Merseyside has seen a 'significant' increase in reports of child-to-parent abuse, the government has said.
An increase in abuse of parents by children and young people has led to Merseyside Police providing the county's first programme for abuse, using the Respect Young People’s Programme.
Respect Young People's Service develops programmes to address the use of violence and abuse in children and young people's close relationships.
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The programme is being rolled out after The Home Office gave £11.3 million to 25 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales, to go towards domestic abuse intervention programmes.
As part of this funding, Merseyside has received £620,393 which will go towards four specific programmes.
As well as Merseyside’s first programme for abuse of parents by children and young people, the money will mean Merseyside Police will be able to establish a dedicated team responding to the complex support needs of referred domestic abuse perpetrators. This will focus on health and social care needs, emotional wellbeing, housing, drugs and alcohol recovery and debt advice.
Another section of the funding will go towards a three-part programme focusing on non-convicted male perpetrators of domestic abuse to address substance misuse, mental health and unemployment.
The final project will focus on interventions using the Stalking Risk Profile to address intimate partner stalkers, with Paladin-trained ISACs providing support to female victims.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said: "To prevent the abhorrent crimes of domestic abuse from happening in the first place, we must deepen our understanding of who commits them, why they do so, and how it may escalate.
"This fund builds on the considerable work already taking place to tackle domestic abuse and aims to better understand key behaviours so we can put a stop to them for good."
Earlier this year the Home Office passed the Domestic Abuse Act, which will bolster the response to domestic abuse on every level, strengthening protections for victims whilst also ensuring perpetrators feel the full force of the law.
Last month the government also published its Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, to help ensure that women and girls are safe everywhere – at home, online and on the streets.
The Home Office also took swift action right at the beginning of the pandemic with the #YouAreNotAlone campaign and worked with pharmacies across the country to launch the Ask for Ani codeword scheme.
This is in addition to appointing a Domestic Abuse Commissioner and providing more than £28 million to domestic abuse organisations.
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