Working with Families

Domestic Abuse and Child Protection: Social Work Guide

January 2025•14 min read

Understanding Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse is a pattern of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading, and violent behaviour by a partner or ex-partner. The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 recognises that children who see, hear, or experience the effects of domestic abuse are victims in their own right.

Domestic abuse is one of the most common reasons for child protection involvement and requires a nuanced understanding of dynamics, risk, and effective intervention.

Forms of Domestic Abuse

  • Physical abuse: Hitting, kicking, strangulation
  • Coercive control: Controlling behaviour, isolation, monitoring
  • Emotional abuse: Threats, humiliation, degradation
  • Economic abuse: Controlling finances, preventing work
  • Sexual abuse: Rape, coerced sex, reproductive control

Key insight: Coercive control is often the most significant and dangerous form of domestic abuse, even without physical violence. The pattern of behaviour and its impact matter.

Impact on Children

Direct Impact

  • Fear, anxiety, and hypervigilance
  • Trauma symptoms
  • Behavioural and emotional difficulties
  • Developmental delays
  • Physical harm (accidentally or intentionally)

Indirect Impact

  • Living in a climate of fear and tension
  • Impact on parent's capacity to care
  • Disrupted attachments
  • Normalisation of violence

Assessment

Understanding the Pattern

  • History and pattern of abuse
  • Who is the perpetrator?
  • Severity and frequency
  • Use of coercive control
  • What are the risks?

Impact on Children

  • What have children seen, heard, or experienced?
  • What are the effects on them?
  • How do they feel about each parent?

Victim's Perspective

  • What is her understanding of the situation?
  • What barriers does she face?
  • What support does she need?

Document Accurately

Accurate recording is essential in domestic abuse cases. SpeakCase helps you capture the details.

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Working with Victims

Key Principles

  • Believe what they tell you
  • Understand the barriers to leaving
  • Don't blame them for the abuse
  • Respect their choices while keeping children safe
  • Work with specialist domestic abuse services

Safety Planning

  • Discuss safety options
  • Consider what happens if she leaves—and if she stays
  • Link to specialist support
  • Consider refuge if needed

Perpetrator Accountability

Holding perpetrators accountable is essential:

  • Assess the perpetrator directly
  • Don't rely on the victim to manage risk
  • Consider perpetrator programmes
  • Use legal options (injunctions, bail conditions)
  • Share information with police

Common Mistakes

Focusing Only on the Victim

Expecting mothers to leave or "protect" without addressing the perpetrator's behaviour puts responsibility in the wrong place.

Failure to Engage Perpetrators

Not seeing or assessing the person causing the harm is a significant gap.

Underestimating Coercive Control

Focusing only on physical incidents misses the pattern of control.

Separation as the Only Solution

Separation doesn't necessarily end abuse—post-separation abuse is common.

Multi-Agency Working

Key Partners

  • Police—safeguarding, prosecution
  • Domestic abuse services—specialist support
  • MARAC—high-risk case management
  • Health—identifying abuse, supporting recovery
  • Housing—safe accommodation

Recording

Good recording in domestic abuse cases should include:

  • Clear identification of perpetrator and victim
  • Pattern and history of abuse
  • Impact on children
  • Risk assessment
  • Views of the victim
  • Safety planning

Conclusion

Domestic abuse is complex and requires a nuanced response that supports victims, holds perpetrators accountable, and protects children. Understanding coercive control, working with specialist services, and avoiding common pitfalls are essential for effective practice.