Safeguarding Children Abused through Domestic Abuse
Last updated: January 7, 2009
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
The issue of children living with domestic abuse is now recognised as a matter for concern in its own right by both Government and key children’s services agencies. In approximately a third to two thirds of domestic abuse cases there is also child physical and sexual abuse involving the same abusive partner. Nearly three quarters of children on the subject of a child protection plan nationally live in households where domestic abuse occurs.
All the five key outcomes for children identified in Every Child Matters can be adversely affected for a child living with domestic abuse – and can impact on every aspect of a child’s life. [appendix1] The impact of domestic abuse on an individual child will vary according to the child’s resilience and the strengths and weaknesses of their particular circumstances, as well as a range of factors in respect of the abuse.
The three central imperatives of any intervention for children living with domestic violence are:
- to protect the child/ren
- to empower the mother to protect herself and her child/ren
- to hold the abusive partner accountable for their violence and provide them with opportunities to change.
