One way of responding to family violence: ‘Putting on a PARKAS’

Abstract

Where family violence is a significant feature of an infant/child's world, a healthy emotional developmental path may not be fully realised. The need to survive becomes the key organising principal through which all relationship dynamics are then filtered. An environment of violence can impede the important ingredients of consistency, stability, nurturing and security necessary for the healthy emotional development of the individual and their relationship with their immediate external world. When working with children and families where there is, or has been, ongoing violence, second only to addressing immediate as well as ongoing concerns about safety, is the importance of creating therapeutic opportunities to begin to develop or rebuild strong and healthy attachments.