Children & DV
Children are victim/survivor’s of domestic violence whether directly or indirectly.
Out of the domestic violence incidents reported - 62% of those incidents had children in the household.
In 9 out of 10 cases, children were present in the same or next room while the violence is going on
In half the cases of violence between adults there is violence against children too
In 33% of Child Protection cases there is a history of domestic violence towards the mother
Over half of Child Protection Cases feature domestic violence
There has been great improvements over the last five years, in the services and organisations available in helping children.
Signs that a child/young person may be having difficulties:
Physical complaints (headaches, stomach aches)
Tiredness
Constant worry about possible danger and/or the safety of loved ones
Sadness and/or withdrawal from others and activities
Low self-esteem and lack of confidence, especially for trying new things (including academic tasks)
Difficulty paying attention in class, concentrating on work and learning new information
Outbursts of anger directed towards teachers, peers or self
Bullying and/or aggression directed towards peers in and/or out of the classroom
Stereotyped beliefs about males as aggressors and females as victims.
In addition older students may display:
Suicidal thoughts and action
High risk behaviour including criminal activities, alcohol and substance abuse
School truancy or leaving home
Dating violence
The effects on very young children exposed to Domestic Abuse can be serious and can include:
Inability to develop secure attachments to carers
Failure to thrive in extreme cases
Development regression (especially in toileting and language)
Sleep disturbances
Behavioural difficulties/emotional distress
The psychological effects of domestic abuse on children are:
Aggressive, violent behaviours
Passive, withdrawn behaviours
Psychosomatic/eating/sleeping problems
Role Reversal (children act as the parent)
Educational/School Difficulties
Relationship Difficulties
Longer term effects
Depression/alcohol and drug misuse/victim or perpetrator of domestic abuse
“The trauma and long-term effects suffered by children living in a violent household is incalculable”
(David Blunkett, Home Secretary, June 2003)
Children facing difficulties due to domestic abuse may compromise their availability for learning and their capacity to get along with others at school.
Early intervention of difficulties can lead to earlier and more effective support and intervention for young people and their families. Teachers are in an ideal position to identify when a student is having difficulty.
School – based interventions and prevention initiatives can reduce the risk and increase protective factors for students. Teachers may be the caring adults who make a difference in the lives of students experiencing difficulties at home.
There has also through the introduction of the citizenship curriculum in schools, been the opportunity to take the issues of domestic violence, peer pressure, relationships etc into the schools and raise the awareness of the school children.
There has also been the training given to staff within the schools on domestic violence. Awareness via the media is prominent, but needs to remain constant.
The website:
provides more information on children and domestic violence
