01/10/2026
October is Domestic Abuse Awareness Month.
When children experience domestic abuse, they are victims in their own right — not simply witnesses to what happens between adults.
There has been important progress in recognising this in law and policy. But for children living in care, the reality can be incredibly complex, particularly when they continue to have contact with the parent who caused harm.
Children may feel love, loyalty, fear, responsibility and confusion all at once. Their visits may trigger behaviours rooted in survival and safety:
• Hypervigilance
• Controlling or avoidant behaviour
• Emotional shutdown
• Difficulty trusting adults
• Distress before or after contact
• Taking responsibility for the feelings of others
• Appearing “challenging”, withdrawn or dysregulated
These behaviours can be overlooked, misdiagnosed or treated in the same way as neglect or abuse, without understanding what they are communicating.
A child’s behaviour is often an adaptation to what they have experienced. It needs curiosity, context and a trauma-informed response — not judgement.
Domestic abuse requires specialist, domestic-abuse-informed support. This is especially important when adults are caring for children who remain connected to the person who harmed them.
Through Together-A-Part, I provide support and training for adults caring for children who have experienced domestic abuse — helping them understand the impact, recognise safety behaviours and respond in ways that promote safety, connection and recovery.
Children in care deserve to be understood as victims in their own right, every day — not only in legislation, but in the decisions, relationships and support that shape their lives.