Domestic Violence and Child Protection

Domestic Violence and Child Protection Jude Irwin, Fran Waugh, Marie Wilkinson School of Social Work and Policy Studies The University of Sydney

Research Aims • to examine practitioners’ knowledge and understandings of domestic violence and child protection • to review the child protection strategies utilised by practitioners • to identify effective strategies which could be used in responding to both women and their children.

The Four Studies • An analysis of the NSW Department of Community Services responses to domestic violence • The understandings of practitioners of the policy and practice issues related to the protection of children and young people who live with domestic • Women’s perceptions about living with domestic violence and the protection of their children • The views of children and young people who had lived with domestic violence aboutviolence in their families

Study 1 Analysis of NSW Department of Community Services responses to domestic violence • Observation and analysis of intake practice in 5 Community Service Centres (CSCs) • The tracking of a sample of intake referrals over an 18 month period • Interviews with intake workers (13) and assistant managers (9) at these CSCs

Summary Study 1 • 431 referrals were analysed • 217 (just over 50%) were tracked • 111 (of the 217) were initially referred for domestic violence • Domestic violence: the most frequent reason for referral to DoCS • Prevalence of domestic violence in re-referrals to DoCS • Different responses to domestic violence referrals

Summary Study 1 cont’d • Different outcomes • Number of referrals varies in different community groups • Workplace constraints • The stressful nature of intake work • The importance of supervision and training • Knowledge and skills about domestic violence essential in child at risk assessments

Study 2 Practitioners speak about domestic violence and child protection • Study 3 Women speak about children and domestic violence • Study 4Children and young people speak about domestic violence

Study 2 : Practitioners speak • Severe limitations of time and availability of personnel from police and DoCS • The very limited counselling services available to women and • Limited resources, including safe and suitable accommodation • Accommodation • The legal intervention

Study 3: Women speak about children and domestic violence • I went to the police and the policeman said to me ‘Lady you did something wrong. Why did you do that thing?’ And I said, I didn’t do anything.’ • What women and children go through is disgusting. As the woman you’re made out to be the person who is the perpetrator of violence and it’s all in your head. • Workers need to be open-minded and be patient with children as they are a lot harder to draw out. Children need to be able to trust workers. • Children should not have to go to court, when a sexual assault is reported, the procedures take too long; there should be closed courts or mini courts; children should be spoken to alone.

Study 4: Children and young people speak about domestic violence • I used to run to the phone box and call the police when it happened, go to the neighbours or my Aunties. The first few times I would stay with my Mum so he wouldn’t hurt her more.(11 year old female) • Once I broke up the fighting by walking up to my mum, hugging her and saying I love you. When I would try and break up the fights, my dad would leave the house and my mum would stay and sometimes the fight would stop (10 year old male). • ‘Mum you have to make an ultimatum’, I said, “Either the gun stays in this house or I do cause I’m not staying in this house with him and a gun”. I said “That’s just a recipe for disaster”. She said “Well call the police” and so I did and they called and took the gun. (17 year old female)

Sometimes I’d get scared but a lot of the time I’d get angry. And I’d take it out on him my anger or I’d take it out on Mum sometimes too when Mum and him moved away. When we moved away from him it was hard to deal with and used to take my anger out on Mum. (17 year old male) • No one helped my mum (8 year old male) • My mum had no-one there to help her with anything. (10 year old female) • I didn’t talk to my sisters about the violence as my mum told me not to. I didn’t talk to my friends either. I used to talk to my mum. No-one helped my mum. (12 year old male)

She would help me, ask me all these questions so I would know when I was getting upset. ( 8 year old male) • Me and my brothers are close but we’re not like that we don’t talk about what’s going on much. I keep my feelings about what’s going on to myself. Or me and Mum sit down and talk about it. (17 year old male) • When I was 14, I met this detective from [name police station], and she stood by me. She’s been great, and explains things clearly to me. If I need her, I can have a chat to her, any questions. Something like that is good, but unfortunately, not all police are like that anymore, especially with young people (16 year old female).

They knew that I was being beaten, and it was screwing up my mind, and I was angry inside, and hurt, and instead they said, “Keep going with it for a few more years”. And maybe if I was taken out of home I wouldn’t have got into a relationship with a guy that beat me. Maybe I wouldn’t have tried drugs. When they finally said, oh god, this girl is traumatised, I was on speed, I was prostituting myself, I w as trying to commit suicide, I went into Yasmin for 6 months. I was off the rockers by then. Its a bit late to start helping someone then (16 year old female).

We need to people who will listen to us and who will believe us. And kids have got to learn that it’s not right. A lot of kids think that it’s right.. I’d never had a father so I didn’t know what he was doing was wrong. I knew I didn’t like it. (13 year old female) • Children need someone to talk to outside their family and friends and counselling. (11 year old female) • I just think there needs to be more people around for kids to talk to, like we have counsellors in school and stuff but unless a kid has a problem and a teacher knows about it they don’t get to talk to anyone. I think there should be counsellors in school who talk to every individual child and just to see how they’re going. Sometimes kids will open up if they trust someone. But if no ones talking to them and no ones saying that they’re here for you, they’re not going to say anything. No one told me that they would listen. I’m sure some of the teachers knew what was going on. They’d have to, they’d be stupid not to. They kind of didn’t want to know about it. It’s easier to pretend that something’s not happening. If a kid comes up and says they’re being hurt then they’ve got to do something. (18 year old girl)

Good practice guidelines • Individual practitioners -roles and responsibilities • Agency roles and responsibilities • Interagency roles and responsibilities • Community roles and responsibilities

Domestic Violence and Child Protection