Children and Domestic Violence

Witnessing violence is harmful to the child and his/her development, even when the violence is not directed towards the child. Violence is an indicator of other violence. If violence occurs in some relationship within the family, e.g. between the parents, the risk of violence is clearly increased in other relationships as well, e.g. between brothers and sisters or between a parent and a child. Witnessing domestic violence will jeopardise the child's development and impair the development of a safe child-parent attachment relationship. Child protection authorities must therefore be made aware of all such cases. Information can be submitted by both social welfare and health care professionals and, in some cases, by private practitioners and service providers. Follow the local regulations, practices and guidelines.