National guidance for child protection in Scotland - Scottish ...

Risk taking behaviours as a result of early abuse, e.g. drug taking, can then
impact on parenting behaviours and the social environment, which can then lead
to further abuse. Early interventions are thus crucial given the developing brain.
However, it is important to note that intergenerational cycles of abuse are not
inevitable, and there are many stages where decreasing risk factors and
increasing protective factors can break this kind of cycle. Much can be learned
from studies where individuals have encountered severe adversity and
maltreatment in childhood, yet have not repeated this in their own parenting
behaviours (Harris & Dersch, 2001).
Domestic Abuse
In the last national prevalence study, 26% of children and young people reported
physical violence during their childhood (Cawson, Wattam, Booker, & Kelly,
2000). Results from the recent NSPCC prevalence study show that a quarter of
children who live with domestic abuse experience are physically abused
themselves (Radford, Corral, Bradley, Fisher, Bassett, Howat et al., 2010). It is
important also to understand that the impact of domestic abuse can endure for
children long after the measures have been taken to ensure their safety (Holt,
Buckley, & Whelan, 2008).
We know that the rates of child abuse and neglect are 15 times higher than the
national average where domestic abuse is an issue, indeed in three out of five
cases of maltreatment, domestic abuse is also an issue. Not only is there a link
between domestic abuse and maltreatment, domestic abuse can impact on
parenting abilities; it jeopardises the developmental progress and personal
abilities of children, contributing to cycles of adversity; and it disrupts broader
family functioning and the home environment (Buckley, Holt, & Whelan, 2007).
The impact on their wellbeing can include a range of physical, emotional and
behavioural consequences – low self esteem, depression, PTSD, aggression,
running away from home and risk taking behaviour (Hester, Westmarland,
Gangoli, Wilkinson, O’Kelly, Kent et al., 2006). The association between
domestic abuse, harm to children’s health and use of health services is not
straightforward but known adverse consequences include heightened risks of
under immunisation and of risk taking behaviour in adolescence (Bair-Merritt,
Blackstone, & Feudtner, 2006; Webb, Shankleman, Evans, & Brooks, 2001).
Parental Mental Ill Health
Approximately one in six adults in Britain has been diagnosed with a neurotic
disorder such as depression, anxiety or phobias (Office of National Statistics,
2001). In addition, approximately five in 1,000 people surveyed were assessed
as having a severe mental disorder such as schizophrenia or bipolar depression.
It is hard to capture the effects of mental illness as it may vary and be perceived
differently from case to case.
Studies have shown some of the negative effects for children who have parents
with mental illness (Aldridge, 2006; Stallard, Norman, Huline-Dickens, Salter, &
Cribb, 2004; Tunnard, 2004). In addition, there have been studies that have
linked parental mental illness to child abuse (Walsh, MacMillan, & Jamieson,
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