Brendan Clarke-Smith MP was grateful for the opportunity to meet Action for Children in Parliament. They discussed the Domestic Abuse Bill as well as as how domestic abuse affects children across the UK.
Mr Clarke-Smith was appalled to hear that as many as one in five children have been exposed to domestic abuse. Domestic violence is also the most common factor identified at the end of social care assessments for children in need; in 2017/18, more than half of all assessments had domestic violence identified as a factor.
He said:
'I've pledged my full support in ensuring that:
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Specialist support services for children are made available in all local areas.
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Frontline practitioners and public authorities recognise children as victims of the domestic abuse that occurs in their household.
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The Children Act (1989) is strengthened to take greater account of forms of domestic abuse like coercive control and the fact that children do not merely ‘see or hear’ the ill-treatment of others, but are directly impacted themselves.'
