Cardiff expertise informs child abuse report

Cardiff University expertise underpins a recent national compendium of child abuse statistics published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Two academics from the award-winning Violence Research Group (VRG) provided data and insight into the first release of its kind - Child abuse in England and Wales – which brings together statistics and research from a range of different data sources across government and the voluntary sector.

Professor Jonathan Shepherd and Dr Vas Sivarajasingam collaborated with ONS to help produce the compilation.

Professor Shepherd said: “We are delighted that ONS has recognised the importance of our work on violence research. The report draws heavily on VRG's national violence surveillance data, collated over the past decade. These data are the only England and Wales measure of physical harm sustained by children.

“My colleague Dr Vas Sivarajasingam and I co-edited the official statistical report. The compendium marks a major milestone as the first co-produced output of a new strategic partnership between ONS and Cardiff University.”

Cardiff University and Newport-based ONS collaborate on a range of projects across areas of shared interest and signed a strategic partnership last summer.

Benefits include new data science skills through a summer school scheme, a new senior academic position and extra Masters’ and PhD courses.

The partnership, the first of its kind for Cardiff University, has a focus on data and data science, identified as a priority by UK Government, Welsh Government and Cardiff Capital City Deal.

The collaboration builds on years of close working which has seen Cardiff students take part in developing new ONS data science techniques that aim to inform top government decisions.

The Violence Research Group has helped bring about practical actions to reduce violence at a global level. Through practical research on violence, leading academics, working in collaboration with external partners and organisations have helped to understand, monitor and alleviate the causes of violent behaviour.