Children affected by domestic abuse are not being consistently recognised as victims in their own right by frontline services across England and Wales, a new joint report warns.
Inspections covering six local authority areas reveal wide variation in how police, social care, health services and probation identify risk and share information, leaving some children without appropriate protection and support.
Under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, children who see, hear or experience the effects of abuse should be treated as victims. However, the report by Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, and HM Inspectorate of Probation highlights that practice remains too focused on adult needs, with children’s experiences not always captured in risk assessments or safeguarding referrals.
While inspectors noted examples of good practice, they stress urgent improvements are needed to ensure multi-agency responses genuinely safeguard children affected by domestic abuse.
Yvette Stanley, Ofsted’s national director for children’s social care, said: ‘There must be a greater focus on recognising children as victims in their own right, and urgent improvements need to be made so that local agencies and partnerships can better support children affected by this type of abuse.’
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