Children Who Witness Abuse Programs

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Children Who Witness Abuse Programs

• By Shabna Ali, Executive Director
• BC Yukon Society of Transition Houses

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BC Yukon Society of Transition Houses

• The B.C./Yukon Society of Transition Houses
  (BCYSTH) is a non-profit association of
  transition houses, safe homes, second stage
  houses, and other groups which serve the needs of
  abused women and their children across BC and the
  Yukon.

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BC Yukon Society of Transition Houses

• We represent 67 Transition Houses, 15 Safe Homes,
  12 Second Stage Programs and 93 Children Who
  Witness Abuse programs. The work engaged in by
  our members is the provision of refuge and
  support to abused women and their children.

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• As an umbrella organization we support the work
  of our members by providing advocacy on emerging
  issues and trends.
• In addition, we build capacity, provide support,
  resources and training to the Transition House
  Sector.
• One such resource is our Children Who Witness
  Abuse Program.

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Children Who Witness Abuse

• Dont worry that children never listen to
  you, worry that they are always watching
  you! Robert Fulgham

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What are the Children Who Witness Abuse Programs?

• The Children Who Witness Abuse Program provides
  psycho-educational support groups and individual
  counselling for male and female children and
  youth who had previously been exposed to domestic
  violence.

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• The program is available in 56 BC Communities to
  children and youth aged 3-18.
• BCYSTH provides training and support to agencies
  who want to provide this service. We have a
  comprehensive Children Who Witness Abuse
  curriculum and training program that consists of
  3 modules of training spanning 12 days.

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Who Initiated The Children Who Witness Abuse
Programs?

• The Children Who Witness Abuse Program (CWWA)
  arose from the Transition Houses and Battered
  Womens Movement.

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Why is there a need for the CWWA programs?

• Over 500,000 Canadian homes live with family
  violence. The effects of exposure to violence in
  relationships can follow a child from home to
  school and to the larger community
• Childrens exposure to abuse significantly
  disrupts their academic, social and emotional
  development. Prevention and early intervention
  programs are critical for these children

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Why is there a need for the CWWA programs?

• In 1998/99 approximately 378,000 children between
  the ages of 6-11 in Canada had witnessed violence
  at home at some point in their lives. This
  constitutes approximately 17 of the population
  in this age group.
• Exposure to witnessing parental violence in the
  home may lead to violence in the home and may
  lead to violent behavior in the community and in
  future relationships
• Source statistics Canada 2003

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Children Who Witness Abuse Program Goals

• The overall program goal is to interrupt/end the
  intergenerational cycle of abuse of women by
• Directly Helping Children Exposed to Domestic
  Violence
• Developing parental awareness of how domestic
  violence effects their children
• Raising community awareness through violence
  prevention

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How will the CWWA Program help children and youth
?

• The CWWA Program will help children and youth to
  
• Express Feelings in a healthy way
• Understand that they are not responsible for the
  violence
• Develop a safety plan
• Identify cycle of violence
• Explore myths about violence against women
• Develop strong conflict resolution skills

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What Services are offered through the CWWA
Program?

• Individual and Group Counselling
• Individual and Group Counselling for
  non-offending care-givers
• School Based Educational Activities designed to
  prevent violence

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A reflection on the CWWA Program

• The room had the feel of a loved hope chest,
• I came in search of understanding, answers and
  tools
• To restore our lives of violence witnessed
• The counsellors opened the chest
• With their
• Grace and understanding
• Warmth and Wisdom
• Gail

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Key Considerations in the Children Who Witness
Abuse Programs

• Applying a feminist philosophy of mothering is
  essential
• The safety of children depends on the safety of
  their mother

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Current Initiatives

• Violence Is Preventable Project
• Best Practices Guide

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Violence is Preventable Project

• The goal of VIP is to establish a province-wide
  system that would provide children and youth with
  school-based support and education around the
  issues of domestic violence.
• In the final year of a 3 year pilot program, VIP
  has touched the lives of approximately 5,000
  youth and adults in BC.

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• VIP is a community-based program that is
  facilitated by the existing Children Who Witness
  Abuse programs throughout the province of BC.
• The program consists of 3 main activity areas
• 1. Awareness Presentations that aim to educate
  educators, parents and other adults about
  childrens exposure to domestic violence
• 2. Violence Prevention Presentations designed
  for classrooms (K to Grade 12) where children and
  youth can learn about domestic violence.
• 3. Group Interventions for children and youth
  who have been exposed to domestic violence,
  multi-week psycho-educational groups are held for
  students in a school setting.

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Resources Available

• Some of the resources available are
• Children Who Witness Abuse Counselling Source
  Book/Practice Guidelines
• CWWA Counsellors Handbook 20 Most Commonly
  Asked Questions
• Childrens Activities Handbook
• Creating a Support Group for Mothers of Children
  Who Have Witnessed Abuse
• Children Who Witness Abuse Presentation Kit
• And many more.

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Contact us for more information at

• BC/Yukon Society of Transition Houses
• www.bcysth.ca
• 1-604-669-6943