FARMINGTON — Safe Voices is enrolling families in two summer sessions of its new Family Support Group being offered in Franklin County.
Groups will be offered in the Phillips and Farmington areas at no charge, and lunch and transportation vouchers will be provided, due to support received from the Franklin Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.
Family Support Group is offered for children ages 6-11 and their non-offending parent/caregiver who’ve been exposed to domestic violence.
The group is designed as a safe, friendly and fun outlet to help kids who have encountered family violence to discuss their likes and dislikes, share ideas about problem-solving, form healthy coping skills and share hopes about the future.
Caregivers meet in a separate room to connect around their stories, questions and concerns and for direct support.
The program is focused on educating non-offending parents/caregivers and children about violence in the home and its effects on the family.
The children’s groups are phase-based, beginning with strategies to enhance a child’s sense of safety and creating a common vocabulary of emotions for making sense of violent experiences. Later sessions address responsibility for violence, conflict and resolution skills and family relationships.
The parenting program is designed to support and empower caregivers to discuss the impact of violence on their children’s development, to provide a safe place for discussing fears and worries, and to build social connections within a supportive group setting.
Studies confirm what other researchers have shown regarding greater success in improving attitudes and reducing aggression when both the non-offending parent/caregiver and child are treated.
The Phillips session will be held on Tuesday afternoons and will run for nine weeks, beginning June 24. The Farmington session will be held on Wednesday afternoons and will run for 10 weeks, beginning June 18.
Interested parents/caregivers should call by Friday, June 6, to sign up, but are encouraged to reach out anytime with questions or to seek services.
For more information, contact Safe Voices by calling 778-6107 and provider referrals are also encouraged.
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