Safety Framework and Domestic Violence

The purpose of the Specialized DV Assessment is:

to understand the safety threats posed to children

including threats that stem from the only protective parent being too physically incapacitated, traumatized, or terrorized to be able to protect or care for the children;

AND

tounderstand safety threats posed to the adult victim

Since this is the person most likely to act to protect the children from the impacts of the ongoing domestic violence.

Key Safety Framework Concepts

Unsafe Child: Children are unsafe when threats of danger exist within the family AND children are vulnerable to such threats AND parents have insufficient protective capacities to manage or control threats

Impending Danger:Parenting behavior that is harmful and destructive to a child’s cognitive, social, emotional or physical development that is likely to occur in the immediate or near future that could result in one or more of the following outcomes: Serious or severe harm, Injury requiring medical attention, Life endangering illness, Death

Safety threats often seen in families experiencing DV

#3 Caregiver(s) are acting (behaving) violently or dangerously and the behaviors affect child safety.

#4 There has been an incident of domestic violence that affects child safety.

# 16 A child is extremely fearful of the home/facility situation or people within the home/facility.

Safety Threshold: In order to determine a safety threat exists ALL of the 5 criteria must be met:

  1. Severe consequences to a child
  2. Immediate or will occur in the near future
  3. Vulnerable child in relation to the safety threat
  4. Out of control
  5. Behaviors, conditions, etc., are specific, observable and clearly understood

Vulnerable child criteria in relation to threats from DV:

Consider the conditions generally in the home and the specific dynamics of the violence. Consider the actions of both the adult victim and the child when violence occurs (are these protective/safe or do they leave the child vulnerable or escalate the situation?). Does the perpetrator undermine the parent/child relationship so that the adult victim is less able to effectively protect?

Obvious criteria for vulnerability – child age (under 6), developmental, physical or health conditions, inability or unwillingness to seek help regarding the danger

Less obvious criteria for vulnerability – isolation of child, inability of child to judge degree of danger, child behavior provokes either parent, child particularly vulnerable to trauma due to mental health or past trauma

Out of control criteria in relation to threats from the DV:

The situation is out of control if the perpetrator of DV can’t or won’t behave differently (safely) AND the adult victim can’t or won’t effectively protect/care for the child

Assessing Child Safety when Domestic Violence is Occurring

Information must be gathered about the dynamics of the domestic violence to support a solid conclusion about child safety. This information must include much more than just a description of the incident that prompted our involvement.

This chart shows where information about the dynamics of the DV that is pertinent to your conclusions about child safety would likely appear within the gathering questions.

Describe the Nature and Extent of the Maltreatment
  • Frequency and severity of the violence and of other behaviors related to the DV that impact child maltreatment
  • Describe efforts typically made by the adult victim to protect the child, if any, and their success
/ Describe the Circumstances that Accompany the Maltreatment
  • Pattern of behavior by the DV perpetrator (tactics frequently employed)
  • Degree of Isolation of adult victim and/or child
  • Help seeking by the adult victim – and its impact
  • System involvement/responsiveness – and impact
  • Available support or resources – and impact if currently utilized

Describe how the child or children function on a daily basis
  • Impacts on development
  • Signs of trauma
  • Resiliency
  • Actions to stay safe
  • Opportunities for healing
/ Describe how the parent/caregiver disciplines the child
  • Differentiate strategies used by the DV perpetrator and the adult victim
  • Does the context of DV impact how the adult victim is able to discipline

Describe overall parenting/childcare practices
  • Parent/Caregiver bond with child for both the adult victim and the DV perpetrator
  • Parent/Caregiver responsiveness to child for both adult victim and DV perpetrator
  • Family routines – and impact of DV on them
  • Overall predictability of home environment
/ Describe how the parent/caregiver manages his or her own life on a daily basis
  • Describe each adult separately
  • Describe impacts of the DV on adult victim’s ability to manage themselves and their life
  • Describe protective factors of the adult victim that help the adult victim cope positively
  • Describe protective factors of the DV perpetrator

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