Women in the Middle The Intersection of Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System

Abstract

In families affected by domestic violence, women are typically both the battered party and the parent most likely to be responsible for the caretaking of children. Although the domestic violence and child welfare service systems both work towards ending family violence, confl icting goals refl ect the historical tension between the woman-centered battered women’s movement and the child-centered child welfare system. This article considers the overlap between the domestic violence and child welfare service systems and women’s place at the intersection of these two spheres. Suggestions to improve policy and practice are made for social workers who serve battered women and children affected by family violence.