Abstract:
Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) continues to be a leading cause of trauma and disruption for children and adolescents, who are not merely witnesses but direct victims of its consequences. This presentation explores the multifaceted impacts of DFV on young people—psychologically, developmentally, socially, and neurologically—highlighting both the immediate and long-term effects. Drawing from frontline practice and current research, it uncovers how exposure to DFV shapes emotional regulation, attachment styles, cognitive development, and behavioural patterns, often leading to intergenerational cycles of violence and disadvantage.
Through a child rights lens, the presentation will delve into real-life case examples (de-identified) to illustrate how children experience DFV in their own right—within homes, relationships, and systems meant to protect them. It also highlights how the silence around children’s experiences of DFV leads to systemic invisibility and inadequate service responses.
Emphasis will be placed on trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate therapeutic interventions that not only address the trauma but actively work to restore safety, connection, and agency in a child’s world. The presentation will also explore how integrated service responses, when grounded in genuine collaboration and child-centred practice, can disrupt the trajectory of harm and build pathways toward healing and resilience.
Attendees will gain practical insights into working effectively with children and adolescents impacted by DFV, as well as advocacy tools to influence systemic change. The aim is to ensure that children are no longer the forgotten victims of DFV, but rather recognised and responded to as individuals with rights, voices, and the capacity to heal.