How can I help my children?
A survivor of domestic abuse has often made many attempts to shield their children from the abuse.
Talking to your child
Talking to your child about the abuse can be scary and it is okay to feel like you do not know what to say. However, children may need to talk to help them make sense of what has happened.
The information below may help in how you approach conversations with your child and how you best support them. Always remember, this is not your fault.
Signs that a child may have witnessed domestic abuse:
- They may become withdrawn
- They may seem anxious or low in mod
- They might have nightmares, flashbacks or difficulty sleeping
- They may become extra 'clingy' or want to protect you
- They may seem angry or copy learnt behaviours
- They may complain of physcial symptoms such as tummy ache or bed wetting
- They may experience problems in school or not want to attend school or college
Advice on how to talk to your child
Do talk to your children – listen to what they have to say but do wait until they are ready. Children often appreciate the time to talk and open up about their feelings.
Encourage them to talk, it may be easier to ask them to draw a picture about their feelings or write it down. Sometimes children struggle to express how they are feeling.
Explain that abuse is wrong, be honest and use age-appropriate language to help them to understand.
Praise them – this will help their self esteem and encourage them to continue to talk to you in the future.
Explain how they can seek their own support and access information. The Hideout website is a fantastic website with useful resources for children.
Words from victim- survivors we helped
Your voice matters –
feedback is important to us!