Calls for gardaí to warn school if child sees domestic abuse

GARDAÍ should warn schools when a child has experienced or witnessed domestic violence the night before, the Children’s Ombudsman has said.

Niall Muldoon has written to three government ministers to ask them to introduce a scheme which would stop teachers needing to “guess” why a child’s behaviour or academic performance has changed and to ensure schoolchildren who are going through domestic abuse get pastoral support.

The commissioner said the “shocking increase” in domestic violence during Covid19 meant the Government needed to try to make schools a “respite” for children experiencing domestic abuse.

The idea is based on a similar scheme in England and Wales called Operation Encompass. Police there confidentially contact specially trained teachers within 24 hours of being called to a domestic abuse incident where a schoolchild was present.

At the moment, gardaí contact Tusla if there is a child protection concern after being called to a home where there is domestic abuse. However, many teachers may never know if a student has experienced abuse.

This week, Mr Muldoon wrote to the departments of education, justice and children and asked them to back the scheme, citing an increase in domestic abuse since the start of the Covid-19 lockdown.

Both the gardaí and Women’s Aid have reported an increase in domestic abuse since the outbreak of the pandemic.

“One reason for it [the scheme] is the shocking increase in domestic violence that occurred during the lockdown between March and July. It is an obvious risk that’s there as we move towards Level 3, and if we move to another lockdown we have to be careful as well,” Mr Muldoon told the Irish Independent.

“Especially if we’re keeping schools open throughout all the levels. It gives some sort of respite and opportunity for children who suffered domestic violence to get some sort of assistance or understanding from their school. Covid should not be a reason not to do this, it is a reason to do it.”

He added that an increase in sales of alcohol during lockdown could exacerbate the abuse that children are suffering at home. Mr Muldoon said the two issues were “closely aligned” in many households.

The commissioner said that without gardaí being able to share information about domestic abuse, teachers could be left “guessing” why a child’s behaviour has changed.

The Office of the Children’s Ombudsman supported Operation Encompass after a meeting with Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI). Sheila Gilheany, the chief executive of AAI, said the idea is for children to be met with “kindness and support” when they go to school the morning after an incident.

She said rolling out the scheme would be relatively “cheap” as gardaí already collect the information that would be shared with a child’s school.