Over the past month, important changes have taken place across government, policing and the justice system that affect domestic abuse victims and survivors (DAV). These developments signal a growing recognition that survivors must be treated with dignity, fairness and equality and that systems must change to prevent further harm.
This update brings together key reforms and consultations, with a focus on what they mean for survivors, children and marginalised communities.
Listening to Survivors at the Highest Levels
The Domestic Abuse Commissioner has recently met with senior government leaders, including the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the Minister for Courts and Legal Services, senior officials from the Department for Education, and the new Victims’ Commissioner.
These discussions focused on improving responses across health, education and justice, recognising that survivors’ lives do not fit neatly into one system. A joined-up approach is essential, particularly for survivors who face additional barriers because of race, disability, immigration status, poverty or language.
Sentencing Act: A Step Forward, with Work Still to Do
The Sentencing Bill received Royal Assent on 23 January and is now law.
One positive change is the introduction of a judicial finding of domestic abuse, improving how perpetrators are identified and monitored within the prison and probation system. This is a significant step towards recognising patterns of abuse rather than isolated incidents.
However, concerns remain about fixed-term recall provisions, which were not amended despite recommendations. These provisions can increase risk for survivors if perpetrators are released without adequate safeguards.
For this reform to be meaningful, it must be accompanied by:
- Proper training for judges
- Trauma-informed decision-making
- Awareness of coercive control and intersectional inequalities
- Survivor safety planning embedded in sentencing and supervision
Law alone cannot protect survivors; people and systems must change too.
Policing Reform: Trust, Safety and Accountability
The Home Office White Paper, From Local to National: A New Model for Policing, proposes reforms including:
- Stronger vetting standards
- New powers to tackle misconduct
- Core skills training focused on domestic abuse
These measures are vital for rebuilding trust, particularly among survivors who have historically experienced disbelief, discrimination or institutional racism when seeking help.
A survivor-centred policing model must be:
- Trauma-informed
- Culturally competent
- Free from victim-blaming
- Focused on protection rather than prosecution alone
Family Courts: Preventing Ongoing Harm
The Commissioner’s report Everyday Business highlighted how family courts can unintentionally expose survivors and children to continuing harm.
The government response is expected shortly. Meanwhile, work continues with the Ministry of Justice to explore a second phase of research alongside the Pathfinder programme.
Survivors have consistently said they feel:
- Disbelieved
- Silenced
- Forced into unsafe contact arrangements
- Treated as hostile rather than protective parents
True reform must ensure that domestic abuse is understood as a safeguarding issue, not a private dispute.
Domestic Abuse Related Deaths: Learning Must Lead to Change
The absence of reference to the Learning from Loss report in the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy is deeply concerning.
Each death represents not only a personal tragedy but a failure of systems meant to protect. Learning from these cases is essential to preventing future harm, particularly for Black and minoritised women, disabled women and migrant survivors who face compounded risks.
A formal government response is expected.
New Rules Protecting Survivors’ Privacy
A major shift has now come into force:
Police can no longer request counselling notes during investigations except in exceptional circumstances.
This change:
- Protects survivors’ privacy
- Reduces retraumatisation
- Removes a barrier to seeking therapy
- Recognises that healing should not come at the cost of justice
It affirms that survivors are entitled to support without fear their most personal disclosures will be scrutinised.
Children as Victims in Their Own Right
A new OFSTED inspection report on children affected by domestic abuse found serious gaps in multi-agency responses.
Key findings reflect earlier evidence that:
- Children’s voices are often not heard
- Responses vary widely by postcode
- Trauma-informed support is inconsistent
Children are not witnesses to abuse; they are victims in their own right. Any safeguarding reform must centre on their lived experience and long-term wellbeing.
Consultation: Child Protection Authority
The Department for Education is consulting on creating a national Child Protection Authority to strengthen and unify safeguarding systems.
This is an opportunity to design a service that is:
- Evidence-based
- Survivor-informed
- Equality-driven
- Accountable
- Accessible to families with lived experience
The consultation closes on 5 March 2026 and welcomes input from practitioners and communities.
A Call to Action
These reforms show movement in the right direction, but progress must be measured not by policy announcements, but by lived outcomes:
- Are survivors safer?
- Are children believed?
- Are inequalities reduced?
- Are systems accountable?
Domestic abuse is not only a criminal justice issue. It is a human rights, safeguarding and equality issue. Survivors deserve systems that protect them without judgment, and children deserve futures free from fear.