For Caregivers
Help a Child
The stories that professionals and families hear about children exposed to violence are overwhelming at times and can create feelings of helplessness and hopelessness not unlike the feelings experienced by the children themselves. When these feelings emerge, it is important to remember that there are simple things that can be done to support children and to make an essential difference in their lives.
All adults have an opportunity to be helpful and supportive to children exposed to violence. There are general guidelines for supporting children. These can be found in the How to Support the Child section of this site. Families and caregivers, neighbors, and professionals can be of assistance in specific ways as discussed in the How to Intervene section. |
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Through their support and clinical expertise professionals can open doors to successful interventions. Simultaneously, parents and neighbors are an important resource who can make a difference. It is when professionals, parents, and members of the community work together that intervention is most effective. In fact, one of the primary ways to support families and provide meaningful interventions is to remember not to do this challenging work alone.
One way to collaborate is to refer families to other appropriate services. However, when children need referrals for ongoing support and therapeutic treatment, it is not always easy to choose the best pathway for making that referral. Reviewing the materials provided in the When & Where to Seek Help section of this web site will provide tips for when to make a referral, who to contact and the type of institutions that provide the needed help.
One way to collaborate is to refer families to other appropriate services. However, when children need referrals for ongoing support and therapeutic treatment, it is not always easy to choose the best pathway for making that referral. Reviewing the materials provided in the When & Where to Seek Help section of this web site will provide tips for when to make a referral, who to contact and the type of institutions that provide the needed help.
In this section:
- How to Support the Child: What are the general guidelines for supporting children exposed to violence?
- How to Intervene: What can families, neighbors and friends, and professionals do to help?
- When & Where to Seek Help: When do children need professional help? What institutions and agencies provide help? Who are the kinds of professionals that can help?
