Resources for practitioners

Domestic Violence and Abuse

What is domestic violence & abuse?

Domestic abuse is one of the most difficult situations parents and children face.

Domestic abuse is a pattern of behaviour used by one person to control another person in an intimate relationship. This can include physical or sexual violence, social isolation, financial abuse, or coercion.

Quick links

Empowering Children: the Impact of Domestic Violence on Children

Listen back to our conference and hear insights from leading academics and an incredible story of a lived experience of a childhood domestic violence and abuse survivor.

Keynote speakers include:

Dr Stephanie Holt: Head of School of Social Work & Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin
Dr Katie Lamb: A Research Fellow in the University of Melbourne
Helen Oxenham, a childhood domestic violence and abuse survivor originally from Cork, now living in Australia. Helen has supported women and children for decades who are victims of domestic violence and abuse.
Aine Costello: National coordinator of the childhood domestic abuse project with Barnardos
Joan Mullan: Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence programme manager, Tusla

Video: The Impact of Domestic Violence and Abuse on children

How does Domestic Violence and Abuse effect children?

How does domestic abuse affect children?

When domestic violence and abuse occurs in adult relationships, this is a lived experience for children in the family.
Domestic violence and abuse affects every aspect of a child’s life, including their health, wellbeing and development from conception through to adulthood.
For the child, this violence and abuse is experienced through all their senses, whereby their lives are dominated by fear, control, isolation and intimidation.
Children are not passive bystanders, they are centrally involved and experience the violence and abuse in their own right.
The abuse may be directed towards them, they may intervene to stay safe, protect a parent or siblings, and are often used as a tool in abuse and control.
Separately, young people are vulnerable to being abused in their own early intimate relationships. Their experience mirrors the adult experience.
It can take place in person or online, where young people commonly also experience abuse through new technologies and social media, and which can be used as an additional monitoring or harassment tool by the abuser

Publications

Barnardos resources

We have a list of resources available for anyone who wants more information about domestic violence and abuse.

We have a number publications for free download that will help parents understand the ways domestic abuse affects children and their development and gives guidance on how to listen to and support children.

Our Heart, Body, Mind section aims to provide you and your children with the opportunity to check in with yourselves regularly.

The TLC Kidz Project is a community coordinated response for children and mothers in recovery from domestic violence and abuse.
Shine
Children and Young People's Services Committee, Monaghan developed, SHINE. These are a series of booklets developed to support Children and Young People explore and manage their emotions while learning about healthy relationships, boundaries, and staying safe:
Guidelines on using these booklet can be found here.
Cope Galway

Cope Galway Booklet for parents: Parenting after Domestic Violence and Abuse.