CHILD abuse and killings in the home were the focus of a domestic violence conference in Swindon.

National Domestic Violence co-ordinator Christine Mann from the Department of Health spoke to police officers and health workers yesterday at the University of Bath in Swindon.

It was the third annual conference of its kind to be held in Wiltshire and is seen as an opportunity to shape how the problem is tackled in the future.

The Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, John Bush, said the networking event was a vital tool in the fight against domestic violence.

He said: "It is a subject that is very close to my heart, because there are thousands of women getting beaten up by their spouses or partners.

"Last year we tried to get different agencies together to combine and pull in the same direction. This year we hope to produce an action plan to enable us to take a holistic approach."

Jenni Manners, of Swindon Women's Refuge, said: "It gives a great profile to the work that is being done to stop the huge problem with domestic violence.

"It is also a great chance to network, to meet face to face with workers from other agencies."

The conference was organised by Wiltshire Police in conjunction with Swindon Borough Council, Wiltshire County Council and local primary care trusts.

Stephen Long, Deputy Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police, said: "It's a great opportunity for those people to share their professional experiences, to reflect on what has been achieved over the last 12 months, and to set our goals for next year."

Francis Wake, chairman of Victim Support Wiltshire, spoke about reviews of domestic homicide.

He said: "It's great for us as a charity to be able to work with the statutory bodies in forming policy to tackle this problem."