Barriers and enablers to conducting domestic violence research with children

Investigator

Patricia Anne Mackey, Australian Catholic University

Funding

Scholarship funded by the Institute of Child Protection Studies at the Australian Catholic University (part of the MESSI study under ARC Discovery Grant)

Background

Despite the prevalence of domestic and family violence affecting 25% of Australian children, research directly involving children remains limited due to ethical, methodological, and logistical barriers. Gatekeeper reluctance, along with fears about retraumatisation, pose significant challenges to engaging children in this sensitive research area.

Aims

This study sought to identify the specific barriers and enablers in conducting domestic violence research with children, providing insights to support ethically sound and trauma-informed research frameworks that enable children’s voices to inform policy and service responses.

Project details

This PhD research was conducted with a range of participants, including 49 individuals from five cohorts:

• domestic violence service providers
• mothers with experiences of domestic violence
• clinicians working with affected children
• Human Research Ethics Committee members
• domestic violence researchers.

Method

The study involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews with participants across five cohorts, exploring their views on the risks, ethical concerns, and necessary frameworks for involving children in domestic violence research.

The STARR model, an enabling framework for trauma-safe, child-led research with a child-rights focus, was developed to facilitate ethically sound research with children in domestic violence contexts.

Findings

• Barriers: fears around retraumatisation, gatekeeper concerns, and safeguarding imperatives that often exclude children from participation.
• Enablers: a rights-based approach, supportive gatekeepers, and trauma-informed, child-centred methodologies.

Projected community impact

The findings aim to inform ethical guidelines, encourage trauma-safe research designs, and support children’s inclusion in research that influences policy and service development. Researchers, ethics committees, and domestic violence services will find this research pertinent to their work with children.

In the long-term, changes to research design can improve access for children’s perspectives in domestic violence research, contributing to more responsive and child-informed policy and service frameworks.

Publications

Mackey, P. (2021). Barriers and Enablers to Conducting Domestic Violence Research with Children. Doctoral thesis, Australian Catholic University.

Timeline

Completed June 2021

Contact

For more information, email icps@acu.edu.au