Bulletin for 

professionals

October 2009

Domestic Violence 

and the Child 

Welfare System What’s Inside:

Domestic violence is a devastating social 

problem that affects every segment of the 

population. It is critical for child welfare 

professionals and other providers who work 

with maltreated children to understand the 

relationship between domestic violence 

and child maltreatment, as many families 

experiencing domestic violence also come 

to the attention of the child welfare system. 

Families with co-occurring domestic violence 

and child maltreatment often have high levels 

of cumulative risk, and children in families with 

the highest level of cumulative risk are 10 times 

more likely to be placed into foster care than 

children in families assessed with low levels of 

risk (Kohl, Edleson, English, and Barth, 2005). 

• Scope of the problem

• Impact of domestic violence on 

children

• Responding to domestic violence

• Promising practices

• Resources for further information

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Administration for Children and Families

Administration on Children, Youth and Families

Children’s Bureau

Child Welfare Information Gateway

Children’s Bureau/ACYF

1250 Maryland Avenue, SW

Eighth Floor

Washington, DC 20024

800.394.3366

Email: info@childwelfare.gov

www.childwelfare.gov
Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System www.childwelfare.gov

While system responses are targeted primarily 

toward adult victims of abuse, child welfare 

professionals, domestic violence advocates, 

courts, and other community stakeholders 

increasingly are working together to address 

the impact of domestic violence on children.

This bulletin discusses the extent of the 

overlap between domestic violence and 

child maltreatment, some of the effects 

of family violence on child witnesses, and 

the trend toward a more collaborative, 

communitywide response to the issue. It also 

features promising practices from States and 

local communities. For specific information 

about addressing the co-occurrence of 

domestic violence and child maltreatment in 

State Program Improvement Plans, see also 

Child and Family Service Review Outcomes: 

Strategies to Improve Domestic Violence 

Responses in CFSR Program Improvement 

Plans, developed by the National Council of 

Juvenile and Family Judges in partnership with 

the Family Violence Prevention Fund and the 

National Resource Center for Child Protective 

Services: www.nrccps.org/resources/featured_

resources.php

Scope of the Problem

Estimates of the number of children who have 

been exposed to domestic violence each year 

vary. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (2007) 

estimates that, on average, between 2001 and 

2005, children lived in at least 35 percent—

and as many as 50 percent—of the households 

experiencing intimate partner violence. 

As a result, large numbers of children come 

in contact with domestic violence service 

providers each year. According to the National 

Network to End Domestic Violence, one-half 

to two-thirds of the residents in domestic 

violence shelters are children. It reports: “On 

one day in 2007, 13,485 children were living 

in domestic violence shelters or transitional 

housing [facilities]. Another 5,526 sought 

services at non-residential programs” (National 

Network to End Domestic Violence, n.d.). 

Exposure to intimate partner violence is in 

itself traumatic for children; the co-occurrence 

of maltreatment and domestic violence can 

be devastating. A literature review found 

that a median of 40 percent of families who 

experience domestic violence also experience 

some form of child maltreatment (Appel & 

Holden, 1998). It’s important to note that 

a more recent study (Hartley, 2004) found 

higher rates of neglect (specifically lack of 

supervision) and lower rates of physical abuse 

in families experiencing severe domestic 

violence, when compared to families 

experiencing less severe domestic violence 

or child maltreatment alone. 

 Impact of Domestic 

Violence on Children

A growing body of literature shows that 

children who have been exposed to domestic 

violence are more likely than their peers to 

experience a wide range of difficulties. These 

difficulties fall into three main categories:

• Behavioral, social, and emotional 

problems. Children in families experiencing 

domestic violence are more likely than 

other children to exhibit aggressive and 

antisocial behavior or to be depressed and 

anxious (Brown & Bzostek, 2003). 

This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. Available online at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/domestic_violence/ 2
Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System www.childwelfare.gov

Other researchers have found higher levels 

of anger, hostility, oppositional behavior, 

and disobedience; fear and withdrawal; 

poor peer, sibling, and social relationships; 

and low self-esteem.

• Cognitive and attitudinal problems. 

Children exposed to domestic violence 

are more likely to experience difficulties in 

school and score lower on assessments of 

verbal, motor, and cognitive skills. Slower 

cognitive development, lack of conflict 

resolution skills, limited problem solving 

skills, pro-violence attitudes, and belief in 

rigid gender stereotypes and male privilege 

are other issues identified in the research 

(Brown & Bzostek, 2003; Edleson, 2006).

• Long-term problems. Research indicates 

that males exposed to domestic violence 

as children are more likely to engage in 

domestic violence as adults; similarly, 

females are more likely to be victims (Brown 

& Bzostek, 2003). Higher levels of adult 

depression and trauma symptoms also have 

been found (Silvern et al., 1995). Exposure 

to domestic violence is also one of several 

adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) 

that have been shown to contribute to 

premature death, as well as risk factors for 

many of the most common causes of death 

in the United States. (For more information, 

visit the Adverse Childhood Experiences 

(ACE) Study website: www.acestudy.org)

Despite these sobering findings, not all 

children exposed to domestic violence will 

experience such negative effects. Children’s 

risk levels and reactions to domestic 

violence exist on a continuum; some children 

demonstrate enormous resiliency, while 

others show signs of significant maladaptive 

adjustment. Protective factors such as social 

competence, intelligence, high self-esteem, 

outgoing temperament, strong sibling 

and peer relationships, and a supportive 

relationship with an adult (especially a 

nonabusive parent) can help protect children 

from the adverse effects of exposure to 

domestic violence (Edleson, 2004; Hughes, 

Graham-Bermann, & Gruber, 2001; Carlson, 

2000). 

Additional factors that influence the impact of 

domestic violence on children include: 

• Nature of the violence. Children who 

witness frequent and severe forms of 

violence or fail to observe their caretakers 

resolving conflict may undergo more 

distress than children who witness fewer 

incidences of physical violence and 

experience positive interactions between 

their caregivers. 

• Age of the child. Younger children appear 

to exhibit higher levels of emotional 

and psychological distress than older 

children. Age-related differences might 

result from older children’s more fully 

developed cognitive abilities to understand 

the violence and select various coping 

strategies to alleviate upsetting symptoms. 

• Elapsed time since exposure. Children 

often have heightened levels of anxiety 

and fear immediately after a violent 

event. Fewer observable effects are seen 

in children as time passes after the violent 

event. 

• Gender. In general, boys exhibit more 

externalized behaviors (e.g., aggression 

and acting out) while girls exhibit more 

internalized behaviors (e.g., withdrawal 

and depression). 

This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. Available online at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/domestic_violence/ 3
Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System www.childwelfare.gov

4 This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. Available online at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/domestic_violence/

• Presence of child physical or sexual 

abuse. Children who witness domestic 

violence and are physically abused are at 

higher risk for emotional and psychological 

maladjustment than children who witness 

violence and are not abused (Rosewater & 

Goodmark, 2007; Edleson, 2004). 

Comprehensive assessment regarding 

children’s experiences and trauma symptoms, 

as well as the protective factors present, 

should inform decision-making regarding the 

types of services and interventions needed 

for individual children and families living 

with violence.

 Responding to Domestic 

Violence

Challenges

Although adult and child victims often are 

found in the same families, child welfare and 

domestic violence programs traditionally 

responded separately to victims. Because 

each system was focused primarily on the 

safety and protection of one victim, conflicts 

sometimes arose. For example, some child 

welfare advocates were concerned that 

domestic violence service providers were 

dismissing or ignoring the safety needs of 

children by focusing solely on the adult victim. 

Similarly, some domestic violence advocates 

felt child protective services caseworkers 

“re-victimized” adult victims by blaming them 

for the violence, removing their children, 

and/or charging them with “failure to protect.” 

These conflicting responses arose from 

differences in the systems’ philosophies, 

mandates, policies, and practices, which had 

been developed in isolation from one another. 

As a result, both systems sometimes failed 

to communicate and coordinate with one 

another, to the detriment of the families they 

were attempting to serve (Carter & Schechter, 

1997). 

In addition, some States have passed 

legislation that broadened the definition of 

child neglect to include children who witness 

domestic violence. Approximately 21 States 

and Puerto Rico now address in their statutes 

the issue of children who witness domestic 

violence in their homes (Child Welfare 

Information Gateway, 2008). However, some 

researchers feel that expanding the legal 

definition of child maltreatment may not be 

the most effective method to address the 

needs of children who have been exposed 

to domestic violence. Because effects of 

domestic violence vary from one child to 

another, child welfare professionals are 

cautioned against assuming that witnessing 

domestic violence, on its own, constitutes 

child maltreatment or warrants child protective 

services intervention (Edleson, 2004; Hughes, 

Graham-Bermann, & Gruber, 2001). 

Despite their differences, child welfare 

advocates and domestic violence service 

providers share significant goals that can help 

bridge the gap between them. These include: 

• Ending violence against adults and children 

• Ensuring children’s safety 

• Protecting adult victims so their children are 

not harmed by violence

• Promoting parents’ strengths

• Deferring child protection services 

intervention—as long as child safety is 

preserved—and referring adult and child 

victims to community-based services
Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System www.childwelfare.gov

5 This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. Available online at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/domestic_violence/

Integrating Differential Response 

Into Domestic Violence Intervention

Some experts in the field assert that families 

and their children who show minimal evidence 

of harm resulting from exposure to domestic 

violence, and who have other protective 

factors present in their lives, may benefit more 

from voluntary services in the community 

(Edleson, 2006). An emerging child welfare 

practice—differential response—reflects this 

approach.

Differential response allows child welfare 

agencies to approach the issue of domestic 

violence in a family-centered, nonthreatening 

way. A modified differential response 

intervention helps ensure the safety and 

well-being of the children as well as the adult 

victim. It allows the child welfare agency to 

assess whether the family can be helped by 

the provision of services and supports outside 

of the context of the child welfare system and 

dependency courts. 

This type of intervention requires that the 

social worker meet with the adult victim first, 

separate from the alleged abuser, to establish 

a safety plan for the adult victim and her 

children (Sawyer & Lohrbach, 2005b). The 

alleged abuser is then contacted, with a focus 

on concerns about the children being exposed 

to violence. Safety plans are developed with 

the adults with the intent of reducing the risk 

and/or recurrence of physical or emotional 

harm to the children. Families are referred to 

community-based agencies that can provide 

them with the assistance they need to address 

the violence, with the hope of preventing 

further governmental intervention (Sawyer 

& Lohrbach, 2005b). 

While not every case is appropriate for 

differential response, this approach allows 

child welfare professionals to devise solutions 

outside the child welfare system that could 

help communities better define which 

cases are appropriate to address within 

that system. Olmstead County, Minnesota, 

initiated a countywide differential response 

system in 1999, called Critical Pathways for 

Child Protection Services. Its organizational 

design provides a choice of responses to a 

community member’s concern about a child’s 

safety and well-being. Olmstead County 

uses a team approach to review, evaluate, 

and direct cases accepted through screening 

and intake for consideration as valid reports 

of child maltreatment that require agency 

response (Sawyer & Lohrbach, 2005a).

A differential response approach maintains 

that protecting at-risk children should be 

the child welfare system’s highest priority, 

but it also acknowledges the need for a rich 

network of community-based institutions 

offering additional support services to families. 

This “safety and resource-sensitive reasoned 

approach” (Edleson, 2004) also recognizes 

that not all children exposed to domestic 

violence will exhibit problems to an extent 

that requires clinical intervention. Children and 

families at low risk may benefit from voluntary 

community services instead of traditional child 

protection services. However, children who 

are at high risk or in imminent danger should 

be referred to the child welfare system for 

additional protective services. Each family’s 

needs could be assessed using protocols and/

or screening instruments that identify children 

at greatest risk of harm.

The National Resource Center for Family 

Centered Practice and Permanency Planning 

(Toussaint, 2006) suggests the following 
Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System www.childwelfare.gov

6 This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. Available online at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/domestic_violence/

policies to align efforts of child abuse and 

domestic violence practitioners:

• Identify and assess domestic violence in all 

child welfare cases 

• Provide services to families where domestic 

violence has been identified (even if 

child abuse has not been substantiated), 

including helping abused women protect 

themselves and their children using 

noncoercive, supportive, and empowering 

interventions whenever possible

• Hold perpetrators of domestic violence 

accountable for stopping the violent 

behavior in order to protect children 

Collaborative Approaches

In recent years, increased awareness of the 

co-occurrence of domestic violence and 

child abuse has compelled both child welfare 

systems and domestic violence programs to 

reevaluate their interventions with families 

experiencing both forms of violence. 

Many professionals now acknowledge that 

communities can serve families better by 

allocating resources to build partnerships 

among domestic violence service providers, 

child protective service providers, and an array 

of informal and formal systems within the 

community, and by offering a continuum of 

individualized services based on the levels of 

risk present (Edleson, 2004; Edleson, 1999).

National, State, and local initiatives are 

demonstrating that a collective ownership 

and intolerance for abuse against adults and 

children alike can form the foundation of a 

coordinated and comprehensive approach to 

ending child abuse and domestic violence. For 

example, an initiative of the Edna McConnell 

Clark Foundation, Community Partnerships 

for Protecting Children, coordinated broadbased community partnerships that included 

public child welfare agencies in four pilot 

communities. These initiatives quickly realized 

they needed to address domestic violence 

(along with other challenges facing vulnerable 

families) to be successful in their goal of 

creating a shared sense of responsibility for 

protecting abused and neglected children 

among community-based organizations 

and neighborhood residents (Rosewater & 

Goodmark, 2007). 

Institutional and societal changes can begin 

to eliminate family violence only when 

service providers integrate their expertise, 

resources, and services into an expansive 

network. New practices are enhancing crosssystem understanding and interactions 

between agencies and communities. Child 

welfare agencies and dependency courts 

are creating specialized positions for experts 

who understand and who can advocate for 

adult and child victims. New protocols are 

institutionalizing change and ensuring that 

child welfare workers and domestic violence 

advocates benefit from the lessons learned by 

their predecessors and colleagues.

A collaborative approach to working with 

families that experience the co-occurrence 

of domestic violence and child maltreatment 

has a number of potential benefits: families 

receive more comprehensive and coordinated 

services, while avoiding redundant interviews 

and program requirements; agencies can 

effectively identify and provide appropriate 

services; caseworkers can minimize blaming of 

the adult victim, hold batterers accountable, 

and advocate on behalf of all family members 

(Banks, Dutch, & Wang, 2008). To improve 

collaboration within and among systems, and 

to engage new community partners in keeping 
Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System www.childwelfare.gov

7 This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. Available online at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/domestic_violence/

families safe, organizations must have certain 

strategies. These include:

• Collaborative learning and practice as a 

prelude to new policies

• New strategies to address issues of race, 

culture, and gender

• Greater participation by survivor mothers 

and children

• Greater investment in community

• Differential responses for families based on 

risk

• Therapeutic and other services and 

supports for mothers and children

• Greater accountability for men who batter 

and greater attention to the roles they 

continue to play as fathers and providers

• Broad, meaningful engagement of men as 

allies in protecting children (Rosewater & 

Goodmark, 2007)

The following are examples of strategies 

communities have used to support more 

effective collaboration between domestic 

violence services and child welfare systems.

Collocating Domestic Violence 

Advocates in Child Welfare 

Offices for Case Consultation 

and Supportive Services

Safe Start (Portland, OR). Domestic 

violence advocates within the Oregon 

Department of Human Services assist 

Promising Practices

with safety planning; provide referrals to 

and advocacy for other needed services; 

and accompany victims to court, team 

decision meetings, and other child welfare 

meetings. They also provide consultation 

and technical assistance to child welfare 

workers and others involved in the child 

protective service system for domestic 

violence issues and system responses. 

Domestic violence and child welfare staff 

work together to develop collaborative 

case plans that jointly address domestic 

violence and child abuse and neglect 

issues. For more information: http://

www.multco.us/staticfiles/Resources/DV/

safe%20start%20brochure%203-2008.pdf 

Developing Cross-System 

Protocols and Partnerships to 

Ensure Coordinated Services 

and Responses to Families

Rural Project for Women and Child 

Safety (Minnesota). A grant-funded 

project of the Minnesota Coalition for 

Battered Women and Minnesota Crime 

Victim Services, a division of the Minnesota 

Department of Public Safety, this project 

began in March 2000 to develop statewide 

protocols and collaborative training for 

cases in which domestic violence and 

child abuse overlap. The involvement 

of trainers from both disciplines in the 

protocol development helped enhance 

understanding and relationships between 

child protection and domestic violence 

programs. This collaboration among State 

agencies prompted the Department of 

Human Services to convene a diverse 

group of agencies and individuals to 

develop best practice guidelines for 

child protection workers when domestic 
Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System www.childwelfare.gov

8 This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. Available online at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/domestic_violence/

violence and child maltreatment co-occur. 

For more information: www.mincava.umn.

edu/rural

Family Service of Rhode Island 

(Providence). The Providence Police 

Go-Team, which has been trained in the 

Child Development-Community Policing 

program, provides around-the-clock crisis 

intervention to children and families. The 

program, a national model of collaborative 

alliances among law enforcement, the 

juvenile justice system, medical and 

mental health professionals, child welfare 

agencies, schools, and other community 

groups, includes cross-training, follow-up 

home visits, and short- and long-term 

clinic-based treatment interventions held 

in homes, neighborhoods, and schools. 

For more information: www.familyserviceri.

org/partner_police_help.asp 

The San Diego Family Justice Center 

(San Diego, CA). The Family Justice 

Center was launched by the City of San 

Diego to assist victims of family violence. 

It was the first comprehensive “one-stop 

shop” in the nation for victims of family 

violence and their children. More than 

25 agencies under one roof provide 

coordinated legal, social, and health 

services to women, men, children, and 

families in need. There, victims of family 

violence can talk to an advocate, get a 

restraining order, plan for their safety, talk 

to a police officer, meet with a prosecutor, 

receive medical assistance, receive 

information on shelter, and get help with 

transportation. For more information: www.

sandiegofjc.org 

Instituting Family Court Models 

That Address Overlapping Domestic 

Violence and Child Abuse Cases

Family Violence Court (Ada County, 

Idaho). The State of Idaho piloted a 

program in Ada County in 2002 to address 

challenges the courts face in managing 

domestic violence cases. The program 

uses a “one family, one judge” approach 

to focus on strengthening families that 

are facing multiple issues. A single judge 

is assigned to handle domestic violence 

cases involving children, along with the 

family’s related divorce, child support, 

and custody issues. This helps the court 

provide a safe environment for families 

at risk, allows the judge to support a 

coordinated response that addresses each 

family’s unique needs, and guarantees 

continued, close judicial supervision 

of the children’s safety and well-being. 

To read an evaluation report on this 

program by the Rocky Mountain Quality 

Improvement Center, see: www.isc.idaho.

gov/Eval_72506.pdf 

Dependency Court Intervention 

Program for Family Violence (DCIPFV) 

(Miami-Dade County, Florida). Located 

in the 11th Judicial Circuit Court of 

Florida, DCIPFV was the first national 

demonstration project to develop a 

coordinated approach to victims and 

children involved in child protection and 

dependency court proceedings. The 

judiciary, along with other key systems, 

employs a dual approach to enhance 

the safety and well-being of children 

and victims who are involved with child 

protective services and experiencing 

domestic violence. DCIPFV locates staff 
Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System www.childwelfare.gov

9 This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. Available online at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/domestic_violence/

at juvenile court proceedings where 

domestic violence service workers are 

available for assessment and referral. 

They also provide support to victims 

and their children. DCIPFV staff assist 

victims in navigating the child welfare 

and juvenile court systems and help them 

obtain civil protection orders (Toussaint, 

2006). For more information: http://www.

ncjfcj.org/images/stories/dept/ppcd/pdf/

miamidadedvfulldoc.pdf 

Cross Training Domestic Violence 

and Child Welfare Advocates

Families First (Michigan). Families First is 

an intensive, short-term crisis intervention 

and family education services program—a 

core service of the Michigan Department 

of Human Services for the State’s 83 

counties. In 1993, Families First asked the 

governor’s Domestic Violence Prevention 

and Treatment Board (DVPTB) to provide 

domestic violence in-service training 

seminars for family preservation workers. 

Families First and DVPTB worked together 

to develop extensive cross training, and 

in 1995, Michigan became the first State 

to institutionalize mandatory domestic 

violence training for family preservation 

workers and supervisors (Greenbook 

Initiative, 2008). For more information: 

http://www.michigan.gov/dhs/0,1607,7-

124-5452_7124_7210-15373--,00.html 

Creating Domestic Violence Units 

in Child Welfare Agencies

Massachusetts Department of Social 

Services (DSS) Domestic Violence 

Unit. The nation’s first systemwide effort 

within a child protection agency to bring 

domestic violence expertise to child 

protection decision-making was based 

on the belief that the best interests of 

children in families experiencing domestic 

violence cannot be separated from the 

best interests of their mothers. The 

process began in 1987 with joint planning 

between DSS and advocates for battered 

women. The first domestic violence 

advocate was hired at DSS 3 years later; 

in 1993, a separate domestic violence 

unit was created within DSS. The resulting 

agencywide protocol has increased 

recognition of domestic violence by DSS 

staff, reduced unnecessary out-of-home 

placement of children, and increased 

cooperation among child protection 

workers and advocates for battered 

women. For more information: 

http://aspe.hhs.gov/HSP/cyp/dv/pt4.htm

Using the Temporary 

Assistance for Needy Families 

Family Violence Option 

Missouri. By adopting the Federal Family 

Violence Option (FVO) as part of its State 

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 

(TANF) program, county agencies in 

Missouri can offer victims of domestic 

violence needs assessments, referrals 

to community service providers, and 

exemptions from cooperation with child 

support enforcement and other TANF 

requirements. Procedures to implement 

FVO provisions were developed and 

tested as part of a demonstration project 

in Jackson County, Missouri, before they 

were adopted statewide. The project’s 

main activities included refining agency 

procedures to assist victims of domestic 

violence, creating domestic violence 

screening and assessment protocols, 
Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System www.childwelfare.gov

10 This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. Available online at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/domestic_violence/

training county staff on new procedures 

and the dynamics of domestic violence, 

using automated information systems to 

protect confidentiality, and cultivating 

relationships with domestic violence 

service providers (Stieglitz & Johnson, 

2001).

Oregon. The State implemented new 

child support and domestic violence 

policies in response to provisions of 1996 

Federal welfare reform legislation. State 

policymakers created House Bill 3112, and 

domestic violence advocates, particularly 

the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic 

and Sexual Violence, helped implement 

the legislation. This legislation requires 

the Department of Human Services Adult 

and Family Services Division to identify 

public assistance applicants and recipients 

who are victims of domestic violence and 

offer them individualized case management, referrals to community services, 

and waivers from cooperation with child 

support enforcement and other TANF 

requirements (Stieglitz & Johnson, 2001).

Summary

The co-occurrence of domestic violence and 

child maltreatment is a serious and pervasive 

social problem. The adverse effects of family 

violence on children can include behavioral, 

social, emotional, and cognitive problems that 

may last into adulthood. A review of literature 

reveals general agreement that the most 

effective approach to reducing family violence 

is based on comprehensive partnerships within 

and among child- and family-serving systems. 

Only in cooperation with one another can 

these systems ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and families. States and 

communities are moving in this direction, but 

more work is needed. 

Child and Family Service Review 

Outcomes: Strategies to Improve 

Domestic Violence Responses in 

CFSR Program Improvement Plans 

Guides State stakeholders in developing 

effective Program Improvement Plans (PIPs) for 

achieving safety, permanency, and well-being 

in domestic violence cases, and in identifying 

or anticipating related technical assistance 

needs. Developed by the National Council 

of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, Family 

Violence Prevention Fund, and the National 

Resource Center for Child Protective Services.

www.nrccps.org/resources/featured_resources.

php

Child Parent Psychotherapy 

for Family Violence 

Integrates psychodynamic, attachment, 

trauma, cognitive-behavioral, and sociallearning theories into a dyadic treatment 

approach. Designed to restore the childparent relationship and the child’s mental 

health and developmental progression that 

were damaged by the experience of domestic 

violence. 

www.childtrends.org/Lifecourse/programs/

cppfv.htm

 Resources for Further 

Information
Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System www.childwelfare.gov

11 This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. Available online at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/domestic_violence/

Child Protection in Families 

Experience Domestic Violence: 

User Manual Series 

Provides basic information about domestic 

violence and addresses the overlap between 

child maltreatment and domestic violence, 

how to modify child protection practice with 

families experiencing domestic violence, 

ways to enhance caseworker safety and 

support in these cases, and collaborative 

responses for families experiencing domestic 

violence. Developed by the Office on Child 

Abuse and Neglect, Children’s Bureau, U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services. 

www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanuals/

domesticviolence/domesticviolence.pdf

Children’s Exposure to Violence: A

Comprehensive National Survey

Discusses the National Survey of 

Children’s Exposure to Violence, the most 

comprehensive nationwide survey of the 

incidence and prevalence of children’s 

exposure to violence to date, sponsored by 

the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention and supported by the Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention. www.ncjrs.

gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/227744.pdf

The Child Witness to Violence Project 

Focuses on counseling, advocacy, and 

outreach for the growing number of young 

children who witness community and domestic 

violence. 

http://www.childwitnesstoviolence.org/ 

Connect: Supporting Children 

Exposed to Domestic Violence

Provides curriculum, a PowerPoint 

presentation, and related tools from the 

Family Violence Prevention Fund. Intended 

for use with foster parents, kin caregivers, and 

adoptive parents caring for children who have 

been exposed to domestic violence. Includes 

information on the dynamics of domestic 

violence, the effects of exposure to domestic 

violence on children, and strategies for 

supporting children who have been exposed 

to violence.

http://endabuse.org/content/features/

detail/1314

Domestic Abuse 

Intervention Programs 

Offers domestic violence training and 

resources to help community activists, 

domestic violence workers, practitioners in 

the criminal and civil justice systems, human 

services providers, and community leaders 

make a direct impact on domestic violence. 

www.theduluthmodel.org

Domestic Violence Home 

Visit Intervention 

Provides enhanced law enforcement, 

community-based advocacy, and mental 

health services to families affected by 

domestic violence. A joint project of the Yale 

Child Study Center and the New Haven Police 

Department, its goal is to increase children’s 

safety and decrease negative psychological 

effects of exposure to domestic violence. 

www.childstudycenter.yale.edu/services/

violence.html 
Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System www.childwelfare.gov

12 This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. Available online at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/domestic_violence/

Domestic Violence and Its 

Role in Child Welfare

Examines the intersection of domestic 

violence and child welfare and supplies 

effective practices that combine knowledge 

from both fields. From the National Resource 

Center for Family-Centered Practice and 

Permanency Planning. 

www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp/

downloads/information_packets/domestic_

violence.pdf 

Family Violence Department, 

National Council of Juvenile 

and Family Court Judges

Provides training and technical assistance, 

through the Resource Center on Domestic 

Violence: Child Protection and Custody, to 

professionals seeking to improve outcomes on 

child protection and child custody cases that 

involve domestic violence, while engaging in 

policy reform in those areas. 

www.ncjfcj.org/dept/fvd

The Greenbook Initiative

Provides resources and information regarding 

the six federally funded communities 

implementing the National Council of Juvenile 

and Family Court Judges guidelines, Effective 

Intervention in Domestic Violence & Child 

Maltreatment Cases: Guidelines for Policy and 

Practice. 

www.thegreenbook.info/init.htm 

The Link Research Project 

Offers information and findings from a series 

of studies that seek to understand how 

domestic violence and child maltreatment 

co-occur in families and how informal and 

formal social systems respond. The goal of 

this multiphase project is to help develop new 

evidence-based interventions. 

www.mincava.umn.edu/link

Safe Start Center

Aims to broaden the scope of knowledge 

and resources for responding to the needs 

of children exposed to violence and their 

families. 

www.safestartcenter.org 

Safe and Together Model 

Centers on five critical building blocks to 

improve case practice and decision making in 

domestic violence cases where children are 

the focus. 

http://www.vawnet.org/Assoc_Files_VAWnet/

SafeTogetherReport2008.pdf

References

Appel, A. E., & Holden, G. W. (1998). The 

co-occurrence of spouse and physical child 

abuse: A review and appraisal. Journal of 

Family Psychology, 12(4), 578-599. 

Banks, D., Dutch, N., & Wang, K. (2008, July). 

Collaborative efforts to improve systems 

response to families who are experiencing 

child maltreatment and domestic violence. 

Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 23(7).

Brown, B. V., & Bzostek, S. (2003). Violence in 

the lives of children. CrossCurrents, 1, Child 

Trends DataBank. 
Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System www.childwelfare.gov

13 This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. Available online at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/domestic_violence/

Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2007, 

December). Intimate Partner Violence in 

the United States. Retrieved June 2009 

from http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.

cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=1000

Carlson, B. E. (2000). Children exposed to 

intimate partner violence: Research findings 

and implications for intervention. Trauma, 

Violence, and Abuse, 1(4), 321-340.

Carter, J., & Schechter, S. (1997, November). 

Child abuse and domestic violence: 

Creating community partnerships for safe 

families: Suggested components of an 

effective child welfare response to domestic 

violence. San Francisco, CA: Family 

Violence Prevention Fund. 

Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2008). 

Definitions of Domestic Violence: Summary 

of State Laws. Retrieved June 2009 from 

www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_

policies/statutes/defdomvio.cfm 

Edleson, J. L. (2006). Emerging Responses to 

Children Exposed to Domestic Violence. 

Harrisburg, PA: VAWnet, a project of the 

National Resource Center on Domestic 

Violence / Pennsylvania Coalition Against 

Domestic Violence. Retrieved: May 15, 

2009 from http://new.vawnet.org/category/

Main_Doc.php?docid=585

Edleson, J. L. (2004). Should childhood 

exposure to adult domestic violence be 

defined as child maltreatment under the 

law? In P. G. Jaffe, L. L. Baker, & A. J. 

Cunningham (Eds.), Protecting Children 

from Domestic Violence, (pp. 8-29). New 

York, New York: Guilford Press. 

Edleson, J. L. (1999). The overlap between 

child maltreatment and woman battering. 

Violence Against Women, 5(2) 134-154.

Greenbook National Evaluation Team, 

ICF Consulting. (2008, February). The 

Greenbook Initiative Final Evaluation 

Report. Retrieved August 21, 2009, from 

www.thegreenbook.info/documents/

FinalReport_Combined.pdf

Hartley, Carolyn C. (2004, April). Severe 

domestic violence and child maltreatment: 

Considering child physical abuse, neglect, 

and failure to protect. Child and Youth 

Services Review, 26(4), 373-392.

Hughes, H. M., Graham-Bermann, S. A., & 

Gruber, G. (2001). Resilience in children 

exposed to domestic violence. In S. A. 

Graham-Bermann, & J. L. Edleson (Eds.), 

Domestic Violence in the Lives of Children: 

The Future of Research, Intervention, and 

Social Policy (pp. 67-90). Washington, DC: 

American Psychological Association.

Kohl, P., Edleson, J. L., English, D. J., & 

Barth, R. P. (2005). Domestic violence 

and pathways into child welfare services: 

Findings from the National Survey of Child 

and Adolescent Well-Being. Child and 

Youth Services Review, 27(11), 1167-1182.

National Network to End Domestic Violence. 

Retrieved June 2009 from www.nnedv.org/

policy/issues/children.html 

Rosewater, A., & Goodmark, L. (2007). 

Steps Toward Safety: Improving Systemic 

and Community Responses for Families 

Experiencing Domestic Violence, Family 

Violence Prevention Fund. Retrieved July 
Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System www.childwelfare.gov

14 This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare 

Information Gateway. Available online at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/domestic_violence/

2009 from www.endabuse.org/userfiles/

file/Children_and_Families/steps_toward_

safety.pdf

Sawyer, R., & Lohrbach, S. (2005a). Differential 

response in child protection: Selecting 

a pathway. Protecting Children, 20(2,3), 

44-53.

Sawyer, R., & Lohrbach, S. (2005b). Integrating 

domestic violence intervention into child 

welfare practice. Protecting Children, 

20(2,3), 62-77.

Silvern, L., Karyl, J., Waede, L. Hodges, W.F., 

Starek, J., Heidt, E., & Min, K. (1995). 

Retrospective reports of parental partner 

abuse: Relationships to depression, trauma 

symptoms, and self-esteem among college 

students. Journal of Family Violence, 10(2), 

177-202.

Stieglitz, A., & Johnson, A. (2001, May). 

Making Child Support Safe: Coordinating 

Child Support and Public Assistance 

Agencies in Their Response to Domestic 

Violence: Final Report. Mathematica Policy 

Research, Inc., Administration for Children 

and Families, Office of Child Support 

Enforcement. Retrieved August 2009 from 

www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pubs/

reports/mpr8548300/index.html

Toussaint, Jené. (2006, April). Domestic 

Violence and Its Role in Child Welfare. 

National Resource Center for FamilyCentered Practice and Permanency 

Planning. Retrieved September 9, 2009 

from www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/

nrcfcpp/downloads/information_packets/

domestic_violence.pdf