When we talk about domestic violence, it’s important to remember what it really is: a pattern of behavior used to gain power and control in an intimate relationship. That control can take many forms—physical, emotional, sexual, spiritual, and financial are just a few. Abuse gradually strips away a survivor’s resources, health, freedom, and sense of community. This creates serious barriers to exercising agency both for themselves and, in some cases, for their children.
At RESPOND, we believe meaningful collaboration between domestic violence agencies and child welfare systems is not just possible, it’s essential. When we operate in silos, survivors can be further burdened by conflicting responses from our different perspectives. But we’ve seen firsthand how cross-system partnerships rooted in trust, shared goals, and survivor voice can transform outcomes for families.
As the first domestic violence organization in New England, we have decades of experience building bridges between systems. From co-leading multidisciplinary high-risk teams to offering trainings on the dynamics of power and control, RESPOND has consistently helped reshape how systems respond to domestic violence. Instead of working against child welfare social workers (an adversarial approach), we work with them (a collaborative approach). As a result, we’re able to better understand each family’s unique situation and create more effective, tailored plans to keep survivors and their children safe. While we may have different perspectives at times, keeping open communication between domestic violence and child welfare professionals allows for deeper dialogue about safety and stronger engagement with survivor parents, reflecting our belief that survivors are experts in their own lives, and that with the right support, they can be powerful protectors and healers for their children.
Our work starts with deep listening. RESPOND counselors actively listen and validate the survivor experience, supporting and connecting them to additional community resources to attend to any unmet basic needs as well as assistance in building safe and healthy connections and community. This trauma-informed approach is consistent with the resilience model promoted by Futures Without Violence and includes communication and collaboration with child welfare social workers (when requested by the survivor) in addition to other collaterals such as therapists, housing specialists, and victim witness advocates. We serve as a trusted partner, offering both direct services and system-level consultation attempting to mitigate further harm to survivors and their children by the interventions designed to protect them.
How Domestic Violence Affects Children
Exposure to domestic violence can impact all aspects of a child’s development in addition to the risk to their physical safety. The emotional and developmental impacts can run deep. From physical symptoms like headaches or stomach aches to academic struggles, anxiety, depression, anger, or difficulty connecting with peers and isolation, the effects can show up in many ways.
Research shows that witnessing domestic violence can, on its own, be traumatic enough to cause posttraumatic stress in children. One study cited by Psychology Today concluded that witnessing abuse is a “sufficiently intense” experience that can cause lasting psychological harm.¹
The extent of the impact depends on a number of factors such as the child’s age and developmental stage, how frequent or severe the abuse is, and whether there’s a supportive network surrounding the family.
The Role of the Child Welfare System
Because of these serious risks, families experiencing domestic violence often find themselves involved with the child protective services (CPS). Mandated reporting requirements attempt to ensure the safety of children exposed to and/or at risk from domestic violence by bringing families experiencing domestic violence to the attention of child protective services (CPS).
Ideally, the child welfare social worker works with the family to help the survivor increase their safety and protective capacities while also addressing the harmful behavior of the person using violence. The experience of families involved with the child welfare system can create extreme stress or fear about the potential of losing custody of their children and exacerbate the shame that so many survivors already feel as a result of abuse.
Gaps Between Systems—and a Way Forward
Casey Family Services points out that “historically, child protection agencies and domestic violence programs have not always collaborated in serving families. They usually operate in separate parts of the legal system as well, creating additional challenges for families to navigate,” recognizing that there have been philosophical differences based on each providers’ role and mandate.
But there’s been a shift. Today, many advocates agree: Survivors and their children are best served when these systems work together. Shared goals—like safety, empowerment, and access to community-based services—create a foundation for better outcomes.
In fact, Massachusetts was the first state to create a Domestic Violence Unit within its child welfare agency, recognizing the importance of bringing these two systems into closer alignment.
Focusing on Protective Factors
Futures Without Violence, another Domestic Violence Prevention organization, explains that “five protective factors can help to reduce the effects of domestic violence on adult and child survivors, support their personal growth and development, and build a family and community environment that promotes their well-being.” Safer and more stable conditions
1. Safer and more stable conditions
2. Social connections
3. Resilience and a growth mindset
4. Nurturing parent-child interactions
5. Social and emotional abilities
Their work encourages domestic violence programs and child welfare systems to center these factors in their approaches. Futures also emphasizes the importance of working with people who use violence, holding them accountable and supporting behavior change as a key part of addressing the broader issue.
A Community-Wide Responsibility
Ultimately, a unified, comprehensive community approach is essential to effectively reduce incidents of domestic violence and promote the long-term safety and well-being of survivors, especially when children are involved. By bridging domestic violence prevention programs with child welfare systems, communities can create coordinated responses that address the complex, overlapping needs of survivors and their families. Prevention programs offer critical education, support, and advocacy, while child welfare agencies provide protection for vulnerable children.
When we share information, resources, and strategies survivors are better served and more equipped to break cycles of violence, reduce trauma, and promote healing.
To learn more about RESPOND’s survivor-centered training and consultation offerings, contact us. Let’s create change, together.
If you’re a child welfare professional, service provider, or community partner, RESPOND is here to collaborate. Together, we can create safer outcomes for survivors and their children through trauma-informed, survivor-led support. Email info@respondinc.org for more information.
Sources:
1. Edwards, B. G. (2019, February 26). Alarming effects of children’s exposure to domestic violence. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/experience-in-meaning/201902/alarming-effects-childrens-exposure-domestic-violencehe child welfare system.
2. Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2009, October). Domestic violence and the child welfare system. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau. https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/domesticviolence.pdf
3. Futures Without Violence. (n.d.). Protective factors for survivors of domestic violence. Promising Futures. Retrieved June 23, 2025, from https://promising.futureswithoutviolence.org/protective-factors-for-survivors-of-domestic-violence/
