Executive Summary
The report examines the deaths of 29 children across 13 families in England and Wales killed between 1994 and 2004 as a result of contact or residence arrangements. Key findings from executive summaries of Serious Case Reviews include:
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Court Decisions: In at least three cases, courts granted unsupervised contact or residence orders to violent fathers against, or without waiting for, professional advice.
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Domestic Violence Dynamics: Domestic violence was present in 11 out of 13 families, with several homicides occurring during overnight contact visits. Fathers often killed the children as an act of revenge against their ex-partners.
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Mental Health & Risk Recognition: Mental health concerns were identified in 9 of the 13 fathers. Frontline staff and agencies frequently failed to view children as being at risk of significant harm even when mothers faced severe, potentially lethal violence.
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Listening to Children: In several instances, professionals failed to speak directly with the children to assess their welfare needs.
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Lack of Accountability: No explanation was provided for why Serious Case Reviews were omitted for seven of the children, and no court professionals were held accountable for decisions leading to child homicides.
Key Recommendations
Women’s Aid outlined several critical recommendations to improve child protection and court proceedings:
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Mandatory Case Reviews & Accountability: Ensure Serious Case Reviews are always conducted following domestic homicides, and establish legal mechanisms to hold family court professionals accountable, including removing their right to practice if found responsible.
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Legislative Risk Assessments: Pass legislation requiring courts to assess risk and prioritize child safety above contact in cases involving allegations of domestic abuse.
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Professional Training: Provide mandatory training for statutory child protection workers regarding domestic violence dynamics and risk indicators.
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Prohibit Unsupervised Contact: Disallow unsupervised contact with children for any parent awaiting trial for a violent offense against a family member.
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Support Services & Safe Environments: Expand independent domestic violence advocacy (IDVA) services, safe supervised contact facilities, and child-friendly welfare assessments over multi-week periods.
Conclusion
The report concludes that post-separation contact with a violent parent continues to pose significant risk to children when safety is not prioritised by statutory agencies and the family justice system. Women’s Aid asserts that these homicides were preventable and calls for immediate legislative changes, stronger inter-agency coordination, and professional accountability to ensure safe contact arrangements for women and children.