Chatham Safe Start

From 2000 to 2010, the Partnership for Children operated Safe Start - a program designed to reduce the impact of exposure to violence on children, ages 0-8. Safe Start approached the problem of children’s exposure to violence on 3 different levels – individual, community, and systems:

On the individual level, we provided services coordination services to 634 children exposed to violence, including identifying, screening, and referring them to therapeutic services, such as counseling, in-home visiting, and psychological assessments. Safe Start services were available in both English and Spanish.

On the community level, we worked to strengthen Chatham County neighborhoods and increase public awareness about children's exposure to violence.

On the systems level, we facilitated communication and collaboration among agencies that serve these children, including child welfare, law enforcement, public health, mental health, and domestic violence agencies. Safe Start also provided training to improve professional knowledge and community awareness of the impact of children’s exposure to violence and the importance of early intervention.

Witnessing Violence Hurts Children

Every day, children are exposed to violence in their homes and communities. In Chatham County, as many as 250 children witness violence each year. Seeing or hearing violence can hurt children, including infants and toddlers, even when they are not physically injured. These children may feel extreme fear, anxiety, sadness, anger, or hopelessness.

They may:

• Have trouble sleeping or have nightmares
  
• Experience difficulty separating from parents
  
• Behave aggressively toward others
  
• Return to younger behavior, such as babytalk, thumbsucking, or bedwetting
  
• Act more irritable than usual —increased crying or fussiness
  
• Behave more withdrawn than usual
  
• Have trouble making friends
  
• Lose interest in friends and favorite activities
  
• Feel too distracted to play or learn in school

Children exposed to violence learn to view the world as an unsafe, scary place at a time when they should be exploring their environment, playing, learning new skills, and building trusting relationships. Exposure to violence can have a lasting impact on a child’s behavior, emotions, or health.

Long Term Effects

Without treatment, children exposed to violence have a higher risk of:

• Developmental Delays
  
• Impaired Attachment and Lack of Empathy
  
• Poor grades, Truancy, and Dropping out of School
  
• Aggression and Violent Behavior
  
• Substance Abuse
  
• Depression and Mental Illness
  
• Physical Health Problems
  
• Domestic Violence

You Can Make a Difference

Not all children are affected by violence in the same way, but all children benefit from the support of caring adults.

You can:

• Listen to the child
• Establish regular routines and a familiar environment for the child
  
• Remain calm and patient
  
• Ask questions gently and use words the child can understand
  
• Talk to the child at eye level
  
• Tell the child it is okay to talk about what happened
  
• Let the child know it is not his fault
  
• Reassure the child that it is okay to cry
  
• Encourage the child to play, draw, or tell stories to express her feelings
  
• Find a mental health professional to address the child’s trauma