Police intervention in domestic violence incidents where children are present: police and children's perspectives

Abstract

The police represent the front line in the service response to children experiencing domestic violence. This paper examines police intervention in domestic violence incidents involving children, drawing on quantitative and qualitative data from police records and interviews with young people and police officers. The quality of police communication with children and young people emerged as key, and police officers evinced reluctance to engage with children at domestic violence incidents. Providing the police with training and information designed to improve their skills and confidence might promote communication with children in this context. Policy that conceptualised children as victims of domestic violence in policy could focus police attention on the needs of children and young people at such incidents.