Child focused, Curious, and open to Complexity: A new model for assessing and addressing domestic and family violence in child protection practice

Domestic violence is a common and significant issue in families with child protection involvement, both because domestic violence can harm children directly, and because it commonly co-occurs with other issues that increase the risk of harm to children. Despite how common this issue is, child protec...

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Main Authors: Ulrike Marwitz, Daryl J. Higgins, Thomas Whelan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Child Protection and Practice
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950193825000828
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author Ulrike Marwitz
Daryl J. Higgins
Thomas Whelan
author_facet Ulrike Marwitz
Daryl J. Higgins
Thomas Whelan
author_sort Ulrike Marwitz
collection DOAJ
description Domestic violence is a common and significant issue in families with child protection involvement, both because domestic violence can harm children directly, and because it commonly co-occurs with other issues that increase the risk of harm to children. Despite how common this issue is, child protection systems have often failed to respond appropriately to families in which domestic violence presents a risk of harm to children. In this paper, we will present a model which can support child protection practitioners in working with families in which DFV is identified as a risk to the safety and wellbeing of children. Our model builds on the important work of other researchers who have highlighted existing problems in the way child protection systems respond to domestic violence. Moreover, it treads new ground by approaching domestic violence as a heterogenous issue which requires nuanced and individual responses, with a particular focus on differentiating between coercive control and situational couple violence.
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spelling doaj-art-bfcfe274cf8a4c20a5c3c4cdf5c3ecac2025-08-20T03:22:09ZengElsevierChild Protection and Practice2950-19382025-07-01510017510.1016/j.chipro.2025.100175Child focused, Curious, and open to Complexity: A new model for assessing and addressing domestic and family violence in child protection practiceUlrike Marwitz0Daryl J. Higgins1Thomas Whelan2Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University, 115 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia, 3065Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University, 115 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia, 3065School of Behavioural & Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, 115 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, Victoria, 3065, AustraliaDomestic violence is a common and significant issue in families with child protection involvement, both because domestic violence can harm children directly, and because it commonly co-occurs with other issues that increase the risk of harm to children. Despite how common this issue is, child protection systems have often failed to respond appropriately to families in which domestic violence presents a risk of harm to children. In this paper, we will present a model which can support child protection practitioners in working with families in which DFV is identified as a risk to the safety and wellbeing of children. Our model builds on the important work of other researchers who have highlighted existing problems in the way child protection systems respond to domestic violence. Moreover, it treads new ground by approaching domestic violence as a heterogenous issue which requires nuanced and individual responses, with a particular focus on differentiating between coercive control and situational couple violence.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950193825000828
spellingShingle Ulrike Marwitz
Daryl J. Higgins
Thomas Whelan
Child focused, Curious, and open to Complexity: A new model for assessing and addressing domestic and family violence in child protection practice
Child Protection and Practice
title Child focused, Curious, and open to Complexity: A new model for assessing and addressing domestic and family violence in child protection practice
title_full Child focused, Curious, and open to Complexity: A new model for assessing and addressing domestic and family violence in child protection practice
title_fullStr Child focused, Curious, and open to Complexity: A new model for assessing and addressing domestic and family violence in child protection practice
title_full_unstemmed Child focused, Curious, and open to Complexity: A new model for assessing and addressing domestic and family violence in child protection practice
title_short Child focused, Curious, and open to Complexity: A new model for assessing and addressing domestic and family violence in child protection practice
title_sort child focused curious and open to complexity a new model for assessing and addressing domestic and family violence in child protection practice
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950193825000828
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