The multi-agency response to children living with domestic abuse
The government have published a report from the second Joint Targeted Area Inspection (JTAI) programme, which examined ‘the multi-agency response to children living with domestic abuse’.
The programme of JTAIs began in January 2016. The programme brought together inspectorates Ofsted, Care Quality Commission (CQC), HMI Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), and HMI Probation (HMIP) to ‘examine how well agencies work together in a local area to help and protect children’.
Each set of JTAIs focus in depth on a particular issue. The first JTAI programme focused on child sexual exploitation and children missing from home, school or care.
The latest report is
The findings in the report consider the extent to which, in the six local authorities inspected, children’s social care, health professionals, the police and probation officers were effective in safeguarding children who live with domestic abuse.
Immediate crisis resolution, not long-term strategies
The report found that focus on the immediate crisis leads agencies to consider only those people and children at immediate, visible risk. As a result, agencies are not always looking at the right things, and in particular, not focusing enough on the perpetrator of the abuse.
The report suggests that if agencies focus solely on removing the family from the perpetrator, they are left to move on to another family and, potentially, a repeated pattern of abuse.
“Change must start with a more systematic focus on perpetrators’ behaviour and
An endemic challenge
The report states that domestic abuse is the most common factor in situations where children are at risk of serious harm in this country.
“Domestic abuse has been estimated to affect around one in five children in some studies. However, the experience of children in relation to domestic abuse may go unrecorded unless they come to the attention of formal agencies, such as those in health, children's social care, the police or schools.”
Focus on the child
The report highlights that focusing on the needs and experiences of children is critical.
“A failure to adequately focus on the experiences and needs of children means there is a high risk that the emotional and mental impact of domestic abuse will go unaddressed. Children and young people who have lived with domestic violence for several years frequently experience intense feelings of responsibility, guilt, anger and a sense of despair and powerlessness over their lives.”
Helping schools to support children and families
One of the issues raised by survivors of domestic abuse in the focus groups used to compile the report was the variable response their children received from schools.
The report gave examples of a range of services offered by schools to help prevent, protect and repair the damage caused by domestic abuse including training for teachers and for the safeguarding team aimed at identifying and referring children who are living with domestic abuse to the appropriate agencies.
“The role of schools is an important one for children. Teachers see children day to day more than any other service and, therefore, have a good chance of being the universal service that can spot a pattern and initiate a process of de-escalation. Children also learn to socialise with their peers at school, and the school environment can have a big impact on how children understand all sorts of relationships. Schools also have an essential role in educating children about domestic abuse. Education for children about healthy relationships is already part of the curriculum, but it is often not part of the curriculum that is prioritised by schools.”
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