The effect of domestic violence on children with in the United Kingdom Essay

The effect of domestic violence on children with in the United Kingdom - Essay Example 149). However, the legal and policy response to these problems has operated upon a presumption that service provision for women who experience domestic violence is also sufficient to meet the needs of children and young people (Mullender & Morley, p. 2; Parkinson & The invisibility of children who experience domestic violence stems from an apparent reluctance on the part of researchers to conduct child-focused qualitative research on this issue (Mullender et al., p. 2). Consequently, few studies have engaged with children and young people about their experiences of domestic violence (but see NCH Action for Children, 2004; Hague et al., 1996; McGee, 2000; Mullender et al., 2002, Gorin, 2004). This is despite significant efforts in family and social policy research more generally to involve and consult directly with children and young people about their views and experiences (Hallett & Prout, 2003; Smart et al., 2001). As a national umbrella organisation, The Womens Aid Federation of England and Wales (WAFE) have been at the forefront of refuge provision for women and children who flee domestic violence. Refuges frequently accommodate women and children fleeing domestic violence not just from their local area but also from outside the area (Ball, p. 35). WAFE supports 270 refuge organisations and manages 567 safe houses across England and Wales (WAFE, 2001). However, the number of refuge places available today still falls short of the recommendation of the 1975 Select Committee on Violence in Marriage that there should be one family refuge place per 10,000 of the population (WAFE, 2001). Refuges have long struggled to attract enough central or local government funding to survive. Consequently, they have historically been funded from a variety of sources. These include local authority housing departments and social services departments, charities and trusts, housing