Children's services has to change and stop tearing families apart!

The approach that children's services take to families who either party have suffered any type of domestic violence or abuse has to change now! There is very limited help in place to help families only to remove children.

I am petitioning for the children's services to re-think their approach. As a parent who has been through this I recommend members of staff to be trained in the Freedom program for both men and women and for these courses to be taken weekly for perpetrators and victims, right now there is very limited help for men and perpetrators and limited help for women.

The only help available in Dudley is Black country women's aid. I have found nothing for men who want to change and/or get help with their behavior.
I also feel that couples therapy should be mandatory for these situations to help parents in volatile relationships to understand each other and communicate clearly and safely.

A parenting course that directly identifies domestic abuse/violence on children and how to prevent it.
Easier and public access for those whose relationships can not be worked on to get more help and support if they need to leave their partner or get some sort of court order.

For the children's services to do more to keep families together and to have exhausted all avenues before removal of children is considered.

Unless the children are in identified and immediate danger there is a lot more children services should be doing to keep families together.



Right now families are scared to seek help when they need it due to the fear of having their children taken away and it is very clear that this causes more risks to families.

Change has to happen and it is has to happen now!