RDAC: Rethinking Domestic abuse in child protection: responding differently
Published:
Funded by the Nuffield Foundation, RDAC brings together researchers from the Universities of Sheffield, Huddersfield, Kingston, with Research in Practice, SafeLives and FutureMen. The team will work to better understand and improve the national response to domestic abuse and child protection.
Introduction
Rethinking Domestic abuse in child protection: responding differently (RDAC) is an exciting research project which brings together a team of researchers, domestic abuse specialists and experts in supporting policy and practice change. The team includes the Universities of Sheffield, Huddersfield, Kingston and the charities Research in Practice, SafeLives and FutureMen. The team will undertake work which could have a profound impact on the lives of children and families experiencing domestic abuse and violence.
RDAC is made possible due to a Nuffield Foundation award to better understand and enhance our national response to domestic abuse and child protection. It will offer a unique opportunity to co-produce practice principles that engage with family members with a focus on their parenting and caring roles. RDAC’s Community of Practice will also occupy a key role in developing these practice and policy principles to support people to think and do differently when it comes to child protection and domestic abuse. Using advanced mixed methods based upon recognising the importance of intersecting inequalities, RDAC will produce nuanced understandings to support policy and practice responses that are attuned to the life circumstances of some of the most vulnerable families in the UK.
News and updates
Over the past several months, the RDAC team of researchers have completed data collection across the three case study sites after conducting interviews and carrying out in-depth analysis of anonymised case file data. Throughout this process, the RDAC team has worked with families via the Family Forums, obtaining their views and expertise. They have also worked closely with expert practitioners in Child Protection through the Community of Practice, who have played an integral role in helping the team begin to make sense of the data and shape the subsequent analysis.
The team are immensely grateful for the collaboration and support from our partner organisations and participants in each of the case study sites, whose contributions have been invaluable in advancing learning in this space. As we move forward, we are eager to continue work on the development of novel practice and policy principles based on evidence and to share the emerging findings at three separate events to mark the culmination of the project.
Further information about each of the events, which will be tailored for three different audiences, including; research, policy, and practice. See event details.
(Updated: February 2024)