Exploring the Exploring the interface between interface between

family violence child family violence child protection and protection and

community based community based supportsupportProfessor Cathy HumphreysProfessor Cathy Humphreys

University of Melbourne and University of Melbourne and Centre for Excellence in Child Centre for Excellence in Child

and Family Welfare, Victoriaand Family Welfare, Victoria

Outline IssuesOutline Issues

Challenges for the interface between Challenges for the interface between child protection and domestic child protection and domestic violenceviolence

Engaging with the issue of severityEngaging with the issue of severity

Recurrent problemsRecurrent problems

1) Intervention in a widespread 1) Intervention in a widespread social problemsocial problem

2) A clash of values and perspectives 2) A clash of values and perspectives between different sectorsbetween different sectors

3) Culpable women and invisible 3) Culpable women and invisible menmen

4) Managing the interface with 4) Managing the interface with family lawfamily law

5) Managing complexity5) Managing complexity

Managing a major social Managing a major social problemproblem

International Violence Against Women International Violence Against Women Survey Survey (Mouzos and Makkai, 2004)(Mouzos and Makkai, 2004) 57% of 57% of women had experienced at least one women had experienced at least one incident of physical or sexual assault and incident of physical or sexual assault and for one third this was from a current or for one third this was from a current or former partnerformer partner

One quarter of 5000 children surveyed One quarter of 5000 children surveyed reported witnessing violence against a reported witnessing violence against a parent parent (Indermaur, 2001). (Indermaur, 2001).

Increase in reporting (19% to 36% in 10 Increase in reporting (19% to 36% in 10 years)years)

A gendered issueA gendered issue The British Crime Survey (Walby and Allen, The British Crime Survey (Walby and Allen,

2004) 13% of women and 9% of men reported 2004) 13% of women and 9% of men reported being subjected to DV in the past year.being subjected to DV in the past year.

Among those subjected to 4 or more incidents Among those subjected to 4 or more incidents 89% were women 89% were women

Of all incidents 81% involved violence by men Of all incidents 81% involved violence by men against women. against women.

The most severely injured, the most The most severely injured, the most frequently attacked the most fearful were frequently attacked the most fearful were overwhelmingly women.overwhelmingly women.

Assess for the primary perpetratorAssess for the primary perpetrator

A major social problemA major social problem

The largest category of reported concern in The largest category of reported concern in most states. most states.

For example NSW – 58,758 reports in 2006 For example NSW – 58,758 reports in 2006 – 27% of reports to the central reporting – 27% of reports to the central reporting line.line.

Significant aspect of overwhelming the Significant aspect of overwhelming the Tasmanian statutory system Tasmanian statutory system (Jacob and Fanning (Jacob and Fanning 2006).2006).

In Victoria 52% of substantiated child In Victoria 52% of substantiated child protection cases occur in a context of protection cases occur in a context of domestic violencedomestic violence

DV Centre StageDV Centre Stage

Statutory child protection is a Statutory child protection is a mainstream domestic violence mainstream domestic violence intervention organisationintervention organisation

Domestic violence is not on the Domestic violence is not on the margins of the workmargins of the work

Culpable women and Culpable women and invisible meninvisible men

Same old, same old…….Same old, same old……. Individual workers making heroic Individual workers making heroic

efforts but can be defeated at the efforts but can be defeated at the strategic levelstrategic level

How to manage and structure a child How to manage and structure a child protection system which responds to protection system which responds to an adult victim and a child victim?an adult victim and a child victim?

How to re-focus the intervention to How to re-focus the intervention to manage the perpetrator?manage the perpetrator?

Cultural ClashCultural Clash

Child protection – focus on the childChild protection – focus on the child Legislation which supports the Legislation which supports the

intervention of the state in family lifeintervention of the state in family life Family violence, community base Family violence, community base

sector – greater focus on the sector – greater focus on the empowerment of womenempowerment of women

A major issue for closer A major issue for closer collaboration/integrationcollaboration/integration

An inappropriate welfare An inappropriate welfare approachapproach

In Victoria 73% of substantiated child In Victoria 73% of substantiated child protection cases involved adult protection cases involved adult problems – mental health, substance problems – mental health, substance use, family violenceuse, family violence

The return of the multi-problem The return of the multi-problem familyfamily

The emergence of ‘dual diagnosis’The emergence of ‘dual diagnosis’ Who did what to whom and the effects Who did what to whom and the effects

of this can be lostof this can be lost

The interface with family The interface with family lawlaw

Most perpetrators of family violence Most perpetrators of family violence will be given contact with their will be given contact with their children.children.

A systems issue which requires A systems issue which requires continued strategic interventioncontinued strategic intervention

Current a major inconsistency and Current a major inconsistency and contradiction between family law, contradiction between family law, child protection and specialist child protection and specialist domestic violence sector.domestic violence sector.

ComplexitiesComplexities

Forced marriageForced marriage Child abductionChild abduction Teenage family violence (young boys Teenage family violence (young boys

towards their mothers; intimate towards their mothers; intimate partner violence in teenage partner violence in teenage relationships)relationships)

Community violence and its impact Community violence and its impact on childrenon children

A hierarchy of principlesA hierarchy of principles

Safety and protection of childrenSafety and protection of children

Empowerment and safety for womenEmpowerment and safety for women

Responsibility and accountability of Responsibility and accountability of perpetrators (Burke, 1999)perpetrators (Burke, 1999)

Support for the relationship between Support for the relationship between mothers and children mothers and children

Engaging with severityEngaging with severity

• Issues in relation to childrenIssues in relation to children

• Issues in relation to perpetratorsIssues in relation to perpetrators

• Issues in relation to womenIssues in relation to women

• Issues in relation to the system Issues in relation to the system responseresponse

Children’s emotional Children’s emotional well-beingwell-being

A consistent research finding is that the A consistent research finding is that the emotional well-being of a substantial group of emotional well-being of a substantial group of children is undermined by living with domestic children is undermined by living with domestic violence.violence.

Meta analysis of 118 studies showed significantly Meta analysis of 118 studies showed significantly poorer outcomes on 21 psychosocial measures poorer outcomes on 21 psychosocial measures for children ‘witnessing’ domestic violence, than for children ‘witnessing’ domestic violence, than those not living with violence those not living with violence (Kitzmann et al, 2003).(Kitzmann et al, 2003).

63% of children ‘witnessing’ domestic violence 63% of children ‘witnessing’ domestic violence doing worse than those who do not witness doing worse than those who do not witness domestic violence. domestic violence.

Children managing in the Children managing in the face of adversityface of adversity

‘‘Resilience’ – not an individual trait – Resilience’ – not an individual trait – children live in different contexts of children live in different contexts of severity and protectionseverity and protection

In any sample of children between In any sample of children between one third and a half are doing as one third and a half are doing as well as or better than children not well as or better than children not living with family violence.living with family violence.

Child Risks and protective Child Risks and protective factorsfactors

Direct abuse/exposure to violence – a false Direct abuse/exposure to violence – a false distinctiondistinction

Some studies suggest ‘double whammy’ of Some studies suggest ‘double whammy’ of direct physical abuse and exposure -> worse direct physical abuse and exposure -> worse outcomesoutcomes

Mohr and Mertin (2001) – no differenceMohr and Mertin (2001) – no difference Kitzmann et al 2003 – 118 studies – no Kitzmann et al 2003 – 118 studies – no

difference.difference. Longscan – children under 8 – witnessing Longscan – children under 8 – witnessing

violence towards primary caregiver more violence towards primary caregiver more traumatic than direct physical abuse.traumatic than direct physical abuse.

The role of the The role of the perpetratorperpetrator

The perpetrator may be the intervening The perpetrator may be the intervening variable (Sullivan 2000). The direct negative variable (Sullivan 2000). The direct negative effect is due to the man’s abuse and is not effect is due to the man’s abuse and is not mediated by the mother’s well-being.mediated by the mother’s well-being.

Domestic violence is an attack on the mother-Domestic violence is an attack on the mother-child relationship – an indirect effect is child relationship – an indirect effect is undermining the women’s emotional well-being undermining the women’s emotional well-being so that she is not in a good position to parent.so that she is not in a good position to parent.

Essential to provide assessment and support for Essential to provide assessment and support for women experiencing mental health problems.women experiencing mental health problems.

Perpetrator risksPerpetrator risks

Often little impact on child protection Often little impact on child protection assessments – exception Cardiff assessments – exception Cardiff MARACsMARACs

Simultaneous safety planning/risk Simultaneous safety planning/risk assessmentassessment

Provide an appropriate re-focusing on Provide an appropriate re-focusing on perpetratorperpetrator

Duluth QuestionsDuluth Questions

Do you think he will seriously injure Do you think he will seriously injure you or the children? What makes you you or the children? What makes you think that? If not, why not? think that? If not, why not?

What was the time you were most What was the time you were most frightened or injured by him?frightened or injured by him?

Are things getting worse? Describe Are things getting worse? Describe the pattern of the abuse (frequency, the pattern of the abuse (frequency, type severity, escalation).type severity, escalation).

Standardised risk Standardised risk assessment: health warningassessment: health warning Only a rationing mechanismOnly a rationing mechanism Too much focus on physical violenceToo much focus on physical violence Too inaccurate – a false ‘science’Too inaccurate – a false ‘science’ Too little focus on children’s wishes Too little focus on children’s wishes

and feelingsand feelings Too much focus on lethality and Too much focus on lethality and

future risk rather than current future risk rather than current safety and well-beingsafety and well-being

Perpetrator risk Perpetrator risk assessmentassessment

Coherence needed across:Coherence needed across: Police risk assessment modelsPolice risk assessment models

Child protection assessmentsChild protection assessments

Child contact risk and safety Child contact risk and safety assessmentassessment

SPECIALCASESSPECIALCASES

SPECIALCASESSPECIALCASES Separation, pregnancy and child Separation, pregnancy and child

contact, escalation, child abuse, contact, escalation, child abuse, isolation, attempts/threats to kill self isolation, attempts/threats to kill self or others, controlling behaviour, or others, controlling behaviour, stalking, substance use and mental stalking, substance use and mental health problems, sexual assault, health problems, sexual assault,

Separation exampleSeparation example

Heightened risk of escalation and Heightened risk of escalation and homicidehomicide

London domestic homicide review showed London domestic homicide review showed 76% of women separated or in process of 76% of women separated or in process of separationseparation

Sexual assault in context of domestic Sexual assault in context of domestic violence – 116/217 during or post violence – 116/217 during or post separationseparation

Child contact the greatest opportunity for Child contact the greatest opportunity for post-separation violencepost-separation violence

The system mattersThe system matters

The most chronically violent men were The most chronically violent men were not those with the highest number of not those with the highest number of lethality factors, but those men who lethality factors, but those men who continued to ‘get away with it’. continued to ‘get away with it’. (Gondolf, 2004)(Gondolf, 2004)

The ‘system’ needs to be assessed as a The ‘system’ needs to be assessed as a risk factor. Are there consequences risk factor. Are there consequences for continuing violence and abuse? for continuing violence and abuse?

An integrated domestic An integrated domestic violence systemviolence system

A system which meets the needs of A system which meets the needs of children for safety, well-being and children for safety, well-being and developmentdevelopment

Responds to women with separate Responds to women with separate but linked servicesbut linked services

Effective intervention with the Effective intervention with the perpetratorperpetrator