England & Wales · 2002
Adoption and Children Act 2002, s.120 — Definition of Harm
Protects: Children exposed to domestic abuse.
Information only. This is not legal advice. Court procedures and the law change. Always confirm with a solicitor, Citizens Advice, or a domestic abuse advocate before acting.
Summary
Amended the Children Act 1989 definition of 'harm' to include impairment suffered from seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another, recognising the harm children suffer from witnessing domestic abuse.
Key provisions
Effect
Witnessing domestic abuse is, in law, a form of harm to the child for the purposes of s.31 Children Act 1989.
What this Act affects
The specific protective court orders and decision points this Act creates or feeds — with the exact statutory section.
Care / supervision threshold
s.120 (amending s.31(9) CA 1989)Decision point: 'harm' includes impairment from seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another — anchors child as victim in DA cases for care, SGO and EPO threshold.
- Child Arrangements Order — fact-finding →
s.120 + PD12JSame definition of harm imported into private-law welfare and risk findings.