A new two-year research project supported by the Nuffield Foundation is to build on recently tested analysis methods and strong working partnerships to develop national responses to domestic abuse in the context of child protection.
Acknowledging Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA) as a key driver of demand in child protection, the project’s aim is to respond to the need to improve national responses both to those who are being harmed and those to harm, to improve outcomes and promote sustainable change for children and their families.
Kingston University London, Safelives, Research in Practice and University of Huddersfield, led by University of Sheffield, will build upon previous work, including that of the Child Welfare Inequalities Project and the Research in Practice Domestic Violence Change Project.
There will be a particular focus on ensuring that the research is informed by the expertise of practitioners and those impacted by DVA and pays careful attention to how gender combines with socioeconomic circumstances, age, dis/ability, ethnicity and sexual orientation to shape experiences.
The £430k grant will allow the team to firstly investigate how domestic abuse is understood in the context of child protection, and how intersecting inequalities shape experiences. The second stage of the project will be working with families and practitioners to co-produce new frameworks to support responses to children and families.
Susannah Bowyer, Assistant Director, Research in Practice, says:
‘We are delighted to be part of this major research study from the earliest stages. Our role will focus on supporting meaningful coproduction and the sharing of learning from the project. The whole family approach to DVA and child protection that underpins the work also shaped our DVA Change Project work with University of Sheffield and University of Huddersfield. This research will take forward the aim to radically reconceptualise dominant practice and policy approaches to DVA and child protection, with a view to achieving sustained culture and systems change’.
Susannah Bowyer and team at Research in Practice will be working alongside Professor Kate Morris (University of Sheffield), Professor Brid Featherstone (University of Huddersfield), Rick Hood and colleagues (Kingston University London) and Safelives to undertake the work which could have profound impact on the lives of children and families experiencing domestic abuse and violence.
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