Date of Award

5-2021

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Master of Social Work

Department

School of Social Work

First Reader/Committee Chair

Sapozhnikov, Brooklyn

Abstract

It is an unfortunate reality that domestic violence affects people across the world, men, women, and children. When men or women leave a domestic violence situation, they often take their children with them but are often unaware of the damage that has already been done. Even if the children have not suffered physical abuse, there are many changes going on in the brain just from either witnessing or hearing abuse take place. With domestic violence often going unreported, it can be incredibly difficult to reach the children who are affected. However, when a parent enters a domestic violence shelter with their children they are changing their lives. They are also affording their children the opportunity to heal and grow. The purpose of this research is to explore the most common behavioral deficits of children who are under the age of five and living in a domestic violence shelter, to help these shelters better assess the children’s needs. Interviews will be conducted with staff, volunteers, and interns at an Orange County domestic violence shelter. In addition to interviews at separate shelters, staff, children, and interns will be given a Likert scale for each child under the age of five to assess if the children are meeting common milestones for their age. This research has the potential to expand the services and training offered at domestic violence shelters and increase the awareness of the impacts of domestic violence on young children and infants.

Included in

Social Work Commons

Share

COinS