Child Protection Interventions to Address Domestic Violence Cheryl Davis Colorado Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Justice/ Domestic Violence Offender Management Board 303‐239‐4456 |
[email protected]
Colorado Department of Human Services Division of Child Welfare Investigative Response Specialist 303‐866‐4268 |
Colorado’s child protection system wants assurances that efforts are being made to:
Hold perpetrators accountable for changing their abusive behaviors. Assist the adult victim parent to protect the children and keep them safe. Keep children safe and prevent them from further exposure to domestic violence.
What are appropriate interventions? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Treatment for the perpetrator with measurable success in positive behavior change. Systems collaboration to hold perpetrators accountable. Provide DV education and support for the adult victim parent. Provide adult victim parent with resources and identify safety needs. Participation on MTT for cross‐sharing of information on perpetrator behaviors, collaborating on interventions. Protection Orders: Civil Protection Order: Victim requests this of the court. Criminal Protection Order: Judge decides this protection is needed. There are many counties using interventions that move cases forward without having the offender and victim in the same counseling/therapy intervention. In other words, there are many ways families can be reunified and safety can be assessed without having the victim and offender in the same therapeutic intervention. Some counties are finding these interventions successful: Team Decision Making meetings, L.I.N.K.S. meetings or Family Group Conferences occurring for victims and offenders separately, which allows both parties to speak more freely about concerns impacting their family Formalized visitation assessments with each parent (separately) to better assess safety, risk, parenting strengths, and areas for improvement County DHS and local domestic violence advocacy organizations collaborating for better intervention and communication about needs of victims as parents County DHS and local domestic violence offender treatment providers collaborating for better intervention and communication about needs of offenders as parents Therapist assessment identifying clinical needs of family from onset of DHS intervention and expectation from the DHS that clinicians involved with families are communicating, thereby increasing Caseworker’s ability to accurately assess for safety and risk Use of DVOMB Multidisciplinary Treatment Team meetings to provide comprehensive assessment of offender risk and progress in treatment, as well as reduce offender manipulation of system involvement Use of Caring Dads parenting curriculum, a parenting curriculum specifically designed to effectively intervene with abusive fathers
What are not appropriate interventions? 1.
The treatment process of couples counseling often magnifies treatment issues and the dynamics usually get worse before they get better. Domestic Violence is not a relationship issue; it is an individual treatment issue for the offender.
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2.
3.
Traditional parenting classes emphasize child management strategies, which can reinforce control and abusive behavior toward the adult victim and children. Domestic violence offenders’ parenting deficits are rooted in entitlement and control, and are best addressed through therapeutic parenting counseling or specialized programs such as Caring Dads. Just because individuals are living together doesn’t mean that it’s safe or helpful to do a family intervention where the perpetrator and the adult victim are in the same room. There are likely dynamics that are sensitive and volatile that may not be known by the professionals involved.
Other considerations: 1. There is no guarantee the perpetrator won’t be abusive again; just as we would not guarantee a person with a substance abuse history would not relapse. 2. Living apart does not necessarily reduce the domestic violence dynamics. 3. Kids might be safer if parents are together because the adult victim parent can be there to protect and observe. The family might be in greater danger if they are separated. 4. Other treatment issues (substance abuse, mental health, etc.) for either parent should be assessed and treated in the context of the domestic violence.
A comprehensive assessment of the offender’s engagement in treatment and demonstrated competencies, resulting in positive non‐violent, non‐coercive, and non‐controlling behaviors equals reduced risk of repeat episodes of violence.
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