Examining the Impact of Domestic and Family Violence on Young Australians’ School-Level Education

Abstract

Australian policy and practice increasingly acknowledges the need to respond to children as victim-survivors of domestic and family violence (DFV) in their own right. As part of this, and in recognition that schools often have the most consistent contact with young people experiencing DFV, there is mounting recognition of the role education settings can play in terms of early intervention and support provision for young victim-survivors. However, there is little research on intervention and support provision in Australian education settings that draws directly on the experiences of young people who have experienced DFV. This article addresses that gap. Drawing on findings from a national survey of 1651 young people who reported experiences of DFV, this article enhances current understandings of how DFV impacts education and the effectiveness of school-based help-seeking for young Australians experiencing DFV. Centring the voices of young victim-survivors, our findings question the degree to which schools are presently equipped to recognise, respond to and support students who experience DFV.