Responding to Children Exposed to Domestic Violence

The following research studies and policies address a variety of collaborative programs that respond to children exposed to domestic violence. Resources include State and local examples.

18 Ways to Support Children Who Witness Domestic Violence
DomesticShelters.org
Discusses childhood exposure to violence in the home and ways adults can support children who have witnessed domestic violence. Some of the tips include be with them; let the child lead; listen; be honest; reduce stress and build coping skills; help children manage their emotions; and build calm; stable environments.

Advancing Research for the Field
Quality Improvement Center on Domestic Violence in Child Welfare
Describes the work of the Quality Improvement Center on Domestic Violence in Child Welfare, which is partnering with and supporting research and capacity building projects in Illinois, Massachusetts, and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The projects are testing an adult and child survivor-centered approach aimed at improving adult and survivor safety, child permanency, and child and family well-being. 

Child Welfare and Domestic Violence: The Impact on Children and Families (PDF - 1,802 KB)
Quality Improvement Center for Domestic Violence in Child Welfare (2018)
Summarizes data and statistics on domestic violence and its impact on children. The fact sheet reviews prevalence, the co-occurrence of domestic violence and child maltreatment, access to services, utilization of services, and more. 

Children and Domestic Violence: How Does Domestic Violence Affect Children? (PDF - 332 KB)
National Child Traumatic Stress Network & Futures Without Violence (2015) 
Reviews ways domestic violence affects children and how children respond to domestic violence. The resource examines factors that may influence how a child will respond to violence and explores how family relationships may be impacted. 

The Childhood Violent Trauma Center
Provides trauma-informed treatment and services to children and families, works to build professional knowledge through research, and aims to advance the field of child trauma treatment through collaboration, training, and information dissemination. 

Honor Our Voices
Avon Foundation for Women, Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse (MINCAVA), and Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW) at the University of Minnesota
Presents an online learning module of practice guides and digital stories designed to increase the awareness and sensitivity of shelter advocates and other providers to the needs of children and suggests promising ways of enhancing services for children exposed to domestic violence.

Interventions for Children and Youth
Futures Without Violence, Promising Futures (2016)
Showcases interventions and resources for children who have experienced domestic violence and allows website users to browse interventions by age, by primary client, and by setting. 

Juveniles
National Institute of Justice, Crime Solutions
Provides research on programs serving children who have witnessed or are victimized by crime to inform practitioners and policymakers about what works in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services. Research is scored on being effective, promising, or showing no effects.

Supporting Children, Parents & Caregivers Impacted by Domestic Violence
National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma and Mental Health (2019)
Provides information for domestic violence and child welfare professionals and others working with children and families impacted by domestic violence. The website includes links to a 2014 webinar series on trauma-informed services for children and adult survivors of domestic violence and additional tip sheets and resources. 

Young Children in Foster Care: Supporting Young Children Who Witness Domestic Violence
Early Childhood Consultation Partnership (2019)
Addresses how to support young children who have been exposed to domestic violence and offers information for infants and toddlers who have been affected as well as strategies for working with children of preschool age. 

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State and local examples

Child Witness to Violence Project
Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center
Provides counseling, advocacy, training, and outreach focusing on children who are bystanders to community and domestic violence.

Children and Domestic Violence 
North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence (2017)
Reviews the impact of children's exposure to domestic violence for children of different ages and discusses programs to help. The website also offers a list of related resources on children witnessing violence. 

Missouri's MIECHV Team Implements Plan to Address Domestic Violence
ZERO TO THREE (2016) 
Explains how Missouri's Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) team is now training participants to screen for domestic violence and how to prevent domestic violence in homes where it is likely to occur.

Supporting Children in Domestic Violence Shelters
The Duke Empowerment
Examines an effort by the Duke Endowment to help children who are survivors of domestic violence living in six domestic violence shelters in North Carolina. The project worked to improve the ability of shelters to identify and respond to the unique needs of children, and the resource includes lessons learned.  

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