Lack of family conflict policy ‘fails vulnerable children’

VULNERABLE children are continuing to fall through the cracks as Ireland still does not have a policy on family conflict, the head of a new intervention service for children has said.

The first of its kind in this country, based in Co Mayo, the project is dedicated to addressing the needs of children and young people living with domestic violence and family conflict.

Manager of the Mayo Children’s Initiative (MCI) Helen Mortimer said the service was one which should be replicated throughout the country and that MCI’s work could inform the development of a much needed national policy on family conflict.

The service was launched yesterday by Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay.

Mr Finlay said children who witnessed abuse had the same emotional and behavioural responses as they would if they were the direct target of that abuse.

“The majority of children who witness violence experience nightmares, spend a lot of their time afraid and blame themselves for what they have witnessed,” he said. “We know that violence against a mother can undermine the relationship between her and her children. Children who struggle to understand violence in their homes can often be as willing to blame the victim as they are reluctant to blame the perpetrator.”

Ms Mortimer said children had to be listened to. “If we are to provide children with the strategies to keep themselves safe, or to help them cope with the violence they are living with, we must first listen to them,” she said.

“What we are doing here in Mayo is vital because we are putting children first. Up to now they have been supported in domestic violence services which are set up for women.”

The development and design of the service is grounded in recommendations of a research study which showed that children are not passive by-standers when there is violence at home. The study, Listen to Me, was carried out by the Children’s Research Centre, Trinity College in 2006 for Mayo Women’s Support Services.

In 2008, 3,269 children and 1,947 women were admitted to refuges nationwide.

In Mayo, more than 100 children and 200 women accessed domestic violence supports last year.

Work is just beginning on the project where the education and raising awareness will be supported by intensive therapeutic work with children and families living with domestic violence.