In March 2013, the UK government extended the definition of domestic violence and abuse, to include coercive control and to capture those affected by peer teen abuse in the 16 and 17 year old age group; a response to growing evidence of the prevalence of abuse in that group. Amid the celebration at the time, there was discussion about how this would impact those working in the field of child to parent abuse. Alongside a positive response to the recognition that violence and abuse takes place in relationships outside of those most widely recognised, concerns were raised about the importance of maintaining a safeguarding mindset when working in this field. Continue reading
Author Archives: helenbonnick
Support for adoptive families experiencing violence and abuse from children
The publication last April of the research report: Beyond the Adoption Order highlighted the urgent need within the adoption community for support around the issue of children’s violence to parents, and so I have been interested to follow how this is developing at both the large scale organisational, and more intimate networking, levels. Many adoption agencies offer training around the issue, specifically in Non Violent Resistance (NVR) a theory and technique first developed for this group by Haim Omer. Continue reading
Filed under Discussion, projects, Training opportunities
Child to Parent Violence: Job Opportunity in London
DVIP currently have a vacancy for a part-time Young People’s Service Practitioner (female only), working across London.
The service offers support and interventions to young people using abuse alongside a parallel support service for parents and partners.
You will primarily work with parents experiencing young people’s abuse to help re-establish safe boundaries within the home and to develop improved family interactions. You will also work with young people.
There are also opportunities for sessional work and volunteering. Full details can be found on the DVIP website.
Filed under Uncategorized
Information Guide: Going Public
We are pleased to announce that the Information Guide: Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse received Ministerial sign off at the end of last week, and is now a publicly available document on the Government website.
As this is a “live document” there is room to update it continually as more recent information becomes available. Indeed a number of typos and omissions have already been spotted and will be corrected as soon as is possible. Inevitably there will be some who feel the guidance is not as comprehensive as they had hoped for their own situation; but we believe this is a really important start in officially recognising adolescent to parent violence and abuse as a serious issue affecting many families, and in laying a practice foundation on which to build. We hope that organisations and departments will now take this and run with it – and individualise it according to their own knowledge base, skill sets, and areas of practice.
There will shortly be a report on the Manchester launch event on the Oxford APV website. Do take a look at this site, which has further information about the Oxford research project.
Filed under publications
Information Guide: Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse
The second of two launch days for the Interim Information Guide: Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse took place in London on Monday. (The first was in Manchester last week.) Despite the short notice, brought about by looming general election clogging up the works of the Home Office, there was an excited and positive response both days from the 100+ delegates from across management, commissioning and frontline services. Continue reading
Filed under conference report
A PhD in Adolescent to Parent Violence?
A double treat today from bits and pieces I picked up last week.
First, the opportunity to study for a PhD in adolescent to parent violence with Amanda Holt, at Roehampton University from this September.
More details on this available here.
Secondly, news that Coronation Street will feature a storyline about child to parent violence later this year.
As soon as I hear more detail about the timing of this I will be sure to let you know!
Filed under news reports, Research
Respect National Practitioners’ Day
The 10th Respect National Practitioners Seminar took place in London last week.
In the morning we were treated to an excellent presentation from Carlene Firmin on her research into peer on peer abuse. Unlike the other presentations, Carlene’s will not be available on the Respect website as the research is still ongoing, but much of her work can be found on her own website, MsUnderstood. There were many points at which she could have been talking about child to parent violence – so many cross overs. I will have to give this some more thought, but to be going on with:
- Peer on peer abuse straddles many different concepts and fields and so remains hidden.
- The importance and power of friendship groups as young people move into adolescence.
- The offer of parenting programmes because that is what is available rather than making a proper assessment of need.
- The problems that arise when violence becomes normalised.
- Limitations to changing individuals without wider social change.
- Issues around child protection and safeguarding.
The overall tone was optimistic however. As we learn more we have more opportunities to intervene earlier. Continue reading
Filed under conference report
Lazy reporting could not spoil an opportunity to discuss parent abuse
This started off as a weary rant from me today and then changed tone as the day progressed!
While it has been exciting and encouraging to see the increase in coverage of child to parent violence and abuse in the media over the last week, I have been disappointed yet again by the tone of some of the pieces and the apparent laziness of reporting.
The main headline in the Times, (you may not be able to read the next line, “Families cannot deal with minor domestic rows”) today picks up on the report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary into the welfare of vulnerable people in police custody, which has held centre stage across the media today. This highlights the often inappropriate use of custody for individuals experiencing poor mental health, or other vulnerabilities, because of a crisis in other support services; and while researchers have said that the findings show pressures faced by many families and carers, and the fact that the police are often used as the agency of last resort, the first example given – thus setting the tone – is of a dispute over a TV remote control. Other examples are given of greater severity of risk and violence. Parents are described as contacting the police because they reach breaking point. But there is no exploration of this issue in a wider way, other than to suggest lone women are finding it particularly difficult to bring up children. Continue reading
Filed under Discussion, news reports, radio and video
HOLES IN THE WALL 