The violence without a name: this article was first printed in the March 2012 issue of Professional Social Work, a publication of the British Association of Social Workers (BASW)
Current understandings in research, policy and practice
Staff, students and public are invited to hear Amanda Holt speak at a seminar, “Youth-to-Parent Abuse: Current Understandings in Research, Policy and Practice”, on Wednesday 2nd May 2012. The event will be held at the University of Surrey, UK, from 16.00 to 17.30. Dr Amanda Holt also has an article in the most recent edition of Social Policy and Society, a parent abuse themed issue.
Filed under Uncategorized
Dr. Phil has advice for abusive children
Dr. Phil picked up on the topic of parent abuse where Anderson left off, in his show on February 29th. The clips, which are also available on Youtube, show interviews with women still experiencing abuse from their adult children, unable to break free from a longstanding pattern of destructive behaviour. There is also a link on his site to a clip from an earlier programme, “Stabbed in the heart by my teen”, where he counsels the family that this longstanding relationship issue needs proper professional long-term help. “It’s never easy to confront this stuff and deal with it. Somehow, it’s easier to suffer and let days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months and months into years.”
Without the benefit of seeing the whole show, it’s hard to know how to respond to the clips, which are obviously chosen to draw the viewer in.
Filed under TV and video
Walking on Eggshells
Following a very successful launch of the Respectful Relationships project, Mary McKenna has made both the “Walking on Eggshells” parent information leaflet and the wallet card available to download. The support service information and contact numbers, and details regarding police involvement, are of course specific to South Australia, but most of the additional information is generic and transferable. They can be accessed from the Flinders University website. She has sent a link to a very positive response from a state Member of Parliament who attended the launch.
Filed under projects, publications
Respectful relationships can follow exposure of parent abuse
The 2010 report, Exposing the dark side of parenting: A report on parents’ experiences of family violence, published by the Regional Alliance Addressing Child and Adolescent Violence in the Home, South Australia, documented the results of a public phone-in exercise which took place in Southern Australia in 2008, designed to contribute to the body of knowledge on parent abuse. The report is important not just for its findings, which are broadly congruent with other similar studies, but also for the series of recommendations made: (i) the raising of community and agency awareness about child and adolescent family violence, (ii) the training and development for professionals about appropriate resources, (iii) the provision of effective accessible support for families and (iv) the establishment of a dedicated agency to provide ongoing support to parents, families and young people. Continue reading
Filed under projects, publications
Parent abuse in the Independent
An article about parent abuse in the Independent this weekend managed to reference and quote Family Lives, Lynette Robinson, Rachel Condry and Hertfordshire Practical Parenting Programme, all in under 500 words. Well done, Sarah Cassidy!
The Big Lottery grant to Hertfordshire Practical Parenting Project has brought the subject of parent abuse once more to the attention of the media. An informative piece is illustrated with a case study from an interview with one of the Hertfordshire parents
Sadly, the ‘comments’ go some way to explaining why this aspect of family violence remains so under-reported. Breaking through this barrage of ignorance, prejudice and downright vitriol, seems as far away as ever.
Filed under news reports, projects
Parent abuse project wins Big Lottery funding
Congratulations to Hertfordshire Practical Parenting Programme, awarded £186,500 from the Big Lottery Fund, for their “I-Trust-U-Trust-Me” project which aims to reduce violence by children and young people against their parents.
The announcement was picked up by the Bourne Local news:
Director, Sandra Ashley, said: “Our new project is about breaking cycles of child-on-parent domestic violence. This behaviour can often be learned after witnessing partner-to-partner violence, which continues following one parent leaving and the child taking on the role of aggressor. We work to ensure that parents understand the importance of staying safe and dealing with this emotive issue. There are a lot of agencies set up to deal with adult-on-adult domestic violence, but not child to parent.” Sara Betsworth, Big Lottery Fund’s head of the East of England region, said, “Domestic violence between adults damages families but it is not well known that child-on-parent abuse can also follow from that. Hertfordshire Practical Parenting Programme is an extremely interesting and valuable new project to tackle this under-reported domestic violence and break this cycle of abuse.
The project also won a mention in the Society section of the national Guardian.
My plan to create a resources page here, listing projects such as this, still remains a plan . . . but will hopefully come to fruition soon!
Filed under news reports, projects
Television producers in search of parents
I have been contacted by a representative from a television production company, interested in making a documentary about young children’s violent behaviour – including towards their parents. They would like to speak to parents, from within the UK, with this experience, or those working in the field. At the moment there is no actual scheduled programme and the direction the research goes will determine to which channel it is pitched.
Special Edition Films
are a production company that make documentaries for all the major
broadcasters. Currently we are researching a documentary on parenting in
the UK and are looking to speak with people (off the record) about their
experiences with toddler violence for the BBC. Perhaps a child is
difficult at home and violent at school, or the other way around, or have
become violent since a younger sibling has come into the picture – we
welcome any and all stories.
We are not looking to film or record anyone at the moment — we just want
to get an idea of what people are experiencing, how and where they find
support, and what the outcome was, so that we can create a film that
properly represents this issue.
I have offered to pass on contact details if anyone would like to take up this offer to raise awareness of the issues around young children’s violent behaviour. Any agreement entered into would then be between you and the television company.
Filed under TV and video
Should you call the cops on your kids?
Anderson Cooper used his CNN TV show on January 25th to discuss this question, with mothers experiencing abuse from their children who had done just that. Dr. Karen Binder-Brynes (described as a leading psychologist) offered her opinion, a police officer gave his side of the story, and of course the studio audience had their own questions and comments. The clips give a sense of the utter desperation of some parents, one of whom then found herself charged with child abuse as her daughter counter claimed against her. Anderson attempts to draw out the different emotions at play in these situations; and one of the parents breaks down as she details her frustration at the lack of response over considerable time when she called for help from social services. Continue reading
Filed under Discussion, TV and video
Teenage Violence to Parents Training
There are still places left for those wishing to attend the Alternative Restoratives awareness raising day, on Understanding and Working with Teenage Violence to Parents, on March 1st. The closing date for applications for the Wakefield event has been extended to February 10th. Full details of the event, and an application form can be found here.
Filed under Training opportunities
HOLES IN THE WALL 