Children and young people - domestic abuse

If you are worried about a child, contact Cheshire East Consultation Service (CHECS).

Domestic abuse affects children and young people. 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 or 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
• get into trouble because they are copying the behaviour they have witnessed 

Young people can be at risk in their teen relationships

If you are concerned about a young person in their own relationship which may be harmful, contact the Domestic Abuse Family Safety Unit.

Child arrangements (contact and residency) after separation

When parents separate it is usually considered in the child’s best interests to have some level of contact with the parent, even when that person is known to have harmed the child’s other parent.

This might be overseen by a third party or be unsupervised. Children do often want this connection with their other parent but sometimes survivors of domestic abuse tell us that they feel this is not positive for their child and is used to continue to control or hurt. 

If you need help with child arrangements it is best to seek legal advice from a solicitor. We can also help at the Domestic Abuse Family Safety Unit - call 0300 123 5101.

More information:

• Children and family court advisory and support service (CAFCASS)
• Rights of women
• Resolution website