Australian schools need comprehensive support systems to address the learning and safety needs of young people experiencing family and domestic violence, a Monash University study recommends.
As the place children and young people spend the most time outside of home, schools present a critical point for family and domestic violence early intervention and support.
But Monash research published in June in the Australian Journal of Social Issues highlights more needs to be done to equip schools to intervene earlier to prevent future harm and to better meet the support needs of young people impacted by domestic and family violence.
The research analysed the experience of 1,651 Australians who reported experiencing family and domestic violence as part of the previously completed Adolescent Family Violence in Australia national survey, either through experiencing violence between other family members or being directly subjected to it.
It found less than one in five students (12 to 17 per cent) reported disclosing their experience of violence to a member of their school community, with more resorting to skipping school or becoming fearful of school authority figures.
Students who did disclose often reported feeling dismissed or retraumatised by school staff.
Researcher Ms Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor at Monash Business School, said the research provides robust evidence on the improvements needed to ensure young victim-survivors can access earlier interventions and safety supports at school.
“Schools should be supported to provide trauma – and family and domestic violence-informed training to all school staff, so they feel confident to respond appropriately to disclosures from students,” Professor Fitz-Gibbon said.
“There is also a need for clear pathways to refer students to appropriate external supports, and to build collaborative partnerships between schools and specialist family and domestic violence services.
“The experiences of young people in our study also demonstrate why flexible attendance and academic policies for students impacted by family and domestic violence would be beneficial.”
The research shows the range of impacts that violence has on young victim-survivors learning.
Researcher Mr Steven Roberts, Professor and Head of Monash School of Education, Culture and Society, said the most common impacts reported by young victim-survivors were lower school attendance, limited access to at-home education, and lower education performance.
“Young victim-survivors reported family members who withheld the tools they needed to complete homework, like an internet connection or access to technology, as part of their pattern of abuse,” Professor Roberts said.
“Other young people reported experiences of exhaustion from being up all night listening to family members fighting, describing being unable to concentrate during class.
“Without effective school-based supports to support school-based engagement, young victim-survivors of domestic and family violence are at higher risk of disengagement.”
Professor Fitz-Gibbon said the findings show Australia is missing important opportunities for schools to play a central role in supporting students experiencing domestic and family violence.
“There are significant inconsistencies across Australian schools in how they are currently identifying and responding to student experiences of domestic and family violence,” Professor Fitz-Gibbon said.
“Even within schools, the response is often different depending on who the young victim-survivor discloses to.
“The impacts of family and domestic violence are nuanced and complex. In addition to places of learning, schools should be safe spaces for students to share experiences of abuse, seek help and be connected with support.”
Read the paper online at https://doi.org/10.1002/ajs4.70028
More reading: National study reveals educators facing higher rates of secondary trauma than frontline health workers
