Advocacy for children and young people experiencing domestic violence

Citation

Westwood J & Larkins C (2015) Advocacy for children and young people experiencing domestic violence. In: Stanley N & Humphreys C (eds.) Domestic Violence and Protecting Children: New Thinking and Approaches. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishing, pp. 63-80. http://www.jkp.com/uk/domestic-violence-and-protecting-children-978-1-84905-485-0.html

Abstract
In this chapter we discuss the evaluation of a children’s independent domestic violence advocacy service (KIDVA) established in the North West of England in 2010. The service was funded for three years initially to deliver advocacy services to children and young people aged between 11 and 25. The evaluation of the KIDVA provision used multiple methods to report on the processes involved in developing and delivering such a unique service and to examine the benefits of the service to children and young people who were referred in. This chapter begins with an overview of policy and practice issues related to children and young people who experience domestic violence. We present the methods we used to capture the experiences of children and young people and to evaluate how advocacy was implemented. The analysis of the data gathered for this aspect of the evaluation illustrates the range, experience and length of services provided under the banner of advocacy and the role children and young people played in shaping the KIDVA services. It is our conclusion that the inclusion of children and young people in shaping and influencing these services is crucial to their success. The evaluation found that the current funding model for children and young people’s advocacy should move away from a spot purchase approach, so as to ensure sustained and long term availability and relationship building.

Keywords
Domestic violence; advocacy; children and young people