Supporting Children Experiencing Family Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic: IPV and CPS Provider Perspectives

Supporting Youth Exposed to Violence in the Post-Pandemic: Prevention and Intervention Strategies

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic was a public health emergency that impacted adolescents across the United States and disproportionately affected youth experiencing marginalization due to less access to resources and supports. This study reviews the increases in intimate partner and youth violence during the pandemic, mechanisms contributing to these increases, and the overarching health impacts on adolescents. Pediatric health professionals have a vital role to play in implementing healing-centered practices and prevention efforts that mitigate impacts of trauma and violence and that support youth and families in pathways to healing and recovery.

Learning from child welfare staff experiences during the pandemic: Practices to maintain and discontinue

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic led to multiple changes in the ways child welfare agencies operate. Child protection agencies had to make rapid changes that impacted where and how staff operate. Minimal research has examined child welfare workers' views of these practices.

OBJECTIVE

This qualitative study seeks to understand CPS workers' perspectives regarding practices utilized during the pandemic. Staff provided input into practices they found beneficial and hope to see maintained and those they hope to see discontinued.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

The full study involved 267 staff members from 50 agencies across Ohio; this study examines qualitative data from 100 staff members who responded to two open ended survey questions.

METHODS

This qualitative study used thematic analysis to analyze two open ended questions from a survey sent to all the child welfare agencies in Ohio.

RESULTS

Thematic analysis of practices staff hoped to continue after the pandemic resulted in five themes: Nontraditional Site and Schedule, Remote Meetings, Safety Protocols, Communication and Support, and Helping Children and Families. Thematic analysis or practices staff hoped would end after the pandemic resulted in six themes: Masking, Virtual Meetings, Mandated Work Location, Unreasonable Policies, Overloading and Overwhelming Staff, and Separation from Coworkers.

CONCLUSIONS

Study results fill a gap in the research by asking CPS staff about their experiences and recommendations after practicing during COVID-19 restrictions. The most common recommendation from staff was to continue offering a nontraditional site and schedule. This study highlights the importance of soliciting and learning from staff perspectives.

Supporting Intimate Partner Violence Survivors and Their Children in Pediatric Healthcare Settings

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive public health epidemic that influences child health and thriving. In this article, we discuss how pediatric healthcare providers and systems can create healing-centered spaces to support IPV survivors and their children. We review the use of universal education and resource provision to share information about IPV during all clinical encounters as a healing-centered alternative to screening. We also review how to support survivors who may share experiences of IPV, focused on validation, affirmation, and connection to resources. Clinicians are provided key action items to implement in their clinical settings.

Parental intimate partner violence and abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic: Learning from remote and hybrid working to influence future support

OBJECTIVES

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated intimate partner violence and abuse. Incidents of intimate partner violence and abuse have increased as a result of household tensions due to enforced coexistence (multiple national lockdowns and working from home practices), economic stress related to loss of income, the disruption of social and protective networks and the decreased access to support services. This study aimed to understand how female survivors of parental intimate partner violence and abuse have experienced the adapted multi-agency response to intimate partner violence and abuse during the pandemic and consider learning from remote and hybrid working to influence future support.

METHOD

This study adopted a qualitative research design, utilizing semi-structured interviews and a focus group. Data collection took place between March and September 2021. In total, 17 female survivors of intimate partner violence and abuse took part in the project; we conducted the semi-structured interviews via telephone (n = 9) and conducted an online focus group (n = 8).

RESULTS

Findings identified that services for those experiencing intimate partner violence and abuse need to be innovative, flexible and adaptable and 'reach out' to survivors rather than waiting for survivors to 'reach in' and ask for support. Findings show that the digital space highlights 'missed opportunities' for engagement with both professionals and peers and the potential for digital poverty is a key implication, which risks entrenching existing inequalities.

CONCLUSION

In-depth consideration needs to be given to the design, delivery and evaluation of online interventions and provision of support to improve access and acceptability of services, maximize their effectiveness and to support the safety of survivors.