Children and young people are profoundly affected by domestic and family violence—not just by what they see or hear, but by the coercive control, disrupted attachment, and relational harm that unfold around them. They are impacted by the stress and distress of their caregivers, the silence that often surrounds violence, and the way systems focus on adults while overlooking children’s needs.

Our approach

For over two decades, the Australian Childhood Foundation has provided specialist therapeutic DFV services and practice development programs across Australia. Our trauma-integrated approach—recognised nationally and internationally—combines neurobiology, attachment, relational healing, and cultural responsiveness.
Our Safe and Secure Practice Guide have been developed to guide practitioners to:

• Centre the needs and perspectives of children
• Strengthen the caregiver-child relationship after violence
• Support culturally grounded healing
• Build confidence to apply trauma-aware practice in everyday work

Our findings show that:

• Practitioners are motivated to support children but often feel unsure how to engage them
• Children’s needs are still often overlooked or misunderstood
• Healing must centre safe relationships and address multiple forms of loss
• Practice must hold perpetrators accountable without placing unrealistic expectations on mothers
• Cultural connection, kinship, and community-led healing are essential for First Nations families

What this training offers
This training package builds on the Australian Childhood Foundation’s decades of therapeutic and practice development work with children, families and practitioners impacted by domestic and family violence. Designed specifically for practitioners in regional and remote NSW, the training equips staff with the knowledge, skills and reflective capacity to support children’s recovery and strengthen the caregiver-child relationship.

It draws on current understandings of the neurobiology of trauma, culturally grounded approaches to healing, and relational, practice-based strategies. The training also provides space for practitioners to reflect on their own role, language and decision-making, and how teams and systems can more consistently centre the needs and experiences of children.

It offers a practical, relational and culturally responsive approach for practitioners who want to:

• Better understand how violence affects children’s development, behaviour, and relationships
• Use language and tools that make the child visible in service responses
• Strengthen the caregiver-child relationship as a core part of healing
• Build confidence to apply trauma-aware and culturally safe practices in daily work

Workshop session:
Register below to have access to your pre-reading and 2 x day workshop
Date: 8^th and 9^th of September
Time: 9:30am – 3:30pm
Location: SORA Community Services