Tag Archives: CPA

by | September 6, 2024 · 8:36 am

CPA Awareness Day – nearly here!

Since 2022, PEGS have been marking International CPA Awareness Day in October. In a busy field of awareness days it was surely time we had our turn, and PEGS have worked hard to make it a meaningful event of awareness raising as well as celebration of achievement. This year the day falls on Monday 14th October and the team have put together a virtual conference of renowned international speakers, bringing together researchers, policy makers, decision makers, frontline professionals and campaigners.

It is the first time professionals from across the globe will gather together to share updates, policies, research and education, alongside the team at PEGS.

The speaker line up is impressive and this will certainly be an interesting all day event. You can find out more information about the day, as well as booking your place, via the PEGS website.

CPA (child to parent abuse) is the term preferred by PEGS, but they include within this umbrella all the many harms that parents experience, whatever you choose to call it.

There are many other conferences coming up over the next weeks and months which will be of interest to those working with families experiencing child to parent violence and abuse. Head over to the Events page for more information about these opportunities.

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by | July 24, 2024 · 8:21 pm

The new Eastenders CPA storyline

It’s not the first time, of course, but that doesn’t stop the excitement when the issues surrounding child to parent violence and abuse (CPVA) are brought to greater public awareness through inclusion in a popular soap on TV or even the radio!

We’ve had Coronation Street in 2015, and Holby City in 2018 to name but two, and I was definitely convinced The Archers was touching on the issue when Jamie Perks started causing trouble around 2010; and now in 2024 we have an announcement that Eastenders will be featuring a storyline examining the relationship between Tommy Moon and Kat Slater over the course of the summer.

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by | November 30, 2023 · 10:54 am

Public Consultation on the Definition of Child to Parent Abuse

When the first Home Office guidance document for those working with what was then termed Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse was published in 2015, the need for a revision / update became clear very quickly as new understanding and methods of work developed. Amongst those insights was the prevalence among much younger children, impacting particularly the ways the behaviour was conceptualised; leading to problems around an agreed terminology and definition.

Over the years, countless researchers and reports have called for the establishment of a working group to consider these issues. We recognise that there remain many different terms in use, all for very particular reasons. But without agreed terminology and in the absence of an official definition, problems remain with the collection of data, the compilation of statistics, the commissioning of services, and – most importantly – the understanding and recognition by families of their experiences and the ability to ask for help in a way that is immediately understood.

After many years of meetings, changes of staff, changes of emphasis and focus on adult domestic abuse, the 2022 Policy Paper, Tackling Domestic Abuse included a commitment to developing a sector agreed definition; and I am thrilled to announce that we finally have a public consultation on the definition of child to parent abuse, which will include space to comment on terminology. The team at the Home Office have been working on this for many months, speaking to key stakeholders in order to produce the consultation framework. The consultation is open till 7th February, so please do take the time to have a look and send in your comments.

The organisers of this would particularly like to hear from those with lived experience: parents and young people, who are able to offer insights that may be missed by those researching and working in the field.

The Consultation document can be accessed here.

Any questions on the consultation should be addressed to the team at CPAConsultation@homeoffice.gov.uk

Thank you!!!!!!

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by | October 5, 2023 · 2:22 pm

CPA Awareness Day 2023

Last year the organisation PEGS organised the first CPA Awareness Day, to promote awareness and understanding of the issues, and to make more people aware that advice and help is available.

This year’s Awareness Day is just around the corner, October 14th being the proposed day, and provides a great opportunity once again to amplify voices and get the word out there.

Depending on where you work – or study – there will be different things that you can do, but here are some ideas that have worked for others:

  • Compose a message to go out through the day on social media
  • Host a coffee morning at your service
  • Invite the local press to cover the issue or to promote your work
  • Set up a stall with flyers and other materials – an ideal opportunity to chat to people who may not know anything!
  • Arrange for posters to go up in targeted places
  • Contact local politicians or commissioners
  • Write something for a professional or community newsletter
  • And share what you do – so that we can keep the momentum going even longer!

PEGS have a resource pack on their website with free to download posters and other materials if you need help in this way.

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by | February 22, 2023 · 10:53 am

Capa First Response gains further funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to continue to support families experiencing child/adolescent to parent abuse. 

Capa First Response is a remote resource for families, offering a 1-2-1 service tailored to each family’s situation. They offer support and advice, for both the adults and the children, with the focus on putting in place strategies to reduce harmful, explosive and controlling impulses, often referred to as abusive and violent behaviour in the home. 

Founded by Jane Griffiths in 2019 with an aim of providing support options for families who struggle to find help in their local area, Capa First Response has expanded over time to work not just with families in need, but also to train professionals working with families in order to allow more people access to help in this vital area. Jane has over 30 years of experience working with families, and for the past 11 years she has worked specifically with families where a child uses harmful behaviours towards a parent or caregiver.  

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by | February 2, 2023 · 4:21 pm

Senior Practitioner wanted!

THIS POST IS NOW FILLED

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by | September 25, 2022 · 3:08 pm

Agreeing terms: It’s only helpful if it’s helpful

I wonder whether it is a peculiarly British thing that we have taken so long to decide on both a name and a definition? There is the need to be inclusive and not to offend, but also a strong sense of digging in of heels at times! Which is perhaps how come we still have both a myriad of letters and words for this type of harmful behaviour, and a lack of agreement on who to include, whether it is one phenomenon or many, whether they need to be distinguished within a typology – and most recently – what the upper age range might be.

Of all the reasons that have been given for making sure we agree terminology in work in the area of child to parent violence and abuse, the one that stands out for me is that families, practitioners and policy makers all need to share – and own – the language used. If not, then we risk losing people along the way, unable to access help or to adequately explain their experience. A couple of different initials and we have lost a load of data. Failing to agree and we start to look like a divided community.

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by | September 2, 2022 · 8:54 am

Awareness Raising Day

Almost every month – and week even – there seems to be a focus on raising awareness by a particular interest group, whether to do with health, families, disability or a hundred other things. A brilliant opportunity to shine the spotlight on an issue, bringing it to the front of people’s minds, campaigning for better understanding whether in the public eye, the media or government, and of course increasing support for those affected. It could certainly be argued that those working in the field of child to parent violence and abuse have been slow out of the blocks here, but it’s great to see that PEGS have taken this on board this year, with a planned CPA Awareness Day on October 14th. 

This autumn will mark the very first Child to Parent Abuse Awareness Day. On Friday 14th October, we’d love you to join us in a nationwide push to raise awareness of CPA and to campaign for more support for the families this issue impacts.

While many people work valiantly all year to raise awareness of this issue, focusing attention over one day can amplify the volume and lead to more people sitting up and listening, so take a look at the suggestions over on the PEGS website for things you can do on that day. It’s not an exhaustive list, so any contributions will be welcome, and your own ideas might inspire others to follow suit. 

Thanks to Michelle and all the team at PEGS for running with this!

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by | July 25, 2022 · 4:14 am

Statutory Guidance to the Domestic Abuse Act published

At the start of the month, the Government published the Statutory Guidance to the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, taking into account the results of the consultation process which took place in the latter part of last year. The guidance document is intended to “to increase awareness and inform the response to domestic abuse. It also conveys standards and promotes best practice.” The various chapters consider an understanding of domestic abuse, recognising domestic abuse, the impact on those involved, the different needs and circumstances of individuals affected, and agency responses – whether individually or as part of multi-agency groupings. While the vast majority of the document deals with abuse perpetrated by adults, it is important that there is also included the issue of young people’s harmful behaviour, whether towards their peers, or towards their parents / carers.

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by | April 11, 2022 · 2:12 pm

A response to the Government’s Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan

Somewhat delayed because of family circumstances, but I thought it would be helpful to have a look at the Government’s recently published Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan, and offer some thoughts.

Before I get started, a couple of caveats. First, the debate continues as to whether it is appropriate to consider child to parent violence and abuse under this umbrella. There are those who feel very strongly that it should be, because of the harm caused and the frequent links to the experience of intimate partner violence and abuse. (Academics such as Wilcox (2012) have made this case. PEGS literature is another case in point.) Others find the terminology and conceptualisation problematic, and shy away, preferring to focus on the age, the trauma and vulnerability of the children and young people themselves (for instance, many within the adoption community would feel this way). My sense from listening to people is that both views have merit, but that the circumstances around the harmful behaviour and family situation need to be taken into account in order to properly reflect each family’s situation.

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