PRIMARY school children could be taught about domestic violence according to Government plans to shake up the curriculum.

Lessons would be part of personal, social and health education, which is taught to pupils as young as five.

A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Family said modern life is increasingly complex and young people need good quality lifestyle lessons to stay safe and healthy.

The Relationships Centre, the Warrington Guardian’s charity of the year, works in partnership with a range of agencies to treat the effects and targets the cause of the abuse.

Lucy Hindmarch, acting director, said: “We are taught so many things in school that we don’t go on to use in later life. The one subject you don’t get taught is relationships.

“Our lives revolve around relationships. It seems strange that we aren’t taught what is a healthy relationship and what isn’t.

“In the same way there isn’t a manual on how to be a parent, no-one teaches us how to have healthy relationships you are just expected to know.”

She questioned how those who are not told what is appropriate and what is not learn about relationships.

“The general perception is if they don’t directly witness it they aren’t affected. But if they are in the next room their imagination could be running away with them making it worse,” she said.

“I feel it is about looking at what a healthy relationship looks like, rather than focus on domestic violence. It needs to be age appropriate.”

Lucy added: “More than 90 per cent of the young people on Talk Don’t Walk (the charity’s project which helps to reduce the risk of a young person running away) run away because of some form of abuse in the home. The typical age is 13 or 14.”

The charity, which is based on Sankey Street, delivers packs to primary and secondary schools in the borough addressing relationships and the dangers of running away.

The packs differ to target different age groups. Lucy said the charity’s approach is a more subtle way of protecting the children from harm.

The proposals are part of the Government’s efforts to stop violence against women and girls.

Ministers say the new curriculum would allow flexibility for schools.v