Healing Together: Addressing the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s Report
As a Clinical Psychologist and CEO at Innovating Minds, I am deeply committed to advancing the mental health and well-being of children affected by domestic abuse. The latest report from the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, "Victims in their own right? Babies, children and young people’s experiences of domestic abuse," provides a comprehensive overview of the current landscape and offers crucial recommendations for improving support systems. This report is a significant step forward in recognising the unique needs of children who have experienced domestic abuse and advocating for systemic changes to better serve them.
What I Like About the Report
Recommendation 25: The introduction of a statutory duty and funding to directly support children affected by domestic abuse is a vital recommendation. Over the years, we have seen a troubling trend where funding for children's services has been diverted to support adult victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence. This has left commissioners with the difficult task of deciding which victims should receive help. Ensuring dedicated funding for children is essential to provide them with the support they need to heal and thrive.
Evaluation of Services: The report highlights that only 6% of services or interventions recorded by commissioners had published evaluations available to share. It is critical that children can access evidence-based interventions, and the evidence base is shared to support the development of services for children. At Innovating Minds, we are proud to be part of the 6% club, openly sharing the impact of our Healing Together programme and publishing findings to support evidence-based practice and the research field[1].
Case Studies: We are pleased to see that the case studies within the report, such as Acorns in North Tyneside and Northumberland, have trained Healing Together facilitators. This enables them to support children affected by domestic abuse with early trauma-informed help (page 62). These case studies demonstrate the positive impact of integrating trauma-informed practices into support services for children.
Areas for Improvement
Trauma-Informed Practice: It is disheartening to see that trauma-informed practice is only mentioned once within the report, and this is in the context of a case study. Children affected by domestic abuse need access to trauma-informed support to avoid the risk of re-traumatisation through the help-seeking process. Neuroscience and relational-based theories demonstrate the significant impact that trauma-informed practice can have on healing and recovery from domestic abuse.
Behaviour Change Interventions: Recommendation 28 emphasises the importance of behaviour change interventions for perpetrators of domestic abuse. While this is crucial, it is essential that these interventions are evidence-based and safe. There is a risk that some interventions may inadvertently make perpetrators more sophisticated in their ability to harm victims. Additionally, victim oversight work must take place with child victims while the perpetrator is engaging in behaviour change interventions.
Access to Therapeutic Support: Recommendation 35 calls for funding for counselling and therapeutic support for child victims of domestic abuse within specialist community-based services. However, children should be able to access help across education, health, and social care sectors. By receiving support from trusted individuals in safe spaces, children are more likely to have positive help-seeking experiences. Given the high percentage of children who have experienced domestic abuse and are in care or have contact with youth justice services, it is crucial that frontline practitioners across these sectors are upskilled to provide trauma-informed, domestic abuse-informed support.
Whole School Approach: Recommendation 13 asks the Department for Education to commit to rolling out and embedding a whole school approach across England. Supporting children affected by domestic abuse should be integrated into the Senior Mental Health Leads strategy, implementing a whole school approach to mental health and offering targeted support for children affected by trauma and mental ill health. It is critical to support schools in using existing resources and platforms to meet the needs of these children without overburdening them.
Conclusion
The Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s report is a pivotal document that highlights the urgent need for systemic changes to better support children affected by domestic abuse. As we move forward, it is essential to advocate for trauma-informed practices, evidence-based interventions, and comprehensive support systems that span education, health, and social care sectors.
At Innovating Minds, we are dedicated to driving these changes and supporting children in their healing journey. Together, we can create a brighter future for children affected by domestic abuse.
References