Social work with violent men Devon conference 23/11/11 Polly Baynes Read on-line Onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Why focus on work with violent men? Men, not just fathers, matter to children Undervalued resource Different pattern of parenting Risk Transient, complex relationships Social workers focus on mothers Apparently avoid violent men

The study Quantitative and qualitative analysis 40 child protection files 63 men, 1:3 resident fathers Domestic violence most common trigger 42 had a history of violence

Findings High rates of violence Low level of engagement with men Basic info missing, risk not assessed Other agencies had more contact More not less work with violent men Domestic violence not explored in detail Male parenting and protection un-assessed Missed resource

Implications for practice

Worker safety Fear is an important source of information De-sensitisation, accommodation Some men are more risky than others Joint visits, agency responsibility for care Record threats/assaults on child’s file

Identify men, gather information, involve other agencies Files for these and older children Other families he has lived with Police, probation, CAFCASS, MARAC Drug/alcohol services, mental health services Extended family Previous and current partners, children

Explore violence Childhood, street, work, partner, child Mental health, substance use, offending Severity, frequency, impact, context Compliance, respect for authority

Talk to men about violence Use questionnaires, sliding scales First time, worst time, last time Inside hurt, outside hurt Power, control, sexual violence

Work for change Remorse, regret, minimisation, justification Responsibility, need to apologise Strengths and weaknesses as a father What matters to you? If you were the social worker, what would you think? Sturge and Glaser: ‘The Experts Report for the Court: contact after domestic violence’

Male parenting Plans that give men responsibility for care Observations of care Parenting support/groups Ask the children

Male capacity to protect Expect more! Contraception, understanding of mother’s problems, attempts to help, future plans, understanding of child’s needs Drugs/alcohol/mental health problems/violence/own experience of abuse/neglect Actively involve men in plans

Violence to children Slapping a baby, hitting a child with a belt, grabbing or pinning a child by the throat, threatening a child with a knife, throwing a child on the bed, punching a child in the face, throwing coffee over children, hitting a child and a baby, and a man who trod on a child’s head. Children suffered injuries including bruising, chipped teeth, and a split lip.

Violence to women Assaults on women included slaps and punches to the face, smothering, strangling, banging her head against a concrete floor, being pulled downstairs by her hair, threats to kill and sexual assault. One man kicked the door in when refused entry. Those injuries to women that were described included bruising, a pierced lung and diaphragm, and loss of consciousness.

Violence outside the home Violence to a landlady, sexual assaults, death threats and fights with neighbours, slashing a person with a sword, slashing a man’s face and violence to paramedics and the police. One man armed himself with a carving knife and was chased across fields by police dogs. Several of the men owned offensive weapons such as Samurai swords. Two men physically harmed animals.

Violence to self Men inflicted violence on themselves by stabbing, cutting their face with a knife, setting fire to themselves and by suicide attempts including hanging.