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Children affected by domestic abuse are not being consistently recognised or supported as victims, despite this being set out in law, according to a new joint report by four national inspectorates.
Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP) carried out joint inspections across six local authority areas to assess how effectively agencies respond to children at risk from, or experiencing, domestic abuse.
The inspections examined multi-agency working across children’s social care, health services, police, youth justice services and schools. While inspectors found examples of strong frontline commitment, the report concludes that practice in some areas remains overly focused on adult victims and perpetrators, rather than the specific needs and experiences of children.
The findings come four years after the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 formally recognised children as victims of domestic abuse if they see, hear or experience the effects of abuse. However, the report states that this legal recognition has not yet translated into consistent practice on the ground.
Inspectors identified significant variation in how children’s experiences are recorded and understood, and how effectively the risks posed by perpetrators are assessed and managed by children’s services, police and probation. In some local areas, professionals lacked sufficient training on domestic abuse and its impact on children, with understanding of coercive control described as particularly limited.
As a result, the report warns that children do not always receive the right help or protection at the right time.
The inspectorates also raised concerns about information sharing, finding that intelligence held by different agencies about children, adult victims and perpetrators is not always systematically brought together. This limits professionals’ ability to develop a full picture of the risks faced by children and undermines collective safeguarding efforts.
Despite these concerns, the report highlights pockets of effective practice. Inspectors found strong approaches to safeguarding unborn babies, with midwives demonstrating professional curiosity and awareness of domestic abuse risks. Schools and early years providers were also identified as playing a crucial role in supporting and protecting children.
Michelle Skeer, His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, said children must be recognised as victims in their own right.
“Domestic abuse can devastate the lives of children, and it is vital that they are recognised as victims in their own right,” she said. “While we found clear commitment from many frontline officers and staff, children’s experiences were not always captured or reflected in police reports or safeguarding referrals.”
She added that inconsistencies in understanding and managing perpetrator risk, alongside gaps in information sharing with partner agencies, continued to undermine safeguarding efforts.
The report concludes that the forthcoming Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill presents an opportunity to strengthen early help, improve multi-agency working and enhance information sharing to better protect children affected by domestic abuse.
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