Many families experiencing domestic violence may also be involved with the child welfare system due to children's exposure to violence or the co-occurrence of child abuse and neglect. The following resources address the issues facing the fields of child welfare and domestic violence when a family is involved with both systems.
Activist Dialogues: How Domestic Violence and Child Welfare Systems Impact Women of Color and Their Communities (PDF - 277 KB)
Family Violence Prevention Fund (2005)
Discusses how to improve services to battered women and their children who are involved with the child welfare system and what can be done to prevent more battered women and their children from becoming involved in the child welfare system.
Child Welfare as a Gateway to Domestic Violence Services
Kohl, Barth, & Hazen
Children and Youth Services Review, 27(11), 2005
View Abstract
Examines the identification of domestic violence by child welfare workers during investigations of maltreatment and determines how this contributes to the receipt of domestic violence services.
Integrating Domestic Violence Intervention Into Child Welfare Practice (PDF - 435 KB)
Sawyer & Lohrbach
Protecting Children, 20(2/3), 2005
Considers the use of differential response with child welfare cases involving domestic violence and the need for child protective services agencies to tailor their services to the unique needs of families affected by domestic violence.
Intersection of Child Abuse and Children's Exposure to Domestic Violence
Herrenkohl, Sousa, & Tajima
Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 9(2), 2008
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Addresses research on the overlap of physical child abuse and domestic violence, the prediction of child outcomes, and resilience in children exposed to family violence.
Intimate Partner Violence and Child Maltreatment: Understanding Co-Occurrence and Intergenerational Connections (PDF - 202 KB)
Renner & Slack (2004)
Examines intergenerational pathways of family violence and assesses the extent to which different forms of family violence occur during childhood and during adulthood within the same sample.
Making the Link: Promoting the Safety of Battered Women and Children Exposed to Domestic Violence
Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse
Provides current information on research and collaborative practice with families experiencing both child maltreatment and woman battering.
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.