Help for Children
“In 40 – 70% of cases where women are being abused, the children are also being directly abused themselves”(Stark and Flitcraft,1996; Bowker et al, 1998.)
We recognise the importance of intervening early to prevent the cycle of abuse for children and young people affected by domestic abuse.
Our award winning Children’s Services Team seeks to provide strategies to keep children, young people and their families safe from further harm. Our services have been shaped to enable children and young people to understand the abuse they have been exposed to or experienced and subsequently move forward in a positive manner, to gain the best possible life chances.
Our services include:
- Early Years Service (0-5 years). Work under the Early Years Foundation Stage Guidance to support Mothers and their children through Family Support work sessions and group work.
- Therapeutic Direct Work for children and young people. Weekly sessions lasting an hour are conducted and last for up to 12 weeks dependent on level of need and risk. Work addressed includes understanding the impact of domestic abuse, relationships work, loss and separation, feelings work, safety planning, managing contact etc. This work is undertaken with refuge/resettlement/outreach children.
- Our timetable of activities for safe-house and resettlement children includes – play therapy, baby clinics, support groups, sports, after school clubs and homework club.
- A timetable of external activities through our parent and toddler group sessions at various Surestart Centres (Rainbow Project) and the PICADA group (Positive Intervention for Children Affected by Domestic Abuse) which assesses children and their Mothers through the therapeutic community process of group work.
- Youth Support Project offers support through group activities, awareness workshops and general group work. This is for over 11’s.
- A weekly Parenting Clinic is held for all Mothers referred to the service offering support, guidance and sign posting.
- Awareness raising in schools and community centres enables children and young people to understand what constitutes a healthy and safe relationship through fun interactive workshops. We use the ‘Expect Respect’ toolkit.
- Our Young Person’s Freedom Program is run to support young teenage women to understand their safety needs and break free from the cycle of abuse.
- Our Healthy Living Project promotes the health and well being of children and families referred to us through various projects including cook and eat sessions, exercise workshops, vegetable planting and health education.
We are winners!
Our Children’s Service Team is the proud winner of the 2010 National Children and Young People Now Awards for Charity Team of the Year. This award was given for the team which has made the greatest impact to improve the long-term outcome for children and young people affected by domestic abuse. AwardCSNov10[2]
We were also ‘highly commended’ in the 2011 National Charity Awards for our work with Children and Young people.