ABSTRACT
‘Do you know what?’ The little boy standing in front of me began with the phrase so typical of young children before they give you a glimpse into their minds. He leaned in towards me to use a quiet voice. ‘Last night my dad pulled my mum’s hair and kicked her and me and my brothers all jumped on him to get him off.’ He was smiling, but it was an uncertain smile as he looked to see how I would respond. I was a student teacher on my first teaching placement, and this child was one of the quiet stars of the class, always polite and attentive; his words shocked me and left me uncertain as to how to respond. I decided I needed to explore the degree to which domestic violence is a critical issue for children and therefore for schools, and the best ways for practitioners to help children living with this frightening reality.
