Two recent publications from the Family Violence Prevention Fund are designed to assist caseworkers in helping families dealing with both child abuse and domestic violence. Family Team Conferences in Domestic Violence Cases: Guidelines for Practice provides guidelines for child welfare workers on the appropriate use of Family Team Conferencing, an emerging tool involving family and community members as well as other service providers in deciding how best to protect children facing abuse. Accountability and Connection with Abusive Men gives caseworkers concrete information about abusers in general, and about sensitive issues of race, class, culture and ethnicity in domestic violence situations. It is designed to enable caseworkers to better understand and connect with abusers, to hold them accountable for their actions, and to thereby improve the child welfare system’s response to families experiencing domestic violence and child abuse. Esta Soler, FVPF President, noted that “(m)any families that experience child abuse also experience domestic violence. But we haven’t done enough to support families facing multiple forms of family violence. As a result, these families often have enormous difficulty getting the services they need. These tools can make a real difference in ensuring that Family Team Conferences are used appropriately, and in finding ways to provide both sanctions and support to abusive men.” (Cited from Family Violence Prevention Fund News Flash, 19 August 2004)
Both resources are available on the FVPF’s website here.
(Compiled from Family Violence Prevention Fund News Flash, 19 August 2004, complete text here.)