I welcome this report which echoes my own work in calling for children to be recognised not as witnesses to domestic abuse but as victims in their own right. Too often the voices of child victims are ignored or sidelined, but their experiences must be given the same attention, support and protection as adults because it can impact every aspect of a child’s life: their relationships, their education and school attendance, and their health. Nearly 50% of children who access mental health services have experienced abuse as a child, including domestic abuse.
Education must become the fourth statutory safeguarding partner, because schools are so often the place where the risks to children are recognised, and they are kept safe. School staff need appropriate training to be supported and prepared to respond when children disclose abuse and children must be equipped with the language, understanding and confidence to recognise and seek help for abuse, through high-quality Relationship, Sex and Health Education (RSHE).
Children’s voices must be a central pillar of the government’s Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, with all departments working together to improve the support for child victims of domestic abuse. The government must now develop a dedicated Victim’s Code for children that acknowledges their specific needs, supported by appropriate training and guidance for professionals working with child victims so that no child is left invisible or unheard.
