Conference hears how domestic violence affects children

The impact on children of domestic violence will be among the topics discussed during a one-day conference in Belfast today.

The Northern Ireland Community Nursing Network conference, which is organised jointly by Queen's University, University of Ulster and Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association (CPHVA), comes as figures reveal that five deaths each year in Northern Ireland are as a result of domestic violence, thus accounting for approximately one-third of all recorded violent crime here.

It is also estimated that at least 11,000 children in Northern Ireland are living with domestic violence.

One of the conference speakers will be Christine Mann, national domestic violence co-ordinator, who will look at how domestic violence is a child protection issue.

"This is an important conference as we know that domestic violence often begins or intensifies during pregnancy when there may be serious and life threatening effects for both mother and child,” she said.

"Child protection becomes a significant issue for children living with violence and the latest Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths underlines the need for women to be offered access to the help and support they want.”

The conference comes a day after the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety launched a high profile media campaign aimed at raising awareness of the domestic violence and the negative impact it has on children. As part of the initiative a new free-phone helpline will also be available for anyone affected by domestic violence.

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