of justification for taking action. The group’s actions are based on the information contained in the „Blue Card – A” form.
If the procedure was initiated in the absence of the person using domestic violence, the diagnostic and assistance group notifies this person of the initiation of the procedure.
At the meeting, the diagnostic and assistance group, in the presence of the person experiencing domestic violence (or without their participation – if the victim of violence is a minor), analyzes the situation regarding the suspicion of violence and develops an individual assistance plan or makes a decision on the lack of justification for further actions. However, the failure of an adult person experiencing violence to appear does not suspend the work of the group.
Based on the data contained in the „Blue Card – C” form, the diagnostic and assistance group takes steps to ensure the safety of the person experiencing violence and to improve their life situation and home environment. On the other hand, based on the information contained in the „Blue Card – D” form,
the diagnostic and assistance group, after calling the person using domestic violence and in their presence, analyses the situation in connection with the suspicion of domestic violence and makes arrangements for further actions, obliging the person using domestic violence to implement them in order to change their behavior.
It is important that meetings with people experiencing domestic violence and people using domestic violence cannot be organized in a way that allows them to contact each other.
If, during the activities carried out as part of the procedure, there is a suspicion that the person using domestic violence has committed domestic violence again, the authorized persons complete another „Blue Card – A” form to the extent necessary to document the new incident and send it to the interdisciplinary team.
Each meeting of the diagnostic and assistance group is documented in the form of a protocol, and all activities carried out within the procedure are documented in writing. It is worth emphasizing that the „Blue Cards” procedure is conducted independently of any proceedings before the family and guardianship court and criminal proceedings, however, the findings of the interdisciplinary team may be useful to the bodies conducting these proceedings in the context of making factual findings. In particular, in the event of a suspicion of committing a crime, the originals of documents prepared during the procedure are transferred to the authorities competent to conduct preparatory proceedings.