A new BBC News investigation has revealed substantial shortcomings in the training of social workers in England, especially in recognizing and dealing with coercive control, a vital component of domestic abuse. The investigation found that over a third of university social work programs in England provide no education on coercive control. Among those that do offer training, it can be as brief as one hour.
Limited Coercive Control Training in University Courses
Coercive and controlling behavior (CCB) was recognized as a criminal offense in the UK in 2015, with the intention of addressing the psychological abuse that underpins all forms of domestic violence. However, nearly a decade later, the BBC found that more than a third of accredited university social work courses in England are still not providing specific training on coercive control. Among the universities that claim to offer such training, the duration varies drastically, ranging from as little as one hour to up to 20 hours.
Freedom of Information requests sent to all 75 universities in England that train social workers revealed that 25 of the 67 respondents (37%) admitted they did not offer specific training on coercive control. Even among those that do, fewer than 10% provided a standalone course on the subject. This highlights a significant shortfall in preparing future social workers to address this critical aspect of domestic abuse.
The regulator, Social Work England, is responsible for inspecting these courses to ensure they meet professional standards for safe practice. However, the disparity in training hours and the absence of coercive control education in many programs raises concerns about the adequacy of these inspections.
Calls for Mandatory Coercive Control Training
Nicole Jacobs, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, expressed her concern over the findings. Describing them as “baffling,” she called for compulsory coercive control training for all social workers.
Writing on social media platform, X, Ms Jacobs said: “Social workers need the skills to provide #DomesticAbuse victims with the right response, every single time. That’s why domestic abuse training must be mandatory for social workers, and must include #CoerciveControl”
The urgency of the situation is underscored by the rising number of coercive control offenses recorded by police in England and Wales. In the year leading up to March 2023, more than 43,000 such offenses were reported—the highest number since the law was enacted nearly ten years ago.
Social Workers Express Concern
Social worker Cintia, who has been in the field for five years, recalls the minimal training she received on domestic abuse during her university education. “I remember having a one-hour lecture on domestic abuse; I had pretty much no mention of coercive control during my training,” she told the BBC. “It didn’t prepare us for what was coming. You feel like you’re thrown into the deep end.” Cintia estimates that about 90% of her current caseload involves psychological and controlling abuse, yet her university course barely touched on the subject.
Social worker Dominika, 30, who works at Birmingham Children’s Trust, expressed her fears to the BBC. She pointed out that failing to spot coercive control could mean someone could lose their life, whether that’s a child or a victim of domestic abuse.
The Consequences of Inadequate Training
Media platform, OpenDemocracy, have revealed the real-world consequences of this training gap, which are highlighted by the case of Errica Smith*, who experienced coercive control and psychological abuse at the hands of a partner who used manipulative tactics, including secretly recording her. When social services became involved, they sided with her abuser, advocating for her son to be placed on the child protection register. Despite providing evidence of the abuse she was suffering, Errica says the social workers “refused to look at any of it.”
“I was judged and penalized by all these professional social workers that have been in the job for a long time,” she told openDemocracy. “They made me feel like I was the perpetrator.” Determined to help others avoid similar experiences, Errica enrolled in a social work degree program at the University of Salford, only to find that she received only half a day of domestic abuse training during the three-year course.
A Shocking Breach of Professional Standards
In another alarming case reported by the BBC in August 2024, a mother, referred to as ‘Hayley’, revealed that a social worker assigned to her family started a relationship with the violent and controlling father of her children and had a baby with him. Court reports detailed how Mr. Y displayed classic signs of coercive control, including isolating Hayley from her friends and family, humiliating her, and becoming threatening and violent toward her. Despite this, the social worker wrote favorable reports about Mr. Y, which enabled him to maintain visiting rights to their children.
Sefton Council, which had contracted an agency to provide the social worker, later acknowledged that the risk assessments for Mr. Y’s visits were not “sufficiently robust.” Although Hayley now has full custody of her children, and Mr. Y no longer has contact, the case underscores the severe consequences of inadequate training and oversight in social work.
As coercive control continues to be a critical factor in domestic abuse cases, the need for comprehensive, mandatory training in social work education is more urgent than ever. Without it, victims of domestic abuse remain at risk, and the effectiveness of social workers in safeguarding vulnerable individuals is severely compromised.
Featured image: Social workers not receiving coercive control training. Source: Synthex🇺🇦 / Adobe Stock.
