Being exposed to domestic abuse in childhood is child abuse. Domestic abuse creates an atmosphere of fear and control in the places children live or visit and impacts children’s safety and development.
Case reviews highlight the importance of being able to identify the different forms of domestic abuse and recognise their impact on babies, children and young people.
A number of key themes emerged from the case reviews, including focusing on the child’s experience, understanding family dynamics and being professionally curious when there are concerns about domestic abuse.
The learning from these reviews highlights that professionals should:
- speak to children alone where appropriate
- gain an understanding of how different communities and cultures may perceive domestic abuse
- explore denial or minimisation of abuse and consider where any barriers to reporting may come from.
