‘I Don't Know What I'd Do if My Kid Was Being Violent to Me, but These Parents Just Keep Pushing Through’: A Narrative Inquiry of Practitioner Responses to Child to Parent Violence

Abstract

Child to parent violence (CPV) is a serious concern. However, there is a paucity of research exploring practices for supporting families experiencing this violence. Many responses for CPV sit within a criminal justice setting and are underpinned by skill development and psychological approaches. This study is aimed at examining ‘What responses from services, including the conditions that enable responses, are identified as supportive for families experiencing CPV in services?’ Utilising a narrative inquiry methodology, this study analyses interviews with mothers who experience CPV (n = 11) and practitioners who work with CPV (n = 19). Three overarching themes for responding to CPV were found: (1) relatings underpin responses, (2) response-ability and CPV and (3) strategies for addressing CPV. Foundational to all responses is the need for connections between parent and child, worker and family, and worker and worker, with a range of practices to foster connection identified in this study. Practitioners frame the response-ability of the violence varyingly, which makes addressing the violence both possible and impossible. Responses for addressing CPV by practitioners predominantly include psychological based, behaviour based, skills/education based, relationship based and referrals to other services. Recommendations for practice with families experiencing CPV are explored, as are future research and education.