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• • Domestic violence

Domestic violence

Domestic violence is a child protection issue

One in four women are affected by domestic violence, their children are the hidden victims in this statistic. Domestic violence is always a risk factor for children, it is widely acknowledged that living with this crime can have devastating and long-term affects on the physical, mental and emotional well-being and development of children and young people. Added to this is the fact that children experiencing domestic violence are also at risk of abuse themselves, from the perpetrator, indeed some studies suggest that the incidence of domestic violence is perhaps the strongest indicator of direct child abuse.

Recent changes to the Children Act (2002), which has extended the definition of harm to a child to include witnessing violence to another, has added weight to Islington's commitment to tackling domestic violence and keeping our children safe from this crime.

Report it!

Children living with domestic violence may be at risk or at significant risk of harm. It is important to note that any disclosure of domestic violence, from parent or child, whether or not the child is being directly abused themselves, must always be reported to Islington's Children & Families Social Work Service. (Mark could you hotlink this to the LBI site where social services dept have their website please) Schools should make referrals following their usual child protection procedures, via their School Designated Child Protection Manager.

Parent Protection = Child Protection

The best proven form of protecting children affected by domestic violence is to protect their non-abusing parent. Working in partnership with the non-abusing parent can enable and empower them to make safe decisions for them and their family. Simply referring to services in the borough such as Islington Women's Aid (Mark could you hotlink this to the IWA website please) and keeping regular contact with the parent can make the difference between a family surviving with, or living without, the crime of domestic violence.

For more advice and information on how to work with children and families affected by domestic violence see the pages in the Pupil Services & Support section of this website or contact:

Ms Finn Mackay

To discuss child protection concerns contact:

Ian Norman-Bruce
Education Service Senior Designated Member of Staff for Child Protection
Tel: 020 7527 5843

Ann Henry
Child Protection Training/Education Welfare Service Team Manager
Tel: 020 7527 5845