Research findings on court ordered custody

Ascend Domestic Abuse Service provides support and information to women who have or are experiencing domestic abuse in their intimate relationships across North Tipperary.

With the support of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 we engaged LIT to research the experience of 30 women who had attended court in North Tipperary in relation to child access and custody. We wanted to learn how women who have experienced domestic abuse manage their children’s needs in relation to court ordered custody and access.

 

On Tuesday, December 10th, they will be sharing the findings of this research at LIT Thurles.

We have found that that childrens voices are often silenced in relation to issues of access and custody due to the adversarial nature of the overall process. The issues identified include the complexity of parental alienation, the impact of domestic violence on children and the ways in which family dynamics operate in families where domestic violence is present. The report recommends that family courts should have judges dedicated to the specific role of working with family breakup and that children should be supported alongside the often long and drawn out, legal process, to be able to advocate to get their changing needs met. The report also indicates the urgent need to train judges on the issue of domestic abuse and ways to engage with young people.

Guest speakers at the event are:

Dr. Lisa O'Rourke Scott, (CPsychol), Lecturer, Director, Genders and Sexualities Research Group, Department of Applied Social Sciences LIT

Edel Lawlor- '100 Whispers' Exhibition gives voice to children's experiences of domestic abuse

Liam Carroll- Barrister-at-Law at the Bar of Ireland