We provide free counselling for children and adolescents aged up to 17 years who have witnessed or have been affected by domestic and family violence.
How does counselling help?
Counselling can help children and adolescents to deal with the damaging effects of domestic and family violence. Often children and adolescents do not have the words to communicate their feelings so the counsellor’s role is to provide a safe, secure and trusting environment that allows the child or adolescent to express, explore and make sense of difficult and painful experiences.
A non-judgemental client-centred relationship is provided, based on:
- freedom of expression
Witnessing episodes of violence between people they love can affect children and adolescents as much as if the violence was directed at them. Also, in homes where domestic and family violence occurs, children are also at risk of experiencing physical, sexual, verbal and emotional abuse.
Counselling techniques used include:
- relevant toys and materials
- strength cards
- story telling
How to seek support for your child or adolescent
A comprehensive and confidential specialised counselling service is available for children and adolescents up to the age of 17 years who have been exposed to domestic and family violence.
The counsellor will initially interview the mother/caregiver without the child or adolescent to complete a comprehensive assessment, then an appointment time will be arranged with the child or adolescent to be seen.