Inclusion Messages
Safeguarding
Child-to-Parent Aggression
Child-to-Parent Aggression and Violence (CAPA, sometimes referred to as CAPVA) describes a pattern in which a child or young person uses physically or emotionally harmful behaviour towards a parent or caregiver in the home. It is more common than most professionals realise, and significantly under-reported.
Research commissioned by the Mayor of London's Violence Reduction Unit found that at least 40 per cent of parents or carers who experienced violence from their children chose not to report it, with shame and fear of criminalisation among the most common reasons. Separate research from Respect found that CAPVA featured in between 21 and 27 per cent of youth offending caseloads, and accounted for between 64 and 67 per cent of police domestic abuse incidents where the suspect was under 18.
Families experiencing CAPA often present to school staff before they reach any other service. The impact shows up in children's behaviour, attendance, and emotional wellbeing: presentations that schools are already managing, often without the fuller picture of what is happening at home.
Capa First Response
Capa First Response CIC is a specialist organisation working with families affected by child-to-parent aggression. Their approach is non-blaming and relational: they work to understand the reasons beneath the behaviour rather than managing its surface presentation. They support children and young people up to 18, and up to 25 where there are additional needs or neurodivergence, diagnosed or not.
They operate as an online platform, which means their support is accessible to families across the UK, not limited by geography. Their own data shows a 100 per cent increase in referrals in the past year, with over 400 families referred and 98 per cent reporting improvement in parent-child relationships following support.
For professionals, their website includes useful background reading, including a clear explanation of their terminology and why they avoid the word "abuse" in describing children's behaviour. They offer CPD-accredited training ranging from a three-hour introduction to a full day, with bespoke options available for organisations. They also accept direct professional referrals.
You can find their website here:
capafirstresponse.org
SEN
Please note that the SEN department are trying to allocate as much continued support in lessons as they can whilst also managing the requirements of exams access.
The SEN team are currently also involved in many transition visits, talks and presentations at Primary Schools, so if they are responding to emails slightly slower you are aware.
A huge thank you for all your continued support working with our young people.
Gurvinder
Mia's notes
The first of this week's Bright Spots nomination comes from Laurence Bryar who says:
If there are any concerns about Equality and Diversity (staff) at GHS please contact A Johal (DHT)
