Extending the reach: a timely and tailored response to children who experience family violence

Abstract

Like their mothers, children in Australia bear the brunt of men's violence in the home. They are particularly vulnerable to early and on-going trauma from family violence. Such trauma can influence future exposure to, or perpetration of violence in the home or community. Such a far-reaching social problem requires a considered and comprehensive policy response. Children have been in the picture, but not in the story because family violence services have traditionally provided an adult-focused response. As child-parent counsellors whose work focuses on strengthening the mother-child relationship, we discuss the limited reach of government policies such as Time for Action and The National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children. By highlighting Berry Street's Family Violence Turtle Program we argue that child-focused therapeutic responses are urgently required to extend the reach into our children's futures.