Dame Nicole Jacobs, Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, said: “I’m extremely pleased to see that the government has listened to child victims of domestic abuse and taken the necessary action to ensure all children can learn about abusive behaviours in schools.
“It’s a deeply uncomfortable fact that hundreds of thousands of children are growing up in unsafe homes, while countless others are being exposed to harmful misogynistic content online. To tackle domestic abuse and protect future generations, teachers must be able to equip young people with the understanding on what a harmful relationship looks like, empower them to challenge damaging views, and ensure they can safely seek help should they need too.
“But we know this guidance will only be able to meet its full potential if schools are given the necessary support to deliver it effectively. That’s why government must provide teachers with high quality Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSE) training so they feel confident to deliver lessons on issues such as consent.
“Ultimately, if we are to stop abusive behaviours now and into the future, we also need to see funding for the specialist domestic abuse sector in the upcoming violence against women and girls’ strategy. As this would ensure services can use their unique knowledge to deliver parts of this curriculum in partnership with schools and provide teachers with specialist resources on domestic abuse.
“By putting education at the heart of our mission to tackle domestic abuse, we can create a future where people feel safe and respected in their relationships.”
Notes to editor
In April the Domestic Abuse Commissioner published Victims in their Own Right an extensive report which explored the response to children subject to domestic abuse. The report made several recommendations to government on the steps it could take to ensure schools play their part in preventing domestic abuse including publishing updated RSE guidance and providing greater investment to ensure schools can deliver it effectively.