§ Mr. StreeterTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the prevalence of child abuse in the home within different categories of family configuration and marital status; [85102]
(2) what research into the prevalence of child abuse in the home has been funded by Central Government in the last five years; and which of these studies break down their results by family configuration and marital status. [85115]
§ Hilary BennCentral Government have funded or directly undertaken several research studies into different aspects of child abuse in the last five years, but none specifically into the issue of prevalence within the home.
With regard to family configuration, a three-year study, jointly funded by the Home Office and the University of Birmingham, looked at the issue of repeated abuse during childhood (Hamilton and Browne, 2000). The index sample consisted of 400 children referred to police child protection units. The vast majority (91 per cent.) lived with their biological mother, 44 per cent. with their biological father and 39 per cent. with both natural parents. However, the study did not indicate the marital status of the relationship or the presence of a step-parent.