The Employer Covenant is a free pledge for organisations that want to recognise Child to Parent Abuse as a form of domestic abuse and support safer, more informed workplace conversations. Help your organisation recognise Child to Parent Abuse, raise awareness, and create a more supportive workplace for people affected by CPA.
Child to Parent Abuse Employer Covenant
What is the Employer Covenant?
The Child to Parent Abuse Employer Covenant gives organisations the opportunity to show that they recognise CPA and are committed to building safer, more supportive environments.
By signing the Covenant, your organisation is pledging to include Child to Parent Abuse in conversations, policies and practices around domestic abuse, while helping staff and volunteers better understand what CPA is and how it can affect families.
You do not need to have everything in place before signing. The Covenant is open to organisations at every stage, whether you already have domestic abuse policies and training or are just starting to explore this important area.
What is Child To Parent Abuse?
This can affect birth parents, adoptive parents, foster carers, kinship carers, step parents, guardians and other family members. CPA can include physical, emotional, verbal, financial, digital, coercive or controlling behaviours.
Because CPA is often hidden, misunderstood or under reported, many parents and carers may struggle to talk about what is happening, especially at work. A supportive employer can make a real difference.
Child to Parent Abuse, often known as CPA, is when a child, young person or adult child uses harmful, threatening, controlling or abusive behaviour towards someone with parental responsibility.
Why the Covenant matters
For many parents and carers, CPA does not stay neatly outside working hours. It can affect emotional wellbeing, concentration, attendance, safety, confidence and day to day life.
Someone experiencing CPA may be managing crisis situations before work, receiving abusive messages during the day, worrying about siblings at home, or trying to keep their situation hidden because they fear judgement or blame.
By signing the Covenant, your organisation can help create a culture where people feel safer speaking up and know they will be met with understanding rather than stigma.
What your organisation is pledging to do
By signing the Covenant, your organisation agrees to:
Recognise CPA as a form of domestic abuse
Include Child to Parent Abuse in conversations, policies and practices relating to domestic abuse, safeguarding, staff wellbeing and workplace support.
Build understanding among staff and volunteers
Support staff members and volunteers to learn more about CPA, how it may present, and how to respond with empathy and care.
Create a safe, non judgemental environment
Encourage a workplace culture where staff, volunteers, service users or members of the public can talk about their experiences without fear of blame, judgement or dismissal.
Who can sign the covenant?
Whether you employ one person or thousands, your pledge can help raise awareness of Child to Parent Abuse and support better understanding.
Businesses
Charities and nonprofits
Public sector organisations
Schools, colleges and universities
Local authorities
Health and social care organisations
Community groups
Membership organisations
Volunteer led organisations
What happens after signing?
After signing the Covenant, your organisation will receive information and resources from PEGS to help you take the next step.
Organisations signing up are also invited to an introductory CPAC training session led by PEGS. This session includes an overview of Child to Parent Abuse, lived experience and case study insight, research, and the chance to ask questions. The current page states this introductory training is offered to HR and staff wellbeing roles and lasts around one hour.
Sign the covenant
For many parents and carers, CPA can affect wellbeing, concentration, attendance and daily working life.
By signing the Covenant, your organisation can help create a safer, more understanding culture where people feel able to speak up without fear of judgement or stigma.
The Covenant is free to sign, and organisations can shape their own policies and procedures around its three key requirements, with support from PEGS if needed.
Everyone who signs up will also be invited to an hour long CPAC Introductory Training session for HR and staff wellbeing leads, covering CPA, parental case studies, research and time for questions.
FAQs
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Yes, the Covenant is completely free to sign.
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No. Organisations can sign whether they already have policies and training in place, or are just beginning to learn more about Child to Parent Abuse.
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The Covenant may be especially useful for HR teams, staff wellbeing leads, safeguarding teams, managers, volunteer coordinators and senior leaders.
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No. Signing is a pledge to recognise CPA and take steps towards improving understanding. PEGS can provide support and resources to help your organisation move forward.
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Yes. The Covenant is open to organisations of all sizes and sectors, including charities, nonprofits, businesses, public sector organisations and community groups.
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CPA can affect a person’s wellbeing, safety, attendance, focus and confidence at work. Employers who understand CPA are better placed to respond with care and without judgement.
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Organisations that sign the Covenant will be invited to an introductory CPAC training session led by PEGS. This includes an overview of CPA, parental case studies, research and time for questions.
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Yes. PEGS can offer guidance, resources and training to help your organisation understand CPA and develop a safer, more informed workplace culture.
How PEGS can support your organisation
PEGS can help your organisation better understand Child to Parent Abuse and the impact it can have on parents, carers, families and workplaces.
Through awareness raising, training and practical resources, PEGS supports organisations to start meaningful conversations, improve confidence and take steps towards safer and more informed support.
PEGS has supported more than 3,500 parents, carers and guardians and trained more than 1,500 professionals since becoming operational in April 2020, according to the current page.