A registered social worker has published the first instalment in a series of child-friendly books ‘It’s ok to talk’, dedicated to capturing the voice of the child in matters of child protection and public health issues.

In the first book, Joey is a young boy who lives at home with his mother and her boyfriend. He experiences domestic abuse in his home. He is torn between telling the truth and keeping secrets, a common theme in many lives of children in similar households. This book is not written as an independent read for children, it is designed purposefully for use between the child and professionals who may hold concerns about this topic. It encourages the child to explore their own narrative based on Joey’s thoughts, experiences and feelings. The aim is to support children to be more open with professionals about what is happening or has happened in their own homes so that they can find the right support for them and their families.

Author, Emily Hill, said: “I know how hard it is to encourage a child placed outside of the family to open up. I also know that the most vulnerable children are often silenced by their families and therefore go unheard and unsupported during times which place their welfare at significant risk. This book is designed to be a practical tool to aid conversation and disclosures.”

To find out more visit: www.partnershippublishing.co.uk/product-page/joey-a-story-about-domestic-abuse-from-the-child-s-perspective

In 2021 we co-created Sharon’s Policy – a domestic abuse policy for SMEs informed by business woman Sharon Livermore’s lived-experience of abuse. It aims to help employers to take action on domestic abuse; to spot the signs, encourage disclosures, and to support employees who may be experiencing it.

Sharon’s Policy has recently been updated, and undergone legal review, to ensure that employees’ experiences are more widely understood in line with new domestic abuse legislation (2021 Domestic Abuse Act). Sharon’s Policy is available free of charge to all EIDA members, as part of their toolkit for Employers. To find out more visit eida.org.uk.

Pictured: Sharon Livermore – Cambridgeshire Businesswoman, DA Survivor, and Ambassador for the DA Alliance and EIDA.