Domestic Abuse Commissioner warns that the government’s commitment to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) is at risk without urgent funding for specialist domestic abuse services.
Over a quarter of domestic abuse services (27%) surveyed in England and Wales are having to turn children away from vital support amid severe funding shortages, new research by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner has revealed.
The findings – published in a new report examining children’s experiences of domestic abuse – exposes how thousands of children are being left with nowhere to turn after being subject to abuse, or facing long wait times for support, as services struggle to stay afloat amid rising demand.
Of the services spoken to by the Commissioner, over half (51%) stated they had had to place children on waiting lists due to the number of referrals they were receiving, while others were forced to turn them away entirely. In some cases, this may have left children in unsafe situations and at risk of further harm.
The Domestic Abuse Act came into force in 2021, recognising for the first time that children are victims of domestic abuse too, rather than just witnesses. Yet the Commissioner’s report has revealed that the response to children experiencing domestic abuse has so far failed to meet this recognition.
Drawing on a survey of more than 260 domestic abuse services providing support to children, along with 168 statutory agencies responsible for commissioning domestic abuse services, the findings show the immense financial pressure specialist services are under and how children are paying the price.
Over half of the support services (56%) surveyed by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner had experienced cuts to their funding over the past five years. This had left over a quarter (29%) needing to make the difficult decision to stop providing a specialist support service to children. Similar concerns came from organisations that commission services, who reported that funding will be at risk of being cut or reduced for over 40% of services when the current allocation comes to an end.
All of this is being compounded by statutory services – such as education, social care and health – lacking the resources, training and guidance to provide child victims with the support they need, which forces already overburdened domestic abuse services to step in.
From counselling and play therapy to learning about healthy relationships or accessing emergency accommodation, for children subject to domestic abuse, specialist services are a lifeline during an incredibly difficult and traumatic time.
Without these services, children affected by domestic abuse are often at risk of long-term harm, including serious mental and physical health issues. Children forced to flee also experience repeated disruption to their education, and the loss of friendships, homes, pets and their communities.
When it took office, the government made tackling VAWG a key priority as part of its Safer Streets Mission having committed to halving it within the decade.
However, the autumn budget in October did not include the level of funding needed – particularly for specialist domestic abuse services that support children – to meet the scale of this ambition.
With the government now preparing for its Spending Review in early summer, the Commissioner is warning that without adequate funding for these organisations, more and more children will be left without support as services risk closure.
Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Dame Nicole Jacobs, said: “For too long child victims of domestic abuse have been failed – often treated as an afterthought and left to navigate their recovery alone which is having devastating consequences on their health, education, relationships – and futures. This has to change.
“Providing children with the stability and support they need to recover – and thrive – is vital if the government wants to meet its commitment to halve violence against women and girls within the decade.
“Investing in children’s futures must start now. The upcoming spending review is a critical moment for the government to provide specialist domestic abuse services with the funding they need to pull them back from the brink and ensure they can be there for any child affected by domestic abuse.”
Victims in their own right? Babies, children and young people’s experience of domestic abuse and its accompanying reports can be found here.