Supporting Children through the Torchbearer Approach

At Reducing the Risk, our Schools Offer sits within the Reducing the Risk Domestic Abuse Torchbearer® Plan — a practical, place-based framework that mobilises people, organisations, and communities to improve awareness, access to support, safety and long-term recovery for adults and children impacted by domestic abuse.

Schools as the First Step

The Torchbearer approach begins in schools as part of primary prevention — stopping abuse before it starts.

Schools are often one of the few consistent and trusted environments in a child’s life. When staff feel confident and supported, they can play a vital role in noticing concerns early and ensuring children and families are connected to help.

Through training, support and collaboration, we help education settings:

• Improve competence in recognising and responding to domestic abuse
• Understand the impact of domestic abuse on babies, children and young people
• Facilitate safe conversations with adults affected by abuse
• Strengthen safeguarding responses and links with specialist services
• Develop cohesive and age-appropriate curriculum approaches that promote healthy relationships and safety

Part of a Wider Community Response

When concerns are identified in schools or other settings, staff are not left to manage these situations alone. Instead, they are part of a connected system of support, with clear pathways into specialist help. The schools offer connects directly into the wider Torchbearer network which builds capability across communities through Torchbearer Champions and RtR Domestic Abuse Friends training.

The Torchbearer approach aligns with the Prevention, Provision and Partnership priorities of local and national strategies and works alongside other commissioned services. Additionally, the Torchbearer Plan has been co-designed with people with lived experience and embeds continuous improvement, using feedback and data to refine the model.

This has shaped several key principles that underpin our work, including:

• Understanding recovery from domestic abuse is not a linear journey
• Knowledge alone is not enough — people need confidence, which comes from training, networks and ongoing specialist support
• Domestic abuse has a significant impact on mental health, yet many mental health services are not currently domestic abuse competent
• Young people have told us they want their schools to have a better understanding, for their peers to recognise they are not alone and that help is available

Our training creates a supportive space where education professionals can reflect, ask questions and build confidence in responding to domestic abuse.