What do younger children need for recovery from domestic abuse? Findings from in-depth qualitative family case studies

Abstract Purpose Despite substantive evidence of the impact that domestic abuse can have on children and young people, we still know relatively little about children’s experiences of engaging with services aimed to support their recovery. Our research sought to explore with younger children, alongside their mothers, what supported children’s engagement in services and what changes were achieved. Methods Six in-depth qualitative case studies which included seven children aged under 12 and interviews with their mothers, alongside information drawn from the case records for each family. Results Finding from the children’s data identified four main themes: Supporting children’s initial ‘readiness’ to engage; support for children’s ‘worries’; relational experiences; and engaging activities and tools. Children identified four main areas of positive change in their lives: wellbeing and confidence; behavioural change and positive coping strategies; home situation; and school and peers. Children also identified areas where improvements had not been achieved. Findings from interviews with mothers and emphasised the need for a range of complementary and tailored interventions to enable mothers to better understand the impact of domestic abuse for their children and to support their children’s engagement in services. Conclusion The case study approach provided a detailed picture of what facilitated children’s engagement in domestic abuse support as well as the changes children identified. Our study provides strong evidence of the necessity of including, and prioritising, the views and experiences of children, including younger children, in studies of domestic abuse services which aim to support children’s recovery.