MYTH: “If we understand the child’s needs, the parent’s needs come second.”
FACT: Supporting a child should never require minimising a parent’s fear, exhaustion or need for safety. Both can matter at the same time.
Feedback we have received from the PEGS and VisAble events on the 14th of October reflect this; how it is possible to hold space for both a child’s distress and a parent’s right to feel safe, particularly in their own home? This can be difficult in practice, as parents are often expected to minimise their own needs, prioritise those of their child, and work with services to support their child around behaviour change.
…So where does that leave the needs of the parent? Who supports the parent? What does caring for the parent look like when they are living with significant harm? Validation, recognition, and compassion for those parenting young people who are engaging in these harmful behaviours is so important, and what that might look like for families matters.
