Children and teens often witness and/or experience domestic violence when there is abuse in their home. Witnessing can mean seeing physical or sexual abuse. It can mean hearing threats, name calling, emotional abuse, or fighting noises from another room. Youth may also observe the aftermath of abuse such as blood, bruises, tears, and broken items. Additionally, children and teens may be aware of the tension in the home when one parent’s car pulls in the driveway, or one parent is fearful of the other. Learn more about the impact domestic violence has on children.
You have many ways to support your children.
New Beginnings offers services for children, teens, and parents. Learn more below, or you can call our Helpline for more details.
Support for Children
Trained Advocates and counselors are here to help kids. There is no charge for our services, which are confidential and include:
- Emotional support
- Kids Club and other children’s support groups
- Help with connecting you and your child to mental health counseling
- Referrals to other community resources
If you are worried about the impact of abuse on your children, or if you would like to talk to an Advocate, the first step is to call our Helpline and someone will follow-up with you to schedule a meeting as soon as possible.
Parenting Support
If you feel like your relationship with your children has suffered due to the abuse, there is help. We can also offer you support to help your child through the trauma they’ve experienced. There is no charge for our services, which are confidential and include:
- Emotional support
- Information about domestic violence and its impact on children and parenting relationships
- Coaching to help you talk to your children about what they and you have experienced
- Tips for supporting your children in other ways
- Kids Club and other children’s supportive groups
- Help with connecting you and your child to mental health counseling
- Referrals to other community resources
If you are worried about the impact of abuse on your children or the quality of your relationship with them, or if you would like to talk to an Advocate, the first step is to call our Helpline and someone will follow-up with you to schedule a meeting as soon as possible.
Help for Teen Dating Abuse
If you are age 13-19 and feeling controlled by or afraid of someone you are—or were—in a romantic relationship with, the first step is to call our Helpline.
There is no charge for our services, and we tailor our support to meet your needs. Our services are confidential and include:
- Emotional support
- Information about healthy relationships and the warning signs of abuse
- Help with planning for your safety
- Information about how you can access services
- Coaching to help you talk to adults who can support you
You can also access our teen portal for information about healthy teen relationships here.
Dating Abuse Prevention
New Beginnings offers single and multi-session healthy relationships and dating abuse prevention education to middle and high school age youth through schools and youth-serving agencies and groups. Sessions can be tailored to your needs, and cover such topics as:
- healthy, respectful relationships
- boundaries
- consent and sexual coercion
- sexual harassment
- warning signs of abuse
- social media and technology
- bystander intervention
- how to support a peer who is experiencing abuse
If you would like to explore bringing this education to your school, agency or group, contact our Social Change Program Director Hilary Bowker at hbowker@newbegin.org