What you can do to help

it is everyone's business to protect children from abuse 

Never ignore a child who talks about violence or abuse.  Don't question - listen and then record what took place verbatim, not your interpretation of what was said. 

• If the violence is serious or imminent, report it to the Police or the Department of Child,  Youth and Family.
• Make sure that the child's primary caregiver is safe from violence and abuse.
• Consider the needs of children when responding to a domestic violence situation.
• When violence is present, assume that it is impacting on children and whanau nearby.
• Assure children that violence used by adults is not the child's fault.
• Recognise that domestic violence, abuse and neglect are often accompanied by sexual abuse, which also requires a specialist response.
• Learn about the specialist children's services available in your area.
• Learn about the effects of trauma on children.
• Listen carefully to children's experience - recognise that it is real for them.
• Recognise that with careful, consistent and skilled assistance, children can recover from the effects of abuse.
• Limit re-victimisation - agencies involved in helping children need to cooperate and agree on one person to take the lead role.
• Contact shine* about their Child Crisis Team service for children who have been exposed to family violence in Auckland and the North Shore.

Click here to return to Help for Children.