Recognising the Damage: Children with a Disability living with Domestic Violence

1. Recognising the Damage: Children with a Disability living with Domestic Violence Eileen Baldry & Jan Breckenridge (UNSW) Joan Bratel (Spastic Centre of NSW) ACWA 2006

2. Introduction • This presentation: • Information on DV & children with a disability • Need for frontline worker response • Proposed seven step framework • Hopes for outcomes from more appropriate response ACWA 2006

3. Domestic violence • The term DV, often used interchangeably with family violence refers to actual or threatened violence in a domestic or family context where an adolescent or adult family member, partner or ex-partner attempts physically, sexually, psychologically or economically to dominate or harm other adult family member(s). • DV recognised as one of the most entrenched forms of violence. It is notifiable. ACWA 2006

4. Children with a disability • Nineteen percent of Australians – or 3.9 million people - have a disability • 12% of young people in Australia (0-24) suffer at least one long-term impairment. ACWA 2006

5. Abuse of children with a disability • Vulnerability of children with disabilities to abuse. • Understanding the scope and effects of violence. • Lack of data relating to families where there is a child with a disability. • Impact on agency responsiveness. ACWA 2006

6. Impact of D.V. on the development and well being of children • No incidence or prevalence studies relating to the impact of D.V. on children with a disability. • Impact studies of D.V. on children within the ‘normal’ population have shown. • increased physiological arousal in response to generalised conflict. • Heightened aggressions, impulsiveness, anxiety and poor social skills. ACWA 2006

7. Issues for workers • Children with disabilities may not be able to recognise, resist or disclose abuse. • Lack of worker experience & skill may add to this • responses to DV trauma may be confused with the effects of a particular impairment. • So although children with disabilities over-represented among abuse victims, they are under-represented in the caseloads of such workers ACWA 2006

8. Indicators in children with a disability • Unusual changes in demeanour • Unusual emotional distress • Sudden loss of weight • Disability becomes exaggerated • Worker observation of violence • Disclosure by child or non-offending family member ACWA 2006

9. Frontline response Why the need for a frontline response framework? • This area is poorly investigated and there is little guidance for workers • The following is derived from a generic framework and is our suggestion for one way forward ACWA 2006

10. 1. Develop Awareness 2. Consider Needs Consider ConsequencesAction/inaction 3. Safety & Security 4. How to Engage Community Links Who will? 5. Respond Specifically Impact of my/or agency actions 6. Follow up 7. Reflect

11. Step 1 • Develop awareness of domestic violence, children and disability • Know how violence manifests • Familiar with disabilities & way they manifest • Learn about effects of DV • Clarify role of worker’s response • Know the effects of action & inaction ACWA 2006

12. Step 2 • Consider and notice the needs of children generally and in relation to their disability • Skill development consistent with disability • Understand communication possibilities • Assess communication capacity • Notice actions & interactions of children who experience DV and their carers ACWA 2006

13. Step 3 • Attend to safety • Identify what is unsafe for the child • Consider impacts of any actions to secure safety especially once worker leaves • Identify who can contribute to the increased safety of the child ACWA 2006

14. Step 4 • Decide if and how to engage with children and/or caregivers • Consider child’s disability & associated needs • Consider specific needs of carers • Decide on appropriate engagement • Provide an individual response • Know where to seek advice • Whether or not direct engagement with child, worker needs to be child inclusive ACWA 2006

15. Step 5 • Respond specifically and appropriately • Obtain information regarding available and relevant local services • Be aware of the gaps in services • Take into account what could go wrong • Know that a decision not to act is a response • Consider how responses will place the child(ren) • Negotiate how to proceed with others involved • Compile information ACWA 2006

16. Step 6 • Decide whether and how to follow up • Even when perpetrator removed these children need ongoing support • Continue to notice any effects upon children and family • Acknowledge importance of worker • Acknowledge significance of others who support children ACWA 2006

17. Step 7 • Reflect on Practice • Analyse and reflect on responses and consider what could have been done differently • Seek professional development re children with disabilities and DV • Contribute to organisational policy and practice • Contribute to domestic violence prevention programs ACWA 2006

18. Conclusion • Professionals work alongside families to construct ‘solutions’ that they own and can live with • Careful listening; no assumptions re ‘what is best’ for a particular family or child with a disability • worker’s beliefs and attitudes impact on ability to respond constructively and with integrity to children with a disability ACWA 2006

19. Conclusion • Children and young people with a disability are children first and have the same right to protection, to feel safe, to be consulted and to be heard as any other child or young person • Child’s right to have DV addressed. This right should be the focus of attention and not the disability ACWA 2006