The Home Office launched a set of 7 over arching principles and practice guidelines yesterday, January 9th, to support the commissioning and delivery of services in domestic abuse perpetrator work. The Standards centre the enhanced safety and freedom of all victim-survivors, including children, and are based on evidence of what has been shown to be important and effective through an evaluation of the available literature and consultation with stakeholders. The report was written by Professor Nicole Westmarland and Professor Liz Kelly. I was privileged to be part of the supporting group.
But what does this have to do with child and adolescent to parent abuse you might ask.
Since the definition of domestic abuse used by the Home Office includes those over 16, it was important to ensure that attention was paid to the discreet needs of individuals experiencing harmful behaviour from their children. We know that one of the key features that separates child and adolescent to parent abuse from intimate partner violence is the desire of families to find healing and reconciliation, rather than separation, as a means of achieving safety; and that the impact of the bond between parent and child can contribute to a continuing sense of responsibility and care for the one using harm.
One of the Roundtable workshops specifically considered the needs of of families where there is a child aged 16 to 18, but also acknowledged that many families experience abuse from their adult children and this remains an under researched and under resourced area. Standards 4 and 5 are particularly relevant, identifying adolescent to parent violence as one of a number of specific minority groups, recognising that different models of work may be appropriate to those used in intimate partner abuse, and that ‘one-size fits all’ approaches are not the right way forward.
The Government has simultaneously announced a further £36million fund to protect domestic abuse victims through prevention, which will be distributed via PCCs.
HOLES IN THE WALL 