New figures show intervention for child to parent abuse is effective at reducing violence towards mothers

New figures from Cambridgeshire Constabulary have evidenced the effectiveness of the Respect Young People’s Programme, an intervention designed to address child and adolescent to parent violence and abuse (known as CAPVA). The programme, developed by domestic abuse charity Respect, and delivered in partnership with community organisations across the UK, has been successful in reducing the victimisation of mothers, reducing police call outs, and making significant savings to the criminal justice system. Now, the charity is launching an animation ahead of CPA Awareness Day on 14 October, to raise awareness of the programme.

CAPVA is used to describe the dynamic where a young person (8 years -18 years) engages in repeated abusive behaviour towards a parent or adult carer. It is known as a hidden harm: 40% of those experiencing CAPVA do not report it, often due to shame or out of fear their child will be criminalised, but prevalence is estimated to be high, with CAPVA-related offences representing 21-27% of cases within youth offending services[1].

The Respect Young People’s Programme is an evidence-based 3-month intervention for families experiencing CAPVA, during which practitioners work with the whole family, encouraging everyone to take a role in stopping the abuse and learning respectful ways of managing conflict, difficulty, and intimacy. The programme is delivered across 14 local authorities and 5 police force areas in England and Wales, and in Cambridgeshire, the programme is funded by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston and delivered by YMCA Trinity. Data taken from this pioneering site has revealed the true scale of the programme’s impact.

Reducing the victimisation of mothers

Previously, research from the Mayor of London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) has shown that CAPVA tends to present as a gendered form of abuse, with the majority of cases involving boys in late adolescence and their mothers[2], often centred around physical violence. The new figures from Cambridgeshire Constabulary show that all of the parents/carers who participated in the Respect Young People’s Programme reported a reduction in violence and abusive behaviour, and an improvement in relationships, demonstrating the programme’s effectiveness in advancing the Strategic Policing Requirement to tackle violence against women and girls.

Reducing police callouts and costs

The number of police callouts was reduced by 94% in the cohort of families participating in the programme, and the cost savings were significant. Based on delivery in Cambridgeshire, for every £1 invested in CAPVA, up to £8.30 in police resources could be saved if similar families engaged. This doesn’t account for further savings made by other public sector organisations as a result of the programme – the pilot also showed significant reduction in truancy from school.

Early intervention and prevention

Parents and carers often feel ashamed to talk about or seek help for this abuse, and many reach crisis point before they access support. To avoid this, Respect has been working with partners from its Durham delivery site: Durham County Council, Investing in Children, and Harbour, on an early intervention approach funded by Durham’s Police and Crime Commissioner. This includes education and support around CAPVA for pupils at schools in the region, and a new awareness-raising animation helping to destigmatise CAPVA and encourage parents to seek support via the RYPP, before they reach crisis.

Jo Todd CBE, CEO at Respect, said:

“As a society we’re lacking when it comes to our awareness and understanding of child to parent abuse. It’s often incorrectly framed as a parenting failure and victims often feel ashamed, stigmatised, and isolated, only reaching out for support when they reach crisis point. We hope our new animation helps us connect with more families experiencing CAPVA, and we hope these new figures get the attention of commissioners across England and Wales. The Respect Young People’s Programme works: it saves money, it reduces the burden on the criminal justice system, and most importantly, it helps families repair their relationships. Our mission is to make the programme available to everyone who needs it”

Police and Crime Commissioner, Darryl Preston said: 

“I have been extremely impressed with the impact the Respect Young People Programme has had on the families experiencing Child/Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse. It has truly prevented many young people from isolating themselves from their families and supported them to change their behaviours. Positively this has also led to a significant reduction in demand on local police. It is an excellent example of how effective early intervention can prevent future victims as well as support those involved.” 

Detective Superintendent, Ben Martin (Cambridgeshire Constabulary) said: 

“Here in Cambridgeshire we are committed to preventing both future victims of abuse as well as diverting young people away from the criminal justice system where at all possible. This in turn reduces demand over the longer term freeing up officers to respond to other crimes.”