Domestic Violence: Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence
$29.00
Introductory
Online
Course Abstract
Domestic Violence: Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence is a 2-hour online continuing education (CE) course that details how to identify and help victims of domestic violence.
All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Territories have child abuse and neglect reporting laws that mandate certain professionals and institutions refer suspected maltreatment to a child protective services (CPS) agency. Some states use more specific definitions of who is a mandated reporter. Others opt for more flexible verbiage to cast a wider net. In all states, healthcare providers are mandated reporters.
Child abuse remains a dire social issue. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that at least one in seven children experience child abuse or neglect in the United States, with that number likely being an underestimate because many cases go unreported. To make matters worse, the long-term sequelae include a wide range of serious consequences, such as physical injuries, impaired brain development, behavioral disturbances, substance use disorders, and a variety of psychological disorders.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is, unfortunately, also a pervasive part of life in U.S. society. Approximately 41% of women and 26% of men have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime. Survivors of these forms of violence may experience physical injury, mental health consequences like depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and suicide attempts. Other health consequences like gastrointestinal disorders, substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, and gynecological or pregnancy complications are also common.
This course reviews the prevalence rates, definitions, outcomes, risk and protective factors, screening procedures (including signs and symptoms clinicians should look out for), as well as best practices in responding to and reporting abuse of both children and adults. Bullying, cyberbullying, the increase in online crimes against children, the likelihood of abused children becoming abusers, behavioral and physical indicators that a child on your caseload is a victim, and treatment interventions for victims of child abuse are also discussed. Primary prevention strategies are included to prevent IPV from arising initially and to reduce the adverse effects on survivors. There is a special section on the complexity of an abuse victim’s decision about if, and when, to leave an abuser.
Healthcare professionals will learn to detect abuse when they see it, screen for the particulars, and respond with definitive assistance in risk assessment, safety planning, and providing referrals to available resources.
This course meets the domestic violence license renewal requirement of Florida psychologists, school psychologists, counselors, social workers, and MFTs.
Course #21-70 | 2026 | 34 pages | 15 posttest questions | Mobile-Friendly
Learning Objectives
- Identify the prevalence, risk, and protective factors of child abuse perpetration
- Describe trends in bullying, cyberbullying, and online crimes against children
- List five signs and symptoms of child abuse that clinicians should be mindful of
- Discuss seven types of sexual violence and associated prevalence rates of intimate partner violence
- Explain six primary prevention strategies for eradicating intimate partner violence
- Evaluate best practices for screening, reporting, and responding to intimate partner violence
Course Directions
This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. The course is text-based (reading) and the CE test is open-book (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document).
Successful completion of this course involves passing an online test (80% required, 3 chances to take) and we ask that you also complete a brief course evaluation.
About the Author(s)
CE Information
Counseling
Professional Development Resources (PDR) has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5590. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. PDR is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Professional Development Resources is also approved as a provider of online (home study) continuing education by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling (#50-1635); the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135 - Note: New York counselors will receive 3 continuing education credits for completing this self-study course); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists (#193); and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 – completions are reported next business day, currently reporting for 47 boards).
Marriage and Family Therapy
Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB #1046, ACE Program); the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling (#50-1635); the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists (#MFT-0100 - Note: New York MFTs will receive 3 continuing education credit(s) for completing this self-study course); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists (#193); the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists (#114); and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 – completions are reported next business day, currently reporting for 47 boards).
Psychology
Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the Florida Board of Psychology (50-1635); the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of self-study continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145); and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 – completions are reported next business day, currently reporting for 47 boards).
School Psychology
Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the Florida Office of School Psychology (50-1635); the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145); and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 – completions are reported next business day, currently reporting for 47 boards).
Social Work
Professional Development Resources, #1046, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 6/12/2025 - 6/12/2028. Social workers completing this course receive 2 clinical continuing education credits. ACE format: Reading-based asynchronous distance learning.
Professional Development Resources is also approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling (#BAP346); the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW-0664 - Note: New York social workers will receive 2 continuing education credit(s) for completing this self-study course); the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678); and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 – completions are reported next business day, currently reporting for 47 boards).
Teaching
Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for all programs and content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling (#BAP346), Board of Psychology, and Office of School Psychology; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145), State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135) and marriage and family therapists (#MFT-0100), and the State Board for Social Workers as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW-0664); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists (#193); the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678); and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 – completions are reported next business day, currently reporting for 47 boards).
Customer Testimonials
I appreciated the links to helpful resources.
Hate the subject, but it's necessary and the author did a good job.
Very concise and useful.
This CE programs provides extremely important information and practical suggestions for helping others.
I learned a lot and thought the content was extremely useful.
More Testimonials
This course was comprehensive and contained very useful information for assessment and treatment. It also provided an excellent list of resources.
It was a great way to update knowledge on this very difficult topic for patients and therapists as well.
Great course. Easy to read and helpful information.
This course was very well written and easy to follow. It was well organized material with a good balance between principles and details.
Very user friendly and updated information.
A great course. I learned a lot. Thank you.
Thanks, I worked in child welfare for over 17 years and learned a lot. I am now in an educational setting, but this information is extremely valuable.
I work at the VA where there is a big focus on helping us learn to recognize IPV - the statistic about men and women having a similar lifetime prevalence (approx 1 in 3) was interesting to me. Thank you.
Thank you! Very helpful to use Florida as the example for states with different laws.
While some of the presentation was review, there were several findings that were extremely helpful and illuminating!
This CE programs provides extremely important information and practical suggestions for helping others.
Very helpful course and clearly presented.
Another great course by PDR. Again, the use of case examples is very helpful and lead to a better understanding of the material being taught. Great job, PDR team.
One of the most informative course on this subject that I have taken.
I appreciate PDResources. I can always depend on you for great courses with clear presentations. Thank you.
Excellent course!
I've been exposed to many DV & IPV classes and seminars over the years and this has been one of the most clear and concise courses I have taken in years.
Excellent course! The section on tips for clinicians working with victims who do not leave underscores the complexity of each client's decision. The course was comprehensive, well-written, and extremely useful. Thank you!
This was a good course with a combination of refreshers and new information. The resources provided are also helpful.
Thank you for a great course! In 2015, I published an article with colleagues in the Journal of Family Theory & Reviewed titled Effects of Childhood Experiences of Family Violence on Adult Partner Violence: A Meta-Analytic Review. Our findings offered support for the literature also presented here - that family-of-origin violence does not play a central role in the development of adult IPV.
Another great course from PDR. Easy to read. Applicable to practice.
I was satisfied with the content, organization, and clear language presented. It updated my knowledge in the area. Thank you! I will recommend it to others.
