Community groups for children exposed to domestic violence

1. Community groups for children exposed to domestic violence A pan London project supported with funding from Comic Relief A celebration of the work so far and a discussion about the work to come…

2. What Children Tell Us

3. I would shout and stand in the middle… it didn’t work but I tried my best…it was worse if I didn’t do it. Lucy, aged 14

4. He would push me away and give me a back hander…so I called the Police. He ruined all my birthdays. Sarah, aged 7

5. He said I was naughty and pushed me on the floor, sat on top of me and began punching me. My sister helped pull him off. Raj, aged 9

6. I used to scream and shout “stop it” but I did nothing else. I was too scared I would get hit. Andrew, aged 11

7. My step dad hit me on the head and the top of my cheek. Jade, aged 14 He used to punch us all over my body and it was worse if I tried to help mum. Stephen, aged 15

8. He threatened to beat me if I called the Police. He threatened to kill me when I put only Mum’s name on the Easter card. He forced us to watch and wouldn’t let us leave. One day it was from 10.00 in the morning until 10.00 at night. Sometimes he pushed me and he would slap me round the face. Ahmed, aged 14

9. “Certainly think the DV project has put the subject high on people’s agenda. I think in general social workers ask the questions more as a matter of routine, partly because they know there is a service which will respond!”Manager, Family Centre

10. “Health Visitors feel more confident about domestic violence as they have you as a resource and there is now something locally to support families, beginning to give them the confidence to ask the question.”Manager, Health Visiting Service

11. “We are able to work together more effectively with some of the people who have attended your conference and now have a better understanding of the effects of violence on children and how they can be helped to recover.”Manager, Women’s Centre

12. “This work has put domestic violence where it firmly belongs as ‘everybody’s issue’. The project has done more to raise the DV profile than years of ACPC training.”Manager, Sutton Behaviour Support Team

13. “I learnt a huge amount from you about couple counselling when there is domestic violence. You advised against this, however the Family Therapist pursued this and I witnessed for myself the effects, which was escalating violence.”Project Worker, Family Centre

14. Welcome Davina James-Hanman Director of AVA

15. Comic Relief Rachel Billett UK Grants Programme Manager -Violence Against Women

16. The Programme • Is an integrated community group programme for children and their mothers who have experienced domestic abuse aged 4 – 16 years • Children’s groups help children begin the healing process..... • Mothers groups support women in understanding how to help their children recover

17. Guiding Principles Core Concepts • Validation Of Experience • Safety Planning • Identification Of Abuse • Exploration Of Issues Related To Responsibility • Exploration Of Issues Related To The Appropriate Versus Inappropriate Expressions Of Emotion • Groups Needs To Be As Positive And As Funfilled As Possible

18. Programme Information • 12 week programme • Perpetrator no longer lives in the family home • Suitable for children aged 4 -16 years • Sessions 1/1.5 hours per week for children • Mums start group before the child • Thorough assessment process to look at suitability • Desirable but not compulsory for mothers to attend

19. Programme Content • Getting to know you • Breaking the silence • Thinking about feelings • What happened in our family • Keeping safe • Understanding responsibility

20. Dealing with anger • Solving problems • Family changes • Keeping safe – social networking and sexual abuse • Self esteem-All about me • Celebration and saying goodbye

21. Coping with loss and changes

22. What Children Say About Group • LOVE THE SNACKS • LOVE THE SNACKS • Good to meet other children with similar experiences • Good to know it can happen in all families • I know how to keep safe now • There are people I can talk to • I know it’s not my fault • I no longer believe I’ll turn out like dad

23. Programme History • Based on early research by Peter Jaffe et al in London Ontario • 1986 First manual and groups for children • 1996 Favourable evaluation • 1997 practitioners manual published • 2004 London Borough of Sutton pilot the programme

24. 1994 programme evaluation • Positive satisfaction ratings post group from mothers and children • Children improved in ability to identify abusive actions and behaviours • Far fewer children indicate they would try to intervene in abusive incidents post group • Far fewer children condoned any type of violence post group • Fewer children felt that they were the cause or responsible for parental fights • Children improved in their strategies to manage interpersonal conflict

25. Programme EvaluationsCanada, London, Scotland • Positive satisfaction ratings post group from mothers and children • Children improved in ability to identify abusive actions and behaviours • Far fewer children indicate they would try to intervene in abusive incidents post group • Far fewer children condoned any type of violence post group • Fewer children felt that they were the cause or responsible for parental fights • Children improved in their strategies to manage interpersonal conflict

26. Scottish Women’s Aid 2011 • Children and mothers develop a greater understanding of domestic abuse • Children learn how to manage emotions and actions • Children have greater knowledge of safety planning and support • Groups have positive impact on mother – child relationships • Families have a more positive future outlook

27. Interagency collaboration • Working together to secure positive outcomes for children

28. Interagency collaboration • Group facilitators from diverse agencies, both statutory and voluntary, with an understanding of the issue of domestic abuse and it’s impact on children • Partner agencies ‘buy in’ support of the programme in recognition of the importance of the service • Domestic violence is in every agency

29. Agencies come together and take shared responsibility for domestic violence Communication across agencies improves and sound relationships develop Staff from different agencies jointly collaborate to achieve best outcomes for mums and children Benefits of a Collaborative Approach • Raised awareness across agencies of impact and issues for mothers and children • Increased individual expertise and knowledge • Skills obtained at group are transferable to other settings

30. Inter-agency Collaboration Programme Coordinator Behaviour Support Team Probation Service Voluntary Sector School Nurses Education Welfare Health Visitors CAHMS Social Services

31. “Certainly think the DV project has put the subject high on people’s agenda. I think in general social workers ask the questions more as a matter of routine, partly because they know there is a service which will respond!”Manager, Family Centre

32. “Health Visitors feel more confident about domestic violence as they have you as a resource and there is now something locally to support families, beginning to give them the confidence to ask the question.”Manager, Health Visiting Service

33. “We are able to work together more effectively with some of the people who have attended your conference and now have a better understanding of the effects of violence on children and how they can be helped to recover.”Manager, Women’s Centre

34. “This work has put domestic violence where it firmly belongs as ‘everybody’s issue’. The project has done more to raise the DV profile than years of ACPC training.”Manager, Sutton Behaviour Support Team

35. “I learnt a huge amount from you about couple counselling when there is domestic violence. You advised against this, however the Family Therapist pursued this and I witnessed for myself the effects, which was escalating violence.”Project Worker, Family Centre

36. Programme Snapshot 50 Children: • Child Protection Register – 10 • Child with Disability – 2 • Child in Need – 10 • Youth Offending Team – 2 • Local Authority Care – 1 current/2 past • Concerns for Child - 8

37. Referrals • Social Workers – 38% • CAMHS – 22% • Behaviour Support Team – 14% • Education (HT/POW) – 12% • Health (HV/SN) – 8% • Voluntary Organisation – 4% • Probation – 2%

38. Funded by Comic Relief 2009 • Initial funding for 3 years to encourage participation across 33 London Boroughs; • Extended now for a further year; • Initial showcase event to promote interest; • Training offered – two levels – coordination and facilitation; • Thematic networking events; • Email support and consultation.

40. Progress so far… • Currently 11 Boroughs are running groups • 5 boroughs are preparing / planning to run groups • 3 boroughs provide an alternate service for children but are in consultation with AVA about the community groups project • To date AVA has provided training to 217 staff across 27 boroughs • National interest is also emerging

42. What working with children has taught me Dermot Brady. AVA March 2012

43. Three main themes • Developing programmes and networks • Direct work with children • Professional development

44. What you can learn from working with Linda • Early groups in Sutton • Make friends not enemies • A lot for a little and nothing for nothing • Mentor the next generation • Unintended benefits • What about me?

45. Direct work • Make the tea • Surprisingly resilient? • Children learn quickly • Behaviour outweighs everything • Start early but don’t walk away • Listen carefully, talk even more carefully • Start early

46. Professionally… • Stick to the programme • Collaboration is essential • Change is a narrative, not a balance sheet • Get your staff to do it • Listening to children? • Protect the mother to protect the child • Invite the father to take responsibility

47. Strengths • Awareness raised nationally about the programme; • More boroughs are running groups since the funding from Comic Relief; • Huge commitment at a practitioner level to participate in the work; • Endorsement by the Canadian authors; • Collaborative working with Scottish Women’s Aid; • Permission gained to adapt and re-design manuals to UK context; • Extended funding for 1 year; • Support materials and guidance have been developed; • Evaluation pre and post group measures available ; • Free funding has enabled boroughs to have a pool of trained facilitators.

48. New Manuals-Updated- New design - New sections for teens- More activities- Wide consultation - Support from Canada- Will take evaluation findings into account- Currently being designed and will be available on usb sticks (and hard copies?) very soon….

49. The Challenges • Current economic climate; • Change in government and impact on policy and practice; • Staff redundancies, services being redefined, high staff turnover especially in London; • Identifying who the key stakeholders are to connect with to promote the programme; • Attempting to set up an intensive programme across 32 different areas; • Funding only available for a further year.

50. New updated electronic manuals including a fuller version for young people; Access to pre and post group programme measures; An e-forum to share ideas and experiences with staff involved in groups elsewhere. What AVA can offer • Free training for coordinators; • Free training for facilitators; • Thematic networking events; • Access to a members website for group materials and support; • Consultation and support to boroughs individually; • AVA staff attendance at relevant strategic meetings; • Support with adapting programme to meet the needs of the local community.