KIDshine helps to fill this gap by directly assisting these children to help keep them safe in the short term, and to minimise their negative longterm problems resulting from exposure to domestic abuse.
KIDshine is a free, structured and practical intervention service for children who witness domestic abuse, that is offered to families in their homes and at times convenient to them.
Since 2003, KIDshine has helped thousands of children to stay safe and heal from domestic abuse. Most children who’ve had KIDshine have, as a result, felt safer, more confident, more able to talk to the protective parent (usually, but not always, the mother) about the violence they’ve witnessed, and have fewer behavioural problems.
The reality is we cannot always immediately stop the violence from happening, but we can help children to remain safe if there are further incidents in their homes, and help them understand that the violence is not their fault.
"I know what to do now if I'm scared, I know how to ring the Police and I know that it's not my fault."
"Thank you. I never thought the fighting or arguing affected them or that they saw what was happening. They wouldn't have told me and would have always wondered whether they were to blame." – KIDshine mother
As a result of KIDshine:
Read about Shine in School, our programme that educates young people to become champions of change.
This short video explains how KIDshine advocates help children exposed to domestic violence. It features the words of a KIDshine Advocate. To protect her privacy and for safety reasons, her story is being told by an actor.
“I feel good that I know if something happens, I can go to my friend’s house. I talk to mum more about what might happen if dad comes to our house.” 11-year-old KIDshine client