Hi there,
I am a NQSW and I have been instructed by Court to complete some direct work with service users who have experienced domestic abuse situations. Does anybody know of any resources that i could use in order to complete this work effectively ? I am thinking along the lines of child friendly resource packs or activities appropriate for exploring these matters with children aged from 7-13 years. In addition, I have to explore this issue with the victim and also the perpetrator.
I know there are external agencies I can consult to undertake the work, however, I have been told I have to complete this work myself. If anyone could point me in the right direction I'd be really thankful.
Thank you.
Contact your local Domestic Violence Forum.
What exactly has the court asked you to do?
Be incredibly careful working with the children. They may be traumatised to the point of having (hidden) emotional/mental health problems, and to push them in any way to 'face' issues or talk about things that they are not ready for could be further damaging. That's not to say all direct work is inappropriate, just be very careful.
Seek guidance from domestic violence services, but also consider seeking advice from your local CAMHS who may offer consultation to you and discuss ways of working with children who have experienced trauma from DV.
'Look towards the future' - you will not have personally been so instructed but your employer.
I think you need to be extremely clear about what the 'work' is for and who is it for....is it in the best interests of the children? What exactly is the aim of the 'work'? And how will the children feel about the intervention?
I think you need to consider if you feel confident and skilled enough to be doing this direct work with both children, victim and perpetrator. It could be complex, demanding and potentially traumatic for both you and those involved- and as Rupert comments, the court will most likely have instructed your employer, not you personally. Your manager may be trying to stick that onto you, but think about the code of conduct where we are required to be aware of the limitations of our skills and experience and not work beyond them.