Domestic Violence

Chadwick Center for Children and Families, 2008

This document is a resource for service providers who work with Latino families who have experienced traumatic events. The authors cover 12 policy areas, including assessment, therapy, organizational competence, and policy, with an overview of issues, recommendations for improving practice, and resources for each area.

O'Keefe, M. and Lebovics, S., The Prevention Researcher, 12 (1), 2005, p. 3-7

The authors of this article discuss common reactions by adolescents who witness interparental violence and some of the ways in which exposure may impede their development. Compared to youth from non-violent homes, adolescent witnesses have higher rates of aggression, more fatalistic views of the future, and increased risk for delinquency, school truancy and other risky behaviors.

Davies, J., 2009

In this guide, published by the Family Violence Prevention Fund, the author describes victims in contact with batterers, explains why they remain in contact, and describes a victim-defined approach to advocacy. Topics include the accuracy of victims’ risk analyses, what to include in a safety plan, what to do when advocates have a different analysis, and when to talk about options for limiting contact. The authors also discuss ways to support a victim’s parenting, reviewing risks to children, and what to do if the children are not okay.

Sowers, K.M. and Rowe, W., Special Issue on Children, Violence and Mental Health, 4 (1), 2008

In this issue, the authors discuss research findings from the five year national process and outcome evaluation of the Safe Start Demonstration communities, and from innovative research projects designed and executed by six demonstration sites. Topics include service recommendations, building resiliency, crisis intervention for exposure to intimate partner violence, role of law enforcement and other service sectors, and recommendations for mental health systems.

Family Violence Prevention Fund

The authors of this online curriculum provide resources to help batterer intervention programs help fathers who have perpetrated family violence relate to their children in positive ways. Topics include background information, cultural and parenting issues, staff training activities, evaluations of pilot programs, exercises on empathy, modeling, and the reparative process, personal stories, downloadable guides, and other tools. Available in English and Spanish.

Taggart, S., 2009

In this guide, published by the Family Violence Prevention Fund, the authors provide strategies for developing effective Program Improvement Plans (PIPs) to achieve safety, permanency, and well-being in domestic violence cases, and to identify technical assistance needs. Topics include current research on the differential impact of exposure to domestic violence on children, potential PIP strategies, process and practice measures, indicators, and system factors.

Bragg, H.L., 2003

In this practice manual, published by the Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the author provides concrete strategies for identifying and responding to situations in which children are exposed to domestic violence. Topics include information about the overlap between child maltreatment and domestic violence, conducting an initial screening, practice guidelines for family assessment, practice modifications, enhancing safety, and building collaborative responses.

National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, Juvenile and Family Court Journal, 57 (1), Winter 2006

In this special issue, written in collaboration with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, the authors examine child trauma as it affects both dependency and delinquency issues that come before the court. Topics include the impact of trauma on child development, pathways from child maltreatment to delinquency and the role of the family court judge, trauma-informed custody decisions, supporting children in the child welfare and juvenile court systems, trauma interventions and systems change in rural areas.

National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, 59 (4) Juvenile and Family Court Journal, 2008

This special issue, written in collaboration with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, builds on the 2006 special issue on Child Trauma. In both issues, the authors focus on the impact that trauma has on children and families, and how trauma affects the experience of children and youth who come before the court. Topics include a systems integration approach to helping children heal from trauma, a court response to children who have been traumatized, best practices, obtaining information from children, and how to maintain emotional health while working with trauma.

Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children's Mental Health, Focal Point: Research, Policy, and Practice in Children's Mental Health: Traumatic Stress/Child Welfare, 21 (1), Winter 2007, p. 27-30

The authors of this article argue that public policy decisions play a pivotal role in prevention, service, and treatment efforts for children who have been affected by traumatic events, and that good public policy requires strong collaborative relationships among policy leaders, affected families, and all those who work with traumatized children. Topics include need for information at the systems level, policy implications, and current policy issues.

Georgia State Department of Human Resources, 2007

In this training manual, the authors focus on practical applications of knowledge about the co-occurrence of family violence and child abuse. Topics include addressing denial, lethality assessment, child and perpetrator assessment of domestic violence, family safety plans for children and survivors. The training are based on Georgia statutes, but can be adapted to other States.

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, 2002

The authors of this information packet provide an introduction to the issue of children's exposure to intimate partner violence. Topics include effects of intimate partner violence on children, co-occurrence of intimate partner violence and child abuse, parenting practices of victims and perpetrators, collaborations between domestic violence and child protection agencies, effective interventions, and resources.

Vuong, L., Silva, F., Marchionna, S., Focus, 2009

The authors of this article review the research through 2007 about the types of violence and the effects on children and what programs might mitigate the trauma in both the short and long term. They include a list of promising prevention and intervention programs to break the cycle of violence.

Jaffe, P.G., Crooks, C.V., Poisson, S.E., Juvenile and Family Court Journal, Fall 2003, p. 57-68

The authors of this article address misconceptions about the extent and impact of domestic violence in child custody proceedings. Topics include gaps between the intended vision of recent legislative reforms and the reality for survivors and children, common misconceptions accompanied by interviews with mothers and practical implications and promising practices associated with each issue.

National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention

The Evaluation Toolkit was developed to assist family support and child abuse prevention programs conduct meaningful evaluations of their services and demonstrate their effectiveness and efficiency. Components include building an evaluation plan, logic model builder, outcomes and indicators, and annotated measurement tools.

Emery, C.R., 2006

In this review, published by the National Institute of Justice, the author examines the research literature from 1984 to 2004 on the effects of domestic violence exposure on children. The author finds that such exposure significantly predicts externalizing and internalizing behavior, total behavior problems, and use of alcohol among children. Promising treatment approaches include those designed to reduce anxiety, treat acute and post-traumatic stress disorder, improve the parent-child relationship, and teach parenting skills.

National Child Traumatic Stress Network

This is a CD-ROM-based training on the impact of domestic violence on children developed for law enforcement. The training presents a "typical" domestic violence scene to which law enforcement officers are called to respond. NCTSN also provides print materials on school and community violence, complex trauma, and child abuse and neglect.

Maze, C., Aaron, S.M., Lederman, C.S., 2005

In this handbook, published by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the authors describe the development, implementation, and lessons learned by an initiative to address co-occurring domestic violence and child maltreatment in a dependency court setting. Contents include the creation of the program, a comprehensive review of daily operations and interventions, and the value of domestic violence advocacy in dependency court.

B. Groves, 2007
Focal Point: Research, Policy, and Practice in Children's Mental Health, 21, (1) Winter (Special Issue on Traumatic Stress/Child Welfare), p. 16-18

This issue of Focal Point is devoted to child traumatic stress, particularly as it is found among children and adolescents involved with the child welfare system, and examines current knowledge about the most effective treatments. Articles include Traumatic Stress and the Child Welfare System, Evidence-Based Treatment for Children in Child Welfare, and Early Intervention as Prevention: Addressing Trauma in Young Children.

 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, (56) August 10, 2007

The authors report the recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services, which in 2004-2006 conducted a systematic review of published scientific evidence and concluded that universal school-based programs decrease rates of violence and aggressive behavior among school-aged children at all levels. Topics include background, method, results, and use of the recommendations in schools and communities.

 

National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2005

The authors of this fact sheet describe the challenges faced by children of homeless families, which may act as "secondary adversities," putting a child at greater risk for trauma reactions and making recovery difficult. These challenges include such experiences as loss of routines and possessions, abrupt separations, hunger, interpersonal, mental, and physical problems, and ongoing reminders of traumatic experiences. They provide specific recommendations for shelter programs to provide trauma-informed services to children and families, and where to find further information.

Youcha, V.,Hudson, L., and Rappaport, D.M.,The Baby Monitor: Zero To Three Policy and Advocacy News, April 3, 2006

In this issue, the authors describe Court Teams for Maltreated Infants and Toddlers, a pilot project launched in three communities in 2005. Participating judges partner with a child development specialist to create a team of child welfare and health professionals, child advocates and community leaders who provide services to abused and neglected infants and toddlers.

National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2009

Children and adolescents who come into the court system frequently have experienced not only chronic abuse and neglect, but also exposure to substance abuse, domestic violence, and community violence. The authors of this brief inform judges and related personnel about the psychological, emotional, and behavioral consequences of these experiences. Topics include the effects of traumatic stress by age, assessment, choosing appropriate service providers, and references.
Allo, J. and Ptak, A., 2009
 
Published by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the Greenbook was designed to guide collaborative efforts among local child protection agencies, domestic violence advocacy programs, the family or dependency court, and other organizations, to more effectively serve families experiencing domestic violence and child maltreatment. In this document, the authors share leadership lessons from the perspective of the Greenbook project directors. Topics include laying the foundation for change, resources and strategies to promote the change process, and leadership to meet diverse program needs.

 

Johnson, K. and Rosenthal, J., 2009
 

In this report, published by The Commonwealth Fund and the National Academy of State Health Policy, the authors discuss ways to improve linkages between pediatric primary health care and mental health, child welfare, and early care and education. Specific strategies include maximizing the use of personnel, undertaking quality improvement initiatives, and supporting individualized care plans and cross-systems planning.

Bureau of Justice Statistics and National Center for Education Statistics, 2009

In this annual report, the authors present current statistics on the nature of crime and responses to violence in schools and school environments.Contents include interviews with students, teachers, and principals.

Perry, D.F. and Kauffman, R.K., 2009

The Pyramid Model is a tiered framework of strategies and measures to support the socio-emotional health of children, birth to age 5, currently implemented in several states. The authors of this policy brief, published by the Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Interventions for Young Children, discuss the purpose of early childhood mental health consultation, knowledge and skills that effective consultants need, research findings, and policy issues that arise when attempting to integrate these two approaches at the state and local levels.

Baker, L. and Cunningham, A., 2005

The authors of this paper, published by the Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System, Ontario, Canada, provide an introduction to the topic for families and professionals. Topics include the dynamics of abuse against women, the concept of power and control, incidence statistics, finding appropriate resources, how children are affected by violence at home and how they cope, how to respond to child disclosure, standards of professional conduct, reviewing providers' attitudes, and how to make a difference to end violence. 

National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, 2008

The authors of this report describe incidents of intimate partner violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBT) people that were reported in 2007 to community-based, anti-violence organizations in 14 regions throughout the United States. Topics include general information about LGBT domestic violence, regional specific data, availability of orders of protection to LGBT survivors, tips for supporting survivors of intimate partner violence, and recommendations to eliminate discrimination.

Ray, R., 2006

In this report, published by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute and the National Coalition for the Homeless, the author explains why so many LGBT youth are becoming and remaining homeless. Topics include a review of the literature, description of the violence many of these youth experience in the shelter system, the impact of the federal government's response, model service agencies, and policy recommendations.

Birman, D., Ho, J., Pulley, E.,Batia, K., Everson, M.L., Ellis, H., Betancourt, T.S., Gonzalez, A, 2005

In this report, published by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, the authors report the results of research and findings from a survey conducted among 13 refugee service sites primarily located in urban areas, serving a wide range of refugee populations. Topics include refugee experience and complex mental health needs, key ingredients of a comprehensive, community-based model, and recommendations. 

Family Violence Prevention Fund, 2004

In this monograph, published in collaboration with professional medical associations, the authors present guidelines for
assessing and responding to domestic violence in child health settings. The information is divided into four parts: 1)
overview of the impact of domestic violence on children and adolescents; 2) dilemmas that providers may encounter in discussing domestic violence with parents; 3) guidelines for inquiry and response; and 4) recommendations for creating a clinical environment that effectively responds to domestic violence.

Knitzer, J., 2000

The author of this issue brief, published by the National Center for Children in Poverty, explores the realities of serving families with multiple challenges in the context of welfare changes. Topics include key findings from research, promising strategies, implications for action, and a recommendation to link welfare implementation with school readiness and other early childhood initiatives at the state and community levels.
Ayoub, C., Usable Knowledge E-Newsletter, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2009
 
The author describes the ways significant conflict or loss affects the social and emotional development of children, and the importance of helping children learn to build trusting, positive relationships as part of their recovery. Topics include the ways in which children are affected by trauma, how the behavior of traumatized children may differ from other children, and how some programs prevent and support recovery from childhood trauma.

Portune, L.L., Gatowski, S., Dobbin, S., 2009

First published in 1995, the focus of the RESOURCE GUIDELINES is judicial leadership in judicial reform on- and off-the-bench, and the articulation of best practices in the handling of child abuse and neglect cases. This new edition provides an overview of how the RESOURCE GUIDELINES is being used to guide court and systems reform. Topics include foundational principles for juvenile and family court judges, best practice for cross-system collaborations, and research-based evaluations of court practice and outcomes.
Menard, S., Youth Violence Research Bulletin, February 2002

The authors of this bulletin examine four questions related to adolescent victimization: (1) what are the immediate effects on the victim; (2) how is adolescent victimization related to certain voluntary and involuntary problems in both adolescence and adulthood; (3) is adolescent victimization related to specific problems in adulthood; and (4) how does adolescent victimization affect adult life?

Cooper, J.L., Masi, R., Vick, J., 2009

This brief, published by the National Center for Children in Poverty, outlines the risks faced by young children with social, emotional, and behavioral problems in the foster care system. Topics include the needs of young children, family environmental risk factors, the influence of race and ethnicity, practice barriers, and policy recommendations.

Gallopin, C., and Leigh, L., Prevention Researcher, 16 (1), 2009, p. 17-20

From April 2007 to June 2008, focus groups were conducted by Break the Cycle with 41 Washington, DC youth, ages 11 to 19. Participants were asked questions exploring their opinions on the prevalence of dating violence among teens, dating violence dynamics, seeking or providing help, and school responses to dating violence. In this article, the authors explore the participants' opnions on these issues and conclude with practical implications for providers.

National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2004

The authors of this report provide information about the effects that victimization has on the behavior, attitudes, and functioning of adolescents, and what can be done to mitigate its effects. Topics include rates of adolescent victimizations, relationship of child maltreatment and other victimizations to later delinquency and violence, and recomended interventions.

McCurley, C. and Snyder, H.N., Juvenile Justice Bulletin, July 2004

The authors of this report present data on victims of violent juvenile crime obtained from the National Incident-Based Reporting System for 1997 and 1998. Nineteen percent of the victims of nonfatal violent crimes were victimized by a juvenile offender, and most victims were juveniles, and nearly all victims know the offender.

Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System, Ontario, Canada, 2006
 
This study is a collaborative effort of the London Police Service and the Centre for Children and Family's Child Witness Project. Researchers reviewed hundred of case files from a three-year period, and interviewed 17 young people (and their parents) who experienced or witnessed peer violence. The authors describe the key findings of this study, from the decision by a young victim to report the crime through to sentencing in court. The report includes recommendations for schools, police, prosecutors, and those who help young witnesses prepare for court.

Cox, H., Boburka, M., Nick, C., Ryce, C., Ryce, D., Sessions, P., Wetterling, P., 2004

 
The authors of this guide are parents and family members whose children have been abducted. Topics include the role of parents, law enforcement, and volunteers, the long-term search, use of the media and volunteers, and caring for parents, other children, and members of the extended family.

Barth, R. and Haskins, R., Future of Children Policy Brief, Fall 2009

In this policy brief, the authors present a strategy for testing community-developed parent training initiatives in order to generate knowledge of the feasibility of different approaches to reducing child maltreatment and promoting child development.