Children and young people are more than witnesses to domestic and family violence (DFV); they experience DFV and its impacts directly. Recent strategic documents in New South Wales (NSW) acknowledge children and young people as victim-survivors of DFV. Responses to children and young peoples' experiences of DFV may differ from those that are needed by their parents. This paper​ considers progress in embedding the understanding of children and young people as victim-survivors of DFV within NSW policy and practice, looking at social services, education, justice and child protection.

Key points

• Domestic and family violence (DFV) is the most common form of child maltreatment. Up to 40% of Australians aged 16-65 years have been exposed to domestic violence as a child at least once.
• Children and young people themselves should be considered victim-survivors of DFV, rather than simple dependents of parents who experience ​DFV.
• Recognising and responding to children and young people as victim-survivors of DFV has implications for NSW policy and service systems – including social services, education, justice and child protection.
• Child rights and Indigenous rights frameworks can inform policy and service system responses to children and young people'​​s experience of DFV.
• NSW has embedded the understanding of children and young people as victim-survivors of DFV in some policy and service areas. Significant gaps remain, however, in how consistently children and young people are recognised, supported and protected across systems.