A charity that helped a couple experiencing domestic abuse has been identified as part of a £2.6m project to identify the most effective ways to support families and children who are affected by domestic abuse. The charity For Baby’s Sake was referred to by social workers when Amy and Peter were expecting their first child. Peter admitted that he used to be controlling and would become angry if Amy did not keep up communications with him. Amy said that she would constantly worry about upsetting Peter and had to accept restrictions on her movements in case he called. The programme at For Baby’s Sake has helped the couple address the issue and Amy and Peter now have a thriving child and are expecting another.
According to research from Foundations, more than 800,000 children in England and Wales have lived in homes with abuse during the past year. This equals more than the number of children starting primary school in the same period and represents one in five children experiencing some form of abuse. Dr Jo Casebourne, the chief executive at Foundations, has pointed out that there are many small organisations providing support, but most cannot provide clear information about their effectiveness. The five-year REACH project, which aims to transform domestic abuse services, will assess the effectiveness of six projects; in addition to For Baby’s Sake, these include restart and breaking the cycle.
Working with both parents, For Baby’s Sake provides support over two years, with pregnant mothers beginning the programme when GPs, midwives and other professionals have concerns about domestic abuse. The focus is on “the person causing harm and the person experiencing domestic abuse” in a non-judgmental way. Results show that most families involved have babies born at full-term and a good birth weight, which gives those children a healthy start. The aim of the REACH scheme is to identify the most effective support programmes so that public money is spent in the most effective way possible. The recommendations will help authorities decide where best to direct public money.
Dr Casebourne claims that the long-term impact of domestic violence on children means there is a strong moral case for finding out what works best for these children. However, she also recognizes that public services are under significant financial pressure and that there is an economic case for identifying the most effective programmes. By finding out what works, we cannot afford not to do so, Dr. Casebourne said
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