Understanding What Children Say
Children's experiences of domestic violence, parental substance misuse and parental health problems
1st Edition
Published on 1. January 2004
103 pages
978-1-907969-61-4 (ISBN)
Description
We have a limited understanding of children's experiences of domestic violence, parental substance misuse and parental health problems. The complex dynamics that can surround families dealing with these issues may make it difficult for parents and professionals to understand how children feel. As a result, children's needs are often overlooked and they do not receive the support they need.
This book draws on a literature review and explores what children say about living in families where there is domestic violence, parental substance misuse or parental health problems. It examines research undertaken in the UK to provide us with a better understanding of the range of children's experience. It describes the key themes in children's experiences, how children feel about the difficulties they experience at home, what their coping strategies are and the support they would like to receive.
This book draws on a literature review and explores what children say about living in families where there is domestic violence, parental substance misuse or parental health problems. It examines research undertaken in the UK to provide us with a better understanding of the range of children's experience. It describes the key themes in children's experiences, how children feel about the difficulties they experience at home, what their coping strategies are and the support they would like to receive.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
ISBN-13
978-1-907969-61-4 (9781907969614)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Sarah Gorin
Understanding What Children Say
Children's experiences of domestic violence, parental substance misuse and parental health problems
Book
01/2004
National Children's Bureau Enterprises Ltd
€38.56
Shipment within 3-4 weeks
Person
Sarah Gorin is a Senior Research Officer at NSPCC. Her research interests include child protection, family support, looked after children, children's participation and the impact of domestic violence, parental substance misuse and parental ill health on children.
Content
- Intro
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- 1. Introduction
- Background
- Policy and practice context
- How many children experience these problems at home?
- How might children be affected?
- Definitions
- Methods
- 2. Understanding children's experiences
- Children's discovery of parental problems
- Trying to understand parents' behaviour
- Parental violence and conflict
- Risk of maltreatment
- Physical abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Neglect and chaotic lifestyles
- Sexual abuse
- Responsibilities in the home
- Children's education
- Making and maintaining friendships
- Summary of key points
- 3. Understanding children's feelings
- Love and loyalty
- Fear and anxiety
- Loss
- Sadness, isolation and depression
- Anger and frustration
- Guilt, shame and stigma
- Summary of key points
- 4. Understanding children's coping strategies
- Use of different coping strategies
- Coping strategies children say they use
- Avoidance/distraction
- Protection/inaction
- Confrontation, intervention and self-destruction
- Help seeking and action
- Summary of key points
- 5. Understanding children's support needs
- Supporting children
- Not wanting to talk to anyone
- Characteristics of people children choose to talk to
- What children want when they do talk to someone
- Informal support
- The role of parents
- The role of friends
- The role of others - siblings, extended family and pets
- Formal support
- Finding professional help
- Talking to professionals
- The process of disclosing information
- Provision of written information
- Experience of contact with professionals
- What services do children say they want?
- Summary of key points
- 6. Conclusions and implications
- Children's preoccupations
- Balancing children's needs and responsibilities
- Children's need for support
- Making children's lives better
- Enabling children to understand problems at home
- Enabling children to talk about problems at homeand to access help
- Respecting children, recognising and valuing their experience and acting on any concerns appropriately
- Providing an appropriate range of support
- Suggestions for future research on children's experiences
- Appendix 1: Search strategy
- Appendix 2: Limitations of the research
- Appendix 3: Completed studies that include children's perspectives and adults' retrospective accounts
- Appendix 4: Ongoing studies that include children's perspectives and adults' retrospective accounts
- References
