What if children are involved?
Unhealthy relationships can have significant effects on a child’s emotional and academic development. Therefore, it’s important that they are helped to be safe and recover from their experiences.
Children are, often, more aware of what’s going on behind closed doors than adults think.
Like an adult, there is no single sign in a child that they are living with an unhealthy relationship, but simple changes in their behaviour may suggest that something isn’t right:
- They become withdrawn and anxious
- They start being uncharacteristically loud or disruptive
- They act out bulling behaviour towards others
- The don’t want to engage in conversation about their home life or family situation
You may be the person that they feel they can talk to. If so, listen carefully to what they are telling you and engage in a non-judgmental way.
If you think a child is suffering because of domestic abuse, speak to their parent/carer about it if and when it is safe to do so.
If the situation doesn’t improve and you are still concerned call your local council’s children’s social care and safeguarding service for advice:
Cheshire East: 0300 1235012
Cheshire West and Chester: 0300 123 7047
Halton: 0151 907 8305
Warrington: 01925 443322
Other organisations may be able to help too including the NSPCC, and Women’s Aid have a website for children and young people called The Hideout.