The most important rule when tackling domestic violence and child abuse is: do not act alone.

'Permanently' ending unsafe situations

According to the Dutch Model Reporting Code, you should seek the advice of colleagues and 'Veilig Thuis' (the advice and reporting centre for domestic violence and child abuse). When you offer assistance to a family in need, dozens of social workers may be involved if the family has complex problems. In situations like these, collaboration is crucial in order to permanently end the unsafe situation. If everybody were to work individually on resolving problems such as debt or addiction, safety in the family environment may well be forgotten.

Police and schools

Professionals active in different sectors often fail to share information with each other effectively. It is precisely in this area - collaboration with the family and with other professionals - that there are opportunities for achieving better outcomes for families. This is why we focus strongly on collaboration in our online courses and develop collaborative projects between the police and schools and between women’s shelters and schools.

Detection

Neglect, abuse and maltreatment almost never stop automatically. Fear and shame generally keep victims and perpetrators silent. Many cases of child abuse and domestic violence are kept secret for years. Read more

Support

Violence, neglect and abuse harm people. The stress they experience in situations like these is often traumatic. But people are also resilient. Read more