Training Materials: Safe Learning: How to Support the Educational Needs of Children and Young People Affected by Domestic Violence

Safe Learning: How to Support the Educational Needs of Children and Young People Affected by Domestic Violence
Jenny Mill and Diane Church,
Save the Children
ISBN 1841871095, £9.95

STAR RATING: 4/5

The title of this guide could be misleading, as the authors clarify the point that all aspects of children’s development can be disrupted by experiences of domestic violence and that their educational achievement is dependent on attention to all their needs, writes Lynn Baxter.

Commissioned by Save the Children and Women’s Aid and aimed at education professionals and staff in domestic violence organisations, this resource looks at how domestic violence affects children and young people and gives an overview of legislation and schools’ statutory responsibilities.

The guide includes information to raise awareness of the many needs of children living with or surviving experiences of domestic violence, and provides useful guidelines and practical advice  for all professionals who have a role in supporting them and their carers.

With its clear structure and concise format, the guide is easy for busy professionals to access, while the poignant quotes from children throughout make it a good read cover to cover.

Buddy schemes, access to school books at refuges and prompt help with new school uniforms are some of the simple but important requests from these children.

My only reservations about strongly recommending this guide concern the “Resources and further information” section, which unfortunately already contains information that is out of date (for example, Futures Theatre Company moved to St John’s Crypt, Waterloo in April). A loose-leaf format for this section may have been more easily updated – and why no mention of my excellent domestic violence course at Greenwich!

Lynn Baxter is a senior social work lecturer at Greenwich University