Unsafe and Unheard: Respect Young People's Service launches new report on CAPVA

Today marks the launch of a landmark new report from the Respect Young People’s Service – Unsafe and Unheard: Lessons from families affected by Child and Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse (CAPVA). This work was made possible thanks to the support of the Noel Buxton Trust and co-production with young people was done in partnership with Respect member TLC: Talk, Listen, Change. 

Unsafe and Unheard brings together families’ and practitioners’ experiences of CAPVA, gathered through a variety of methods including co-production with young people, roundtable discussion and a national survey. The report highlights CAPVA as a hidden harm that requires a multi-agency, government supported, cross sector response. 

Key findings from the report include: 

• The lack of an agreed definition creates barriers to addressing CAPVA. 
• Knowledge of CAPVA in front-line services is low. 68% of parents surveyed who didn’t access support were ashamed or worried about stigma and judgement. 
• A system-wide approach is needed. 25% of parents said they didn’t ask for help because they were worried about what might happen if they did. 
• While there are pockets of good practice, parents often have nowhere to turn. 64% of parents who didn’t receive support said they didn’t know where to go. 
• Professionals dismiss and minimise the risk of harm. Where parents didn’t approach services, 39% said it was because they lacked trust in them. 

The report includes powerful quotes from people with experience of CAPVA, such as these words from a parent who responded to Respect's national survey:

“In reality, this is your child, a child that is loved, and a child who you want to have a positive future. This all sits in the way of phoning 999 when you experience another episode of violence.”   

Take a look to find out more and read our recommendations that offer a roadmap to meaningful change. 

Read the report: Unsafe and Unheard

The Respect Young People's Service launched the report at a webinar, where they shared the findings along with insights from partner services. Watch the recording to catch up.