Domestic abuse and the impact on young children: A UK perspective

• Approximately 20% of children in the UK live with domestic abuse. • Assaults on an expectant mother are associated with increased rate of miscarriage, stillborn and premature birth, and foetal brain injury. • Exposure to domestic abuse can affect all aspects of a young child’s health and development. • Children may spend their whole childhood in a constant state of anxiety. • The impact of domestic abuse can last a life-time and affect education and job opportunities, friendships, and mental and physical health. Survivors and victims of domestic abuse are frequently fearful of revealing what is happening to them. Consequently, the increasingly high numbers reported to the police are likely to be a significant underestimation. This paper explores the impact of domestic abuse on young children. It is based on the scrutiny of a wide range of research, both national and international, and takes a developmental perspective. The paper initially explores how exposure to domestic abuse can affect the unborn child. The focus then turns to infants and discusses how domestic abuse can have a detrimental affect on the child’s health, education, and emotional and behavioural development before examining the possible long-term consequences. Finally, the implications for policy and practice are discussed.