Working with children exposed to violence during home visits. The Dayton Safe Start Promising Approaches Program

Children's exposure to violence is considered a public health issue because of its long-term impact on the health and well being of children and families. A public health approach has had significant implications for the prevention, early intervention and treatment of childhood exposure to violence.

Home visitation programs have demonstrated long-term effects on the prevention of child maltreatment and a reduction of children's criminal and antisocial behavior. But these programs have not been as effective in households living with domestic violence. Barriers confronted include the high prevalence of domestic violence in families, safely and systematically addressing exposure when there are crises,and training of home visitors. This workshop will describe strategies developed by the Safe Start Promising Approches sites--a partnership between the Artemis Center for Alternatives to Domestic Violence and a home visitation program. Artemis provides ongoing training on domestic violence to nurses who perform home visits with the goal of building nurses' capacity to identify, assess, and respond to the needs of young mothers of children who are at risk of or exposed to domestic violence. The program also provides case management and dyadic psychotherapy in the home. Safe Start is a national initiative designed to reduce impact of children's exposure to violence in the home and community. Fifteen Safe Start Promising Approaches communities are funded to implement and measure the effectiveness of strategies to reduce the negative impact of exposure to violence.