The Impact of Domestic Violence on Children: Challenges and Opportunities for Child Protection Responses

Abstract Purpose This commentary provides an overview of current issues, persistent challenges and future opportunities for child protection and other service system responses to children experiencing domestic violence (DV). Methods Articles included in the special issue broadly fall into three areas: childhood experiences of domestic violence (CEDV) and their impacts, pervading policy issues and considerations and opportunities for future practice. Drawing on these contributions, the commentary unpacks the impacts of childhood experiences of DV on children’s safety and wellbeing, the recognition of children as victim-survivors in their own right and the recovery needs arising from CEDV. Results Articles included in this special issue identify persistent challenges, such as cross-sector tensions and philosophical divides, along with new challenges faced by child protection practitioners responding to DV, such as the intergenerational transmission of violence, manifesting in child-to-parent and sibling violence. Conclusion Research from various international jurisdictions included in the special issue identifies significant progress made in child protection responses to DV along with ongoing reform needs, including opportunities for holistic responses to families affected by DV and the availability of child-centered recovery support.