Domestic abuse is a major concern for those working with families in the aftermath of the pandemic and professionals have reported being increasingly worried that they do not know how to deal with domestic abuse effectively. In response, we have put together this post with top tips from our experts in assessment and treatment to help guide practice with families. Top Tips for Working with Families and domestic abuse Early research into the effects of the pandemic on domestic

For those families living in a home where coercive controlling behaviours are being used, it is important that a safety plan is in place that will specifically address this type of abuse. This post is designed to provide social workers with guidance for completing risk management and safety planning with families where coercive controlling behaviours are a feature. 95% of survivors experienced coercive controlling behaviours Coercive control, is a criminal offence in the UK a

Research is emerging that coronavirus measures have fostered an environment where perpetrators use of coercive controlling behaviour has flourished. This post will examine how this type of abuse can be recognised, the effects this has on children and the implications for child contact and safety planning. Coercive control flourishing in the pandemic Early research into the effects of the pandemic on domestic abuse is showing that restrictions used to minimise the spread of th

This post will explain what perpetrator programmes are and their effectiveness at reducing domestic violence and abuse. Domestic abuse practice in the UK has primarily focused on the protection and support of women and children, with domestic abuse perpetrator programmes (known as DAPPs in the UK) working quietly in the background. Domestic abuse differs to other crimes in that it rarely consists of one incident, it is an ongoing and often repeated crime with the average vict

The practical barriers women face when leaving an abusive partner are widely recognised, but the emotional attachment a woman may have to her abuser is often misunderstood or overlooked. This post will explain how vulnerable Mothers can be supported to break a distorted attachment to an abuser. Supporting vulnerable mother's Early attachment theory proposed that attachment behaviors in infants, such as crying and searching, were responses to separation from a primary attachme

In this post, we discuss the prevalence of post-separation abuse and how the Duluth Model's Post Separation Wheel can be used in domestic abuse practice. We also provide advice for those struggling with this type of abuse. It is not always the case that leaving an abusive partner will increase a woman’s safety and research has established that, in many cases, domestic abuse from an intimate partner does not end upon separation. Post-separation can actually see an escalation o

With an increase in domestic abuse homicides being reported across the globe, a light is being shed on a crime that in 'normal' times causes the death of 2 women a week in the UK. This post explains the 8 step timeline that typically precedes domestic abuse homicides and how this relates to risk assessment and safety planning. Recent reporting has fed into the public perception that the recent spike in the number of domestic homicides is due to a rise in one-off incidents bro

Many of us are turning to video calls to work with clients. When working with victims of DV we must consider her safety

It cannot be assumed that professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists, or those with experience in other areas of child protection work, have the specialist knowledge and experience to assess the complex risks to children presented by domestic violence and abuse. In this post we discuss why. Over the years DV-ACT experts have been approached by experts who have felt that, despite their expertise in mental health or social work, they were unable to carry out the instru

This post will give information on how to complete emergency safety planning with perpetrators

For those families living in a home where domestic abuse is present, it is important that a safety plan is in place. This post is designed to take social workers through the steps of completing safety planning with families. The importance of completing safety planning with families living with domestic abuse The importance of safety planning It is important that safety planning is carried out with all families that are living with domestic abuse which should have the childr