Children and Young People
Cheshire East Domestic Abuse Family Safety Unit - call
01606 363532
National 24 Hour Helpline 0808 2000 247
Domestic abuse affects children. We know that they are more
aware of what’s happening than parents often think. How they
respond depends on their age, personality, support network, but
they recover best when they are helped to understand and to process
what is happening/has happened to them.
Children and young people may:
- Feel confused, anxious, angry, afraid, isolated, ashamed,
guilty
- Risk injury by being caught in between parents
- Be unable to concentrate and to achieve at school
- Be used to threaten victims (to harm children or ‘have them
taken into care’)
- Not have their own needs fully met by a parent who is
struggling to cope with being abused
- Be directly abused by the person who is harming the adult
- Develop ways of coping that are harmful e.g. running away or
using substances
However, with support, most children and young people recover
from their abusive experiences. All statutory services for children
should address domestic abuse as part of their provision and
additional specialist services are listed below.
Domestic abuse is a safeguarding issue
Children living with domestic abuse need to be identified,
protected and supported. Not all children need social worker
involvement to be safe but if you are worried that a child is at
serious risk you should contact:
You must contact this team if there is a child
aged 1 or under in a family where domestic abuse is happening
Some general guidance for practitioners addressing risk related
to exposure to domestic abuse can be found in the
Promoting
The Safety of Children and Young People leaflet (PDF,
119KB).
Responding to children and young people where domestic abuse is
identified
When children or young people disclose that they are living with
domestic abuse it is very important to:
- Reassure them that the violence is NOT their fault
- Encourage them to express their fears and concerns so that they
can be addressed
- Involve them in safety planning – dependent on age and
ability
- Remember that the child/young person already has coping
strategies on which to build
- Empower the non-abusing parent to keep their child safe
Specialist services for children exposed to domestic abuse in
Cheshire East include:
Safeguarding Children in Education (SCIE) Team – supporting
schools, children and families to deal with domestic abuse and
engaging in preventive work through the PSHCE curriculum. SCiE has
commissioned a range of drama productions which are available live
or in DVD form with teachers’ packs. The dramas link domestic abuse
and bullying and encourage children to get support and offer help
to their friends. The team also promotes and co-ordinates change
programmes in schools. Telephone 01606 275039. Find out more on the
Safeguarding
Children in Education Team leaflet (PDF, 118KB)
JIGSAW groupwork recovery programme to help children and young
people end the guilt, fear and loneliness of living with domestic
abuse. Telephone: 01270 250390
ACORNS AND
CHANGING PLACES help young people showing signs of abusive
behaviour manage their relationships better and run in schools,
Youth Offending Service and the Community. Telephone 01270
250390
Contact
One serious issue impacting the wellbeing of children is that of
contact with abusive parents post separation/divorce. Courts start
from the presumption that contact with the non resident parent
(usually the father) is in the best interests of the child and so
most children are required to have some kind of contact. This must
be managed safely.
More information about contact is found at the Children and Family Court
Advisory and Support Service and Rights of Women .
If you are a parent concerned about the impact of contact on a
child you should contact a Family Law solicitor. The Resolution
website allows you to search for a solicitor who is accredited
in domestic abuse.
Other services for you and your children
