New funding means more help for children affected by family violence
Published: Aug 06, 2009
In June, Alberta’s Children and Youth Services recognized the seriousness of family violence on children who witness abuse by providing additional funding. In total, $1 million from the 2009-2010 child care budget will add 300 new child care spaces in Alberta for families accessing emergency and second-stage shelter services.
The Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter provides counselling and support programs to children and youth affected by abuse, in addition to the residential program that supports women escaping an abusive relationship and the men’s program which counsels men who want to stop abusive behaviour.
The Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter appreciates this additional support from the Alberta Government. The Shelter received $40,000 of these newly allocated funds and is using that money to add child care services at the Shelter.
Children and Adolescent Services include specialized counselling for children and their mothers designed to build healthy lives after abuse. Counsellors with the Shelter have augmented their training to learn more about the specific effects of family violence on the mother and child relationship. Both the mother and children typically need therapy to repair the ability for a mother to nurture her child and for the child to respond to that nurturing.
The Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter has created a quiet and comfortable space in the Child and Adolescent Therapy Room providing children and youth a safe place in which to retreat when needed during therapy. Additional supplies such as toys, paints and other craft materials are also being used in the process of providing therapy that helps children express their fears and emotions through creative media. Mother and child group therapy programs are another service provided by the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter.
These programs for children and youth are crucial to help children grow up to build healthy relationships. The Calgary Women’s Shelter will be adding to its programs and services by developing a manual for mothers to add to their parenting skills and understand their children’s needs, by creating a family night with play-based activities for mothers and children and through additional training of the counselling team.
