Open Axis activity
| Activity name | PARKASParents Accepting Responsibility Kids Are Safe | |
| Target | Criminality | |
| Objective | Increased support for victims or witnesses of crime | |
| Target | Resources to avoid crime | |
| Intelligence | The primary motivation for running a group such as PARKAS is to stop the inter-generational transmission of family violence. Domestic/Family Violence (emotional, physical, verbal, sexual, social, financial and spiritual) within the home can have destructive effects on the family, particularly children and can cause children to go on to display family violence in the future. The PARKAS program began at the request of adult clients who had been the victems of domestic violence, as well as clients who had been the perpetrators of family violence. The intention was to develop a child focused group work program that would assist children to rebuild often fragile relationships they experienced with their parents/carers as a result of family violence. | |
| Intervention | The PARKAS program is an 8-10 week community based child centred program, running a two tiered group for mothers and their children aged 8-12 years who have experienced domestic violence. A second model was developed in 1999 for children and fathers which targeted men who had completed the men's behaviour change component of the Djerriwarrh Health Services Family Violence Prevention Program. The fathers and children underttook a total of four weeks joint group work together within a seven week program and reunion. PARKAS has also developed group work training packages and the PARKAS manual was developed to accompany this training. Parallel to the development of the training initiatives was the establishment of a collective of agencies in Western Metropolitan Melbourne particularly Kids Safe From Violence - West. This consists of eight core welfare agencies, which services, promote and educate others about the destructive effects of family violence on children, as well as to advocate for more services for children living with violence. | |
| Involvement | The PARKAS program was originally developed and run as a collaborative program by the Royal Childrens Mental Health Services and the Djerriwarrh Health Services. The program has also been run under the auspice of the Kids Safe From Violence - West Collective. Funding difficulties prohibited Djerriwarrh Health Services from continuing to run the PARKAS program and from 2000 the Royal Childrens Hospital Mental Health Services Community Group Program has continued to evolve the group work model and PARKAS training packages. Parallel to the development of the training initiatives resulting from PARKAS was the establishment of a collective of agencies in Western Metropolitan Melbourne wanting to address issues relating to childrens experiences of violence within the home. The RCH MHS - CGP has been a key member of this collective. Kids Safe From Violence - West consisting of eight core welfare agencies formed in 1999. | |
| Impact | Questionnaires completed (1997 - 2000) by the participants who completed the full ten-week program revealed that 85% found the group useful, while the remaining 15% reported some disappointment. Negative feedback was usually associated with the format ofthe group or lack of improvement in their child's behaviour. The clinical analysis of the data collected within the Community Group Program indicates that children post-group display more positive social behaviours and less emotional, social and conduct difficulties. The children themselves report a greater increase of self-esteem and self-confidence within social situations and at home with parents. Over time the experience of children who have been part of parkas has informed the work of professionals in the field, has assisted in launching two separate training packages and has contributed to the formation of a powerful interagency collaborative lobby group. | |
| URLs | ||
| Parent project | Parents Accepting Responsibility Kids Are Safe (PARKAS); |