NCJ Number
122303
Journal
Children Today Volume: 15 Issue: 2 Dated: (March-April 1986) Pages: 12-15
Date Published
1986
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The Family Place, a shelter for battered women in Dallas, has designed a children's Therapeutic Activity Program to intervene with the behavioral and social problems exhibited by many of the children there, nearly 70 percent of whom have experienced physical or sexual abuse.
Abstract
The program's goal is to provide positive role models in order to build self-esteem, stimulate problem-solving and socialization skills, and develop emotionally healthy mechanisms for dealing with anger and frustration. Crisis intervention activities include immediate actions by staff to welcome the child; interviews with and counseling for the mother; and developmental, psychosocial, and immediate health, welfare, and schooling needs assessments. Remedial activities stress a structured and consistent daily schedule of activities and therapy/counseling sessions. Individual and group therapy include play therapy or "special time" experiences to establish a trusting relationship between each child and a particular adult as well as activities encouraging cooperative play, needs gratification, and development of peer relationships. Intervention on parent-child interaction seeks to decrease stress and destructive patterns of communication in these relationships. Direct participation sessions are complemented by staff modelings of appropriate discipline techniques and child care methods. Advocacy services include direction to community resources, referrals, and interaction between the Family Place and Child Protective Services.