Voices of Lived Experience of CPCA and ACPCA

Voices of Lived Experience On 15 May 2026, Silenced CIC hosted the 'Reframing Professional Practice on Child to Parent Abuse' conference at Coram in London. Bringing together researchers, practitioners and people with lived experience, the conference created space for important conversations about how we understand and respond to Child to Parent Abuse (CPA) and Adult Child to Parent Abuse (ACPA) This live illustration captures key themes emerging from the Voices of Lived Experience panel featuring Associate Professor Dr Nikki Rutter of Durham University, Al Coates CF MBE of the Adoption and Fostering Podcast, and Gillian Elam, qualitative researcher for the POTATO Group.

The session explored how lived experience, participatory research and peer-led knowledge are reshaping professional understanding and responses to CPA and ACPA. Throughout the discussion, panellists reflected on the realities of seeking support, navigating services and the importance of ensuring that the voices of children, young people, parents and carers are heard within research, policy and practice. One of the recurring themes throughout the conference was the importance of language. However, the conference was never intended to resolve the ongoing debate around terminology. Instead, it provided an opportunity to hear the wide range of terms currently being used by families, practitioners, researchers and policymakers across different sectors and contexts. As the field continues to develop, there remains an important challenge: how do we create language that helps professionals navigate the systems they work within, understand and communicate the severity of risk, and at the same time remain true to how children, young people, parents and carers describe their own experiences?

This work continues through ongoing discussions within the National CAPVA Associate and Strategic Group and other collaborative forums seeking greater consistency, understanding and recognition across the CPA/ACPA landscape. The panel reinforced that meaningful practice change happens when professionals move beyond assumptions and genuinely listen to lived experience. By valuing lived expertise alongside professional and academic knowledge, services are better placed to respond in ways that are supportive, effective and meaningful for families.

If you would like to explore these conversations further, you can listen to the Conference Special – Reframing Professional Practice on Child to Parent Abuse podcast episode and read our growing collection of post-conference reflections, including my blog on Holes in the Walls.

🎧 Podcast: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-7p6ya-1ad3dd9

📖 Conference reflections and blogs:https://holesinthewall.co.uk

🎨 Live illustration by Jenny Leonard (@jennyleonardart)

http://www.jennyleonardart.com