Collaboration Between the Domestic Violence and Child Welfare Systems

Some families involved with the public child welfare system experience domestic violence. Collaboration between domestic violence and child welfare systems can lead to improved service delivery to families that are dealing with issues of domestic violence and child maltreatment at the same time.

Behavioral and Attitudinal Factors Differentiating Male Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrators With and Without a History of Childhood Family Violence
Lee, Walters, Hall, & Basile (2013)
Journal of Family Violence, 28(1)
View Abstract
Presents findings from a study that explores how exposure to family violence during childhood can be linked to intimate partner violence and/or severe attitudinal and behavioral problems. The study's findings highlight the need for prevention efforts and can inform secondary prevention strategies.

Building Capacity in Child Welfare Systems: Domestic Violence Specialized Positions (PDF - 4,352 KB)
Rosewater (2008)
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges & Family Violence Prevention Fund
Describes the role, responsibilities, and competencies of a domestic violence specialist within the child welfare agency. The specialist is intended to serve as a bridge and a translator across philosophies, procedures, laws, organizations, and community concerns about child welfare and domestic violence. Also see a companion piece, Reflections From the Field: Considerations for Domestic Violence Specialists (PDF - 268 KB)

Child and Family Service Review Outcomes: Strategies to Improve Domestic Violence Responses in CFSR Program Improvement Plans (PDF - 328 KB)
Taggart (2009)
Reviews recent trends regarding domestic violence in the CFSRs and presents strategies to help States develop effective PIPs to improve child and family outcomes in domestic violence cases.

Child Protection in Families Experiencing Domestic Violence
Office on Child Abuse and Neglect, Children's Bureau
Research shows that children exposed to domestic violence are at increased risk of being abused or neglected. This manual discusses the intersection of child maltreatment and domestic violence with a focus on child protection practice.

Child Welfare Policy and Practice on Children's Exposure to Domestic Violence
Cross, Mathews, Tonmyr, Scott, & Ouimet (2012)
Child Abuse and Neglect, 36(3)
View Abstract
Reviews research, policy, and programming in Australia, Canada, and the United States on ways to improve the response to child exposure to domestic violence (EDV). Conclusions indicate that, in order to improve the response to EDV, agencies should collaborate with other disciplines that prevent and respond to domestic violence, support training and programming, consider methods that avoid stigmatizing parents, and build in a program evaluation component to increase knowledge about effective practice.

Community Engagement, Child Welfare, and Domestic Violence Service Agencies
MacPherson (2010)
International Journal of Child, Youth and Family Studies, 1(3/4)
Examines community engagement in general and the need for coordination between child welfare agencies and women-serving antiviolence services in particular. The article also shares skills and strategies as well as barriers to collaboration.

Community Self-Assessment Tool: For Agencies Addressing the Co-Occurrence of Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment (PDF - 45 KB)
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges & Family Violence Prevention Fund (2007)
Assists child protection, domestic violence, mental health, or juvenile court systems to communicate more effectively on behalf of families that are experiencing domestic violence and child maltreatment and are involved in multiple systems.

Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare Professional Tip Sheets
Capacity Building Center for States (2017)
Addresses general practice considerations for agency interventions, such as screening, documenting descriptions of abuse and protective efforts, and evaluating risk. These tip sheets provide foundational information and suggestions for using effective language for documentation, assessing safety and the impact of domestic violence on survivors, and avoiding assumptions in casework.

Family Violence Collaboration (PDF - 443 KB)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Support Enforcement (2011)
Discusses how child support programs should collaborate with programs that address fatherhood, domestic violence, and child welfare to reduce the risk of violence, increase father involvement, and improve child and family outcomes.

Realizing the Promise of Home Visitation: Addressing Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment: A Guide for Policy Makers (PDF - 2570 KB)
Family Violence Prevention Fund, Avon Foundation for Women, & Safe Start Center (2010)
Addresses the need for building a strong national policy framework to maximize the effectiveness and reach of early childhood home visiting programs for mothers and children who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing domestic violence. The guide also examines the link between domestic violence and child abuse and neglect.

(Back to Top)