FURTHER cases of domestic violence and other problems in the home are expected to be revealed with the return of children to school.

Dorset social services say the last time children went back to school after lockdown its staff witnessed an increase in allegations of abuse and domestic violence.

The concerns come after a reported national increase of more than 20 per cent in incidents of domestic violence – which experts believe are likely to be a lot higher because many fear making a report.

Dorset Council domestic abuse champion Dorchester Cllr Molly Rennie says that if the number of reports of domestic violence have gone up when victims are living with the perpetrators under lockdown it is likely that many more cases will yet to come to light as restrictions are further lifted.

In many incidents the first inkling that something is wrong at home comes from children who are willing to confide in a trusted adult such as a teacher or classroom assistant.

Cllr Rennie says most victims suffer repeated violence, or other abuse, before they summon the courage to report what is happening to them.

Dorset director of education Mark Blackman says the county is prepared for an increase in allegations, having had a similar experience the last time children returned to school after lockdown.

He said he would not expect to see a big increase in reported concerns but said it was likely there would be an upturn.

“Our experience was that the last time they returned to school we didn’t see an enormous peak, but we did see an increase…we are not expecting anything disproportionate to what happened last time the children returned to school,” he said.

The director said that staff were trained to look out for signs of the home situation not being as expected and would respond appropriately to anything they were told.

Cllr Rennie says that Dorset may need to put in place more programmes of behavioural change for perpetrators of domestic violence – including courses for adolescents.

Councillors have been told that a small number of young people are showing signs of having copied abusive behaviour they had learnt outside school to get what they wanted. This included reported cases of children as young as 11.