PROJECT AIM

To reduce the number of son-mother matricides across England and Wales, through producing evidence-based resources for practitioners working in health, mental health, and substance dependency support agencies, which will enable them to recognise signs of abuse in adult child-parent relationships, questions, better identify/assess risk to mothers caring for seriously mentally-ill adult aged sons, and work effectively with other agencies to prevent fatal violence.

WHY IT MATTERS

Son-mother matricides are relatively rare, but persistent, and there is emerging evidence that numbers are increasing. Evidence from Miles and Condry’s previous research indicates that a high proportion of son-mother matricides occur in the context of serious mental illness and may be preventable.

APPROACH

The research involves analysis of all available Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) (now referred to as Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews) for son-mother matricide cases in England and Wales since their inception in 2011 (approximately 80-100), to produce a synthesis of all recommendations included within published DHRs. This will be used to develop evidence-based resources for practitioners.

IMPACT

The resources will lead to a greater awareness and understanding of domestic abuse and potentially fatal violence and abuse towards mothers from sons, and enable practitioners to more effectively identify, assess and respond to risk, ultimately preventing matricide.