Child focused, Curious, and open to Complexity: A new model for assessing and addressing domestic and family violence in child protection practice

Domestic violence is a common and significant issue in families with child protection involvement, both because domestic violence can harm children directly, and because it commonly co-occurs with other issues that increase the risk of harm to children. Despite how common this issue is, child protection systems have often failed to respond appropriately to families in which domestic violence presents a risk of harm to children. In this paper, we will present a model which can support child protection practitioners in working with families in which DFV is identified as a risk to the safety and wellbeing of children. Our model builds on the important work of other researchers who have highlighted existing problems in the way child protection systems respond to domestic violence. Moreover, it treads new ground by approaching domestic violence as a heterogenous issue which requires nuanced and individual responses, with a particular focus on differentiating between coercive control and situational couple violence. • Domestic violence is a heterogenous issue. • Most families with child protection involvement experience significant disadvantage. • Families impacted by domestic violence require individualised responses. • The impacts of poverty and disadvantage must be considered in child protection responses.