Connect Centre for Research on Violence & Harm

We are called ‘Connect’ because we are making connections between:

Responding to overlapping forms of violence and violence experienced at different stages of life. This includes gendered violence to adults and violence, abuse and neglect of children
How we understand and respond to violence across different areas of knowledge and practice. Including the areas of social work, criminal justice, health, education, the voluntary sector
Understanding and preventing violence across different relationships, countries, settings, communities, cultural and political contexts
Research, policy and practice

Connect Centre Conference 2024

Children and Families Experiencing Harm and Abuse: Research for Change

Join us for our upcoming conference at the Castle Green Hotel, Kendal, Cumbria.

Research

Our research is policy and practice focused. We are collaborative and work with other researchers and organisations in the UK and internationally. We provide a specialist environment for:

PhD and postgraduate research training
Consultancy
Cross disciplinary and international networking
Debate and collective influencing through the Connect Members Network
Support activities for knowledge exchange and the use of research to influence change

Child protection
Domestic violence and abuse
Forced marriage
Gendered violence
Ethnicity, citizenship and violence
Sexual exploitation and sexual abuse
Trafficking
Polyvictimisation
Suicide and self harm
Cross national/international perspectives
Perpetrators
Violent children
Violence prevention
Prevalence and impact of victimisation
Children’s participation
Multi-agency working
New technologies
Abuse in young people’s intimate partner relationships
Child advocacy
Domestic abuse and adult safeguarding

Email the Connect Centre team to join our mailing list and find out about upcoming seminars.

Together with colleagues from King’s College London, we conducted a rapid scoping study to explore the knowledge, skills and training needs of the Early Help and Family Support workforces in England with regard to domestic abuse. This work was funded by the organisation ‘Foundations, the national What Works Centre for Children & Families’.

UCLan-led research confirms the vital role played by the NSPCC’s ‘Speak Out Stay Safe’ campaign.

A new national evaluation of the NSPCC’s Speak Out Stay Safe (SOSS) programme, involving 3,297 primary school children across the UK, has found that both children and school staff benefited from the education it provided on different forms of harm, highlighting the need for continued education in this area. The evaluation was led by Professor Nicky Stanley, Co-Director of the Connect Centre, in partnership with researchers at Bangor University, University of Edinburgh, University of Greenwich and Queen’s University Belfast.

Read the full evaluation report.

Roadmap Evaluation report published

The Connect Centre, UCLan, has published the evaluation of the Roadmap Programme, an innovation initiative for survivors of domestic violence and abuse. The results of the four-year evaluation led by Professor Nicky Stanley, Co-Director of the Connect Centre, in partnership with Bangor University, the University of East London and Manchester Metropolitan University, reveal the need for flexible domestic violence and abuse services that are more tailored and responsive to the changing needs of survivors and their children.

The report is published by Women’s Aid and SafeLives, two charities that collaborated with survivors of domestic abuse over a period of five years to develop and deliver the Roadmap Programme across England.

Read the full report and executive summary.

House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee inquiry on Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence in Schools

Dr Christine Barter was invited to act as specialist adviser to the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee inquiry on Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence in Schools. The STIR research (Barter et al 2017) was referenced five times in the Committee’s report which recommended that Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) be made statutory and the Government made an announcement to this effect in 2017, so extending SRE to children in all primary and secondary schools in England and Wales. Dr Barter and Prof Stanley advised on the drafting of a Parliamentary Briefing Paper that informed debates in both Houses of Parliament on this issue and guidance on SRE.

Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) (chaired by Baroness Jay)

Members of the Connect Centre (Lorraine Radford, Nicky Stanley, Christine Barter and Helen Richardson-Foster) presented research at the England Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) hearing on 12 April 2017. This was the first research evidence presented to the Inquiry and it will inform its ongoing work.

Find our publications on CLoK.

If you want to join our Connect Network, please contact us by email for further details. Membership is free and open to all who share our values and interests in doing and using research to end interpersonal violence.

Connect welcomes applications for researchers in the UK and overseas interested in postgraduate study for MPhil or PhDs in the area of interpersonal violence. To talk informally about the benefits of PhD study at Connect contact Professor Nicky Stanley.

Current projects

2023-2024: IDAC ‘Pathfinder’ Process Evaluation & Break-Even Analysis (Ministry of Justice)

This project incorporates a process evaluation and break-even analysis of two Pathfinder Pilot Integrated Domestic Abuse Courts (IDAC) in England and Wales, compared with two Child Arrangement Proceeding court processes. The central aim of this research is to understand how the IDAC process has been implemented and is operating and explore the scalability of this model to inform future roll out. Charlotte Barlow (PI), Helen Richardson Foster, Clare Scollay, Christine Barter and Nicky Stanley, in partnership with The Centre for Justice Innovation and Mutual Ventures.

2021- 2023: Frontline Police Officer Responses to Domestic Abuse Incidents Involving Children (Home Office)
The Home Office commissioned Ipsos UK in partnership with the Connect Centre, University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) to carry out research reviewing frontline police officer responses to domestic abuse incidents involving children. The research aimed to better understand current practice, processes, attitudes and behaviours among responding officers when attending these incidents. The final report will be published by the Home Office in early 2024.

2021- 2023: Process and Impact Evaluation of the Operation Encompass (OE) scheme (Home Office)
The Home Office commissioned Ipsos UK and the Connect Centre, University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) to undertake a process and impact evaluation of the Operation Encompass (OE) scheme. The study focuses on the ‘standard’ OE model and the piloting of the ‘early years’ (EY OE) model which shares police information with Health Visitors and early years settings. Finally, the study also researched the feasibility of expanding the OE scheme to additional harm types. The final report will be published by the Home Office in early 2024.

Contact Christine Barter (UCLan PI) by email for additional information.

2023-2024: SKAFADA: Strengthening Knowledge and Awareness in Family Services of Domestic Abuse (Foundations)

The SKAFADA study was undertaken to inform policy makers, local authorities, multi-agency partnerships, training providers, third sector organisations and the research community about the skills, knowledge, training and development of the Early Help/Family Support workforces in England in relation to domestic abuse. The final report will be published by Foundations in early 2024.

Joanne Westwood (PI), Nicky Stanley, Helen Richardson Foster and Leslie Humphreys (UCLan); Mary Baginsky and Nicole Steils (Kings College London) and Sophie Hallett (Cardiff University)

2019-2024: Developing the Evidence Base for Innovation in Social Care for Children and Families Affected by Domestic Abuse (CAFADA) (ESRC)

CAFADA is a four-year research project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The research team is led by Professor Jane Callaghan and includes experts at the University of Stirling, University of Edinburgh, University of East London, and the University of Northampton. At the University of Central Lancashire it includes Dr Kelly Bracewell. The CAFADA project examines how social care innovation might support children and young people impacted by DVA. It looks at examples of innovative practice in social care, the DVA and children’s sector, and the criminal justice sector, exploring how interventions are experienced by children, young people and their parents/ carers, their outcomes, and their impact on the organisations within which they are embedded. Innovations within the evaluation include: Safe and Together, which aims to improve social work responses to families who experience DVA; Operation Encompass aims to ensure support to children after police have been called to a DVA incident; an innovation to support children who want to be involved in Domestic Homicide Reviews; and interventions to support mothers and children/babies recovering from DVA.

Kelly Bracewell (UCLan) with Jane Callaghan (PI) University of Stirling and colleagues at the University of East London and University of Northampton

2022-2024: Learning Together

‘Learning Together’ project seeks to support researchers to safely and ethically involve children and young people in sexual abuse research. Prof Helen Beckett is co-leading the project with Dr Camille Warrington from the University of Bedfordshire. The project runs to summer 2024.

Helen Beckett (PI) with Camille Warrington, University of Bedfordshire

2024 Journeys Through Justice (MOPAC)

‘Journeys Through Justice’ is a small-scale qualitative study exploring children and young people’s views of criminal justice processes, following an experience of child sexual abuse (CSA) in London. Prof Helen Beckett is working with colleagues at the University of Bedfordshire on this research, which has been commissioned by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), as part of a wider study they are conducting into attrition in CSA cases within London.

Helen Beckett (PI) with colleagues at University of Bedfordshire

Previous projects

2018-2020: TESSE National Evaluation of Speak Out. Stay Safe (NSPCC)

Nicky Stanley (PI), Christine Barter, Nicola Farrelly, Farwa Batool and colleagues at Queens University Belfast, University of Edinburgh, University of Greenwich and Bangor University.

Professor Nicky Stanley, led the evaluation of the NSPCC’s Speak Out Stay Safe (SOSS) programme, which sought to understand the benefits of and need for further investment in education around types of abuse and harm. The SOSS programme is designed by the NSPCC and delivered to children aged 5-11 in schools across the UK. Delivered by trained staff and volunteers, the programme aims to increase children’s understanding of different forms of harm and abuse and enable them to seek help from a trusted adult.

The UK-wide evaluation, involving 3,297 primary school children from across the UK, explored how children’s knowledge, understanding and recognition of abuse, neglect and bullying was impacted by taking part in the SOSS assemblies and workshops. It found that both children and school staff benefited from the education the programme provided on different forms of harm, highlighting the need for continued education in this area. Teachers were also able to respond more effectively to children who asked for support following the programme. The findings show the importance of ongoing education targeted at boys.

Read the full evaluation report.

2018-2021: Evaluation of Women’s Aid and Safe Lives Shared Roadmap for System Change. Evaluation of several Women’s Aid and SafeLives early intervention responses. Funded by Big Lottery. Nicky Stanley (PI), Christine Barter, Helen Richardson Foster and Kelly Bracewell, with with colleagues at Manchester Metropolitan University, University of East London and Bangor University.

Read the full report and executive summary.

2020-2022: DAHLIA-19: Domestic Abuse Harnessing Learning Internationally under Covid-19.
An international research study exploring domestic abuse policy and practice for survivors, children and perpetrators during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research is being undertaken in four countries: the UK, Australia, Ireland and South Africa and is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Nicky Stanley (PI), Christine Barter, Helen Richardson Foster, Sarah Shorrock, Lorraine Radford and colleagues from University of Edinburgh, University of the Witwatersrand, Trinity College Dublin and University of Melbourne

2019- 2022: ES/005471/1 Domestic Homicides: Journeys of victims, families and agencies – using an Experience Based Co-design
The study will address important gaps in existing knowledge of domestic homicide and aims to learn from the journeys and experiences of families who have lost a relative to domestic homicide, victims/survivors of domestic abuse; statutory and voluntary domestic homicide reviews (DHRs). Funded by the Economic and Social Science Research Council, Kelly Bracewell, with PI Khatidja Chantler and colleagues at Manchester Metropolitan University.

2018-2021: Determinants and health sequelae of intimate partner violence and abuse in young adult relationships: a mixed methods study (MRC/ESRC) Christine Barter with University of Bristol

2016-2022: IMPACTS: Collaborations to address sexual violence on campus funded by the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
The overarching goal of this project is to unearth, dismantle and prevent sexual violence within universities, through evidence-based research that will inform sustainable curriculum and policy change. This SSHRC Partnership Project is the first of its kind to address, dismantle and prevent sexual violence by means of a systemic partnered solution in the fields of education, law, policy, arts, popular culture, news and social media (PI: Shaheen Shariff, McGill with Christine Barter)

2019-2020: Evaluation of the Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service Kelly Bracewell, Paul Hargreaves & Christine Barter

They speak for you when you can’t speak’ An Evaluation of the Paladin Service Research Report

2018-2019: Stopping the Cycle of Youth Violence: Pilot Evaluation. Funded by The Premier League. Christine Barter (PI), Kelly Bracewell and Paul Hargreaves

2018 - 2019: Piloting the Bystander Intervention to address domestic and sexual violence on campus in three schools: Social Work, Sports and Medicine. Process evaluation of the intervention to investigate whether the intervention is effective. Khatidja Chantler and Kelly Bracewell.

Feminist Activism Among Academic Staff in the Movement to Address Gender-Based Violence on Campus

2015-2019: Evaluation of Healthy Relationships, Healthy Babies. Evaluation of an initiative in two local authorities that aims to intervene early in the lives of young families experiencing domestic abuse. The evaluation is funded by the Stefanou Foundation. Nicky Stanley with Trevillion & colleagues, King’s College London. Evaluation report

2018-2019: Early Childhood and the ‘Intergenerational Cycle of Domestic Violence’ Research Review Rapid evidence review on domestic violence and the potential for this to impact on children's own violent behaviour, and any evidence of effectiveness of targeted interventions aimed at young families. NSPCC. Lorraine Radford, Helen Richardson Foster, Paul Hargreaves with John Devaney (University of Edinburgh) Radford, L., Richardson Foster, H. Hargreaves, P & Devaney, J. (2019) Research Review: Early Childhood and the ‘Intergenerational Cycle of Domestic Violence’. Technical Report. NSPCC, London.

Research Review: Early Childhood and the ‘Intergenerational Cycle of Domestic Violence’

2016-2019 Liberty Centre: Independent evaluation of a domestic violence service for standard risk and male victims. Big Lottery. Christine Barter (PI) and Rachel Robbins

Independent Evaluation of the Liberty Centre BLF Project: Final Report

2018 – 2020: Independent Evaluation of Lancashire Victim Services and Victim Code Rachel Robbins

2018: Scoping Study: Violence against Women and Girls Services, Comic Relief
The overall aim of the scoping review was to examine ways in which funding approaches and service provision for Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in England and Wales could be improved. Barter, C.A., Bracewell, K., Stanley, N., & Chantler, K. (2018) Scoping Study: Violence Against Women and Girls Services. Project Report. Preston, Lancashire. View Summary.

2017-2018: Pilot Randomised Trial of Project Respect: A school-based intervention to prevent dating and relationship violence and address health inequalities among young people
A multi-centre project to pilot the Safe Dates and Shifting Boundaries (sexual harassment) prevention programmes in the UK. National Institute for Health Research PHR. Christine Barter (co-applicant) with PI Prof Chris Bonell (The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine)

2014-2018: Step Up - Building the evidence base for early intervention responses for children, ESRC & Early Intervention Foundation
Creating, implementing and evaluating an evidence based early intervention response for children and families in Blackpool living with domestic abuse. Funded by the ESRC under the Early Intervention research programme. Lorraine Radford (PI), Nicky Stanley, Rachel Robbins, Paul Hargreaves and Emily Yeend.

2017: Pause
Evaluation of Hackney Council’s project to prevent repeat pregnancy and removal of babies into care. Lorraine Radford with OpCit

2015-2017: Child Sexual Abuse Knowledge Hub
Developing a research and practice knowledge exchange hub for the police working in a multi-agency context to safeguard children from sexual exploitation. UCLan is the North of England knowledge hub coordinator, Lorraine Radford with colleagues from the University of Bedfordshire, University of Sussex, Cardiff University and University of Worcester

2014-17: Fathering Challenges, Australian Research Council
This Australian study is examining interventions for perpetrators of domestic abuse who are also fathers. Nicky Stanley with Cathy Humphreys (PI) Kelsey Hegarty and colleagues, University of Melbourne, Curtin University and University of South Australia.

2016: Preventing and Responding to Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation in Other Jurisdictions, a Rapid Evidence Assessment for the Independent Commission on Child Sexual Abuse. Rapid evidence assessment of what can be learned from other jurisdictions about effective prevention and responses to child sexual abuse and exploitation. Lorraine Radford (PI, Nicky Stanley, Christine Barter and Helen Richardson Foster, funded by the Crown Office.

Rapid Evidence Assessment: What can be learnt from other jurisdictions about preventing and responding to child sexual abuse

2016: Prevalence and Impact of Abuse of Children in Residential Care in Scotland
Evidence review for the Scotland Inquiry into Child Abuse. Lorraine Radford (PI), Christine Barter, Nicky Stanley and Rachel Robbins.

The abuse of children in care in Scotland: A research review

2015-2016: Understanding Forced Marriage in Scotland
A mixed methods, national study in Scotland addressing the reported levels of forced marriage, service responses to forced marriage (including use of civil and criminal legislation) and the impact of forced marriage on survivors. PI: Chantler with McCarry (Strathclyde University); MacKenzie (University of Glasgow); Mirza; Baker (UCLan), Partners: Hemat Gryffe Women’s Aid; Shakti Women’s Aid and Scottish Women’s Aid.

Forced Marriage, Coercive Control, and Conducive Contexts: The Experiences of Women in Scotland. Violence Against Women

2016: Springboard Evaluation, South Lakes
This evaluation of a local domestic abuse service includes interviews with stakeholders and service users and focus group with young people. Rachel Robbins

2016: Evaluation of Doncaster Children’s Trust Growing Futures Initiative
This evaluation of Doncaster’s innovative approach to work with families living with domestic abuse is funded by the Department for Education. Nicky Stanley with OpCit.

2012-16: Optimising identification, referral and care of trafficked people within the NHS (PROTECT), Policy Research Programme DH, Stanley with Howard, Zimmerman et al, King’s College London and London Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Oram et al (2016) Provider Responses Treatment and Care for Trafficked People

Provider Responses Treatment and Care for Trafficked People : Final Report for the Department of Health Policy Research Programme : Optimising identification, referral and care of trafficked people within the NHS (115/0006)

2013-2015: PIECES Project – Investigating national policies to address child violence to identify good practices across the EU
Daphne funded research involving a detailed and innovative review of select national level policies in place in EU countries that aim to reduce inter personal and family violence by and violence towards children and young people Partners from Romania, Lithuania, France, Austria and Spain contributing.(Radford)

A content analysis of existing national strategies addressing violence against children in the EU: PIECES Policy Paper #1

2013-15: Public Health Research Programme, NIHR, Preventing Domestic Abuse for Children (PEACH)
This scoping study brought together international evidence on preventive interventions in domestic abuse for children and young people under 18 in the general population. These preventive interventions include programmes delivered in school, and media and community campaigns and initiatives specifically targeting children and young people. The study includes a systematic literature review, a mapping study of current provision in the UK and consultation with experts, policy makers, practitioners and young people.

2013-15: IMPROVE
An overview of interventions aimed at improving outcomes for children exposed to domestic violence: systematic review, evidence synthesis and research recommendations, Public Health Research Programme, NIHR, Stanley with Feder et al, University of Bristol.

IMPRoving Outcomes for children exposed to domestic ViolencE (IMPROVE): an evidence synthesis

2013-15: Safeguarding Teenage Intimate Relationships (STIR)
EU Daphne Programme, Barter, Stanley and Larkins and four European partners. Barter, C., Stanley, N., Wood, M., Aghtaie, N., Larkins, C., Øverlien, C., et al (2015). Safeguarding Teenage Intimate Relationships (STIR): Connecting online and offline contexts and risks.

2012-14: Bridging the knowledge and practice gap between domestic violence and child safeguarding in General Practice (RESPONDS), Policy Research Programme, DH, Stanley and Larkins with Feder et al, University of Bristol. Szilassy, E., Dass, J., Drinkwater, J., Firth, A., Hester, M., Larkins, C., Lewis, N., Morrish, J., Stanley, N., Turner, W. and Feder, G. (2015) Researching Education to Strengthen Primary care ON Domestic violence & Safeguarding (RESPONDS). Bristol: University of Bristol. Final report is available via University of Bristol

Juggling Confidentiality and Safety: a qualitative study of how general practice clinicians document domestic violence in families with children

2011-2014: Evaluation of children’s independent domestic violence advocacy service. Qualitative study to determine the impact of children's advocacy intervention across several outcome measures. (Westwood, Larkin, Stanley).

An evaluation of the Children and young people's independent domestic violence advocate (KIDVA) service

An Evaluation of the Sex and Relationship Educational Curriculum Tool: Sex and Stuff
A mixed method school-based evaluation of a PSHE resource. Bristol Public Health Authority, Christine Barter (PI) with Marsha Wood (University of Bristol).

2013: Developing programme guidance to address sexual exploitation and abuse of children in development and emergency contexts
Desk based consultancy research to produce guidance for UNICEF on protecting children and young people from sexual exploitation and abuse (Radford)