Claire Harding
21 September 2017

More than six million people in the UK have experienced domestic abuse - most often from their current or former partner. Many of these have children living with them - they will often see and hear the abuse happening, have to cope with the distress it causes to their parents, and may be at risk of harm or violence themselves. Police, social services, NHS staff and other public sector workers are getting better at identifying and supporting victims of domestic abuse.

This progress is to be welcomed - but a new report from Ofsted warns that children's needs and experiences are not always given enough attention as the focus is on their parents - and that there are risks to their emotional health as a result. Pregnancy and having a new baby are often a trigger for abuse to start or worsen, so it's essential that we help families at this crucial time.

The report points to non-specialised services as key sources of support and protection - both to spot families at risk, and to help children cope. In some parts of the country, midwives play a key role in identifying women who might be at risk of domestic violence and working with other organisations to help them. Teachers can also spot families who might be at risk of harm, and help children learn about the importance of healthy relationships.

For most children, three or four years will pass between seeing a midwife and starting school: a long time in the life of a young child. During this time, many will go to nursery or a childminder - over 90 per cent of three year olds now use their free fifteen hours of childcare, as do 70 per cent of eligible two year olds, and many more parents pay for childcare outside of this. Childcare professionals, alongside other professionals, can play a role in protecting and supporting children at risk from domestic abuse and other types of harm, but they tend to get less attention from policy makers.

The majority of childcare professionals are not employed by the state - most work for private businesses, which are often very small and have limited contact with local authorities, although all will have safeguarding policies and procedures in place. Working with them can be harder than working with, for example, teachers or midwives, as there are fewer structures for getting in contact and less possibility for centralised training. It is, however, worth persevering: childcare professional work with children every day in the crucial early years, and should always be part of our solutions for looking after the most vulnerable in society.