Children to get lessons in healthy relationships

CHILDREN and young people in Trafford will be taught the importance of healthy relationships as part of a strategy to stamp out domestic abuse and sexual violence.

The blueprint has been drafted under the umbrella of Trafford Partnership, whose members include the borough council and Greater Manchester Police.

A key aim of the strategy is giving children the skills to recognise domestic abuse and reduce the risk of them becoming a victim or perpetrator.

“To reduce the prevalence of domestic abuse, children and young people need to understand what a healthy relationship is,” a report says.

“Therefore, the partnership is committed to delivering a schoolsbased healthy relationship programme. The scheme will also be extended to places where vulnerable young people access to ensure that those who do not engage in school receive intervention.”

The report sets out various priorities aimed at preventing violence, as well as protecting victims and supporting those who have already suffered abuse.

They include increasing awareness among young people of the importance of safe, equal and healthy relationships and that abusive behaviour is always wrong.

The partnership says its ambition is to employ four trained ‘domestic violence advisers’ to deal with the complexities that domestic abuse presents. Each adviser will have their own specialism, including mental illness, substance misuse and honour-based violence.

Other priorities include increasing awareness among public sector services.