Children in the women’s shelter
Women can come to a women’s shelter together with their children. For children, the situation at home is often very stressful. That is why every women’s shelter has its own children’s area. Here, the focus is on the needs of children and adolescents.
Services for children
In the children’s area, social workers provide advice and support to children and mothers with their concerns.
From the age of 3, children have their own counsellor at the women’s shelter. Our children’s area offers counselling on the following topics:
- Forms of violence and the effects of violence and witnessing violence
- Protection and safety planning
- Child welfare
- Support in crises and dealing with psychological stress
- Custody and contact rights with the father
- School and kindergarten
- Support with contact to other institutions (for example, child and youth welfare services)
- Developing perspectives
- Parenting counselling and relationship work
- Referral to medical support
- Referral to psychotherapy
- Referral to court support
At the women’s shelter and in cooperation with external organisations, we offer a wide range of services. These include:
- Individual counselling
- Crisis intervention
- Group programmes
- Movement, art and painting therapy
- Leisure activities, excursions
- Learning support and assistance
- Mother-and-baby groups
- Childcare
This is important
The women’s shelter is a place of safety. Our children’s area focuses on the child. Through conversations and a wide range of services, we want to support and strengthen children in dealing with the situation.
Children and adolescents always experience violence in the family, even if they do not experience violence directly themselves. This is called witnessing violence.
Our children’s area sees children in the women’s shelter as affected in their own right, with their own needs and rights. Each child receives individual support with their concerns.
Together we work on the following topics:
- Reducing fear
- Naming the violence
- Developing external and internal protective factors
- Strengthening self-confidence
- Raising awareness about gender roles
- How to resolve conflicts without violence
- Setting boundaries and respecting other people’s boundaries
The women’s shelter is a safe place where play and joy should not be neglected either. That is why every shelter has:
- Outdoor area
- Gym
- Playroom
- Youth room
How do you talk to children about their time at the women’s shelter?
Talk to your children about their time at the women’s shelter. Children need information and security. When explaining, take your children’s age into account.
Important:
- You should be as honest as possible.
- Tell your children that they are not to blame.
- Explain that your husband hurt you and that he is not allowed to do that.
- Name the violence and boundary violations.
- Tell your child that you need to protect yourself and the children.
- The women’s shelter is a safe place where only women live with their children.
- Living in a women’s shelter does not mean that children will never see their father again. Explain that you will find a calm way forward here that works for everyone.
- You cannot live in the women’s shelter forever. But here you get time and support to plan your life anew.
- It is adults’ responsibility to protect children.
- Tell your child that there is room for all feelings.
Do you need help?
Are you experiencing violence at home? Are you afraid and need to leave your home?
Women’s Shelters
If your home is too dangerous, you can find protection in a women’s shelter.
Counseling Center
You don’t want to go to a women’s shelter? But you need counseling and support? Then contact our counseling center.