Helping Children

The needs of children who have witnessed and experienced domestic violence are significant. At Discovery House we know that in order to help the children we must work with each child individually, even the youngest, non-verbal child. Each child is considered a client.

Children who are exposed to violence in their homes may experience serious effects that threaten their health, safety, behavioral, emotional, physical and social development, and educational progress in addition to trauma, neglect, isolation, poverty and transient lifestyles. The most growth and development for children occurs under the age of six. For children experiencing violence at a young age their development can be significantly affected. More than half of all school aged children living in domestic violence shelters show clinical levels of anxiety, behavioral problems, developmental deficiencies, or post- traumatic stress disorder.

Without treatment, without the chance to heal through play, children who have witnessed and/or experienced domestic violence are at significant risk for delinquency, substance abuse, school dropout, and difficulties in their own relationships.

Discovery House is the only shelter in Alberta to have created a developmental checklist that is used with children who have been impacted by domestic violence. Upon entering Discovery House each child is assessed to determine their stages of development, determine the gaps, and develop a service plan focused on the needs of the child. In addition to sessions with their counsellor, the child & youth support worker in the play room implements the child’s service plan when the child is in the play room. All the work done with the child has the goal of helping the child to heal and to ultimately break the intergenerational cycle of violence.

Children in our Community Housing program will have the opportunity to receive more intense services including the developmental checklist as Discovery House moves forward with the growth plan for the program. Integrating child and youth services to ensure support for all children in the program is key to helping families in our community break the cycle of violence.