Introduction to Addressing Domestic Violence in Head Start Programs

Introduction to Addressing Domestic Violence in Head Start Programs

Brandi Black Thacker: Welcome to the first session in a series of five webinars called Introduction to Addressing Domestic Violence in Head Start Programs. This webinar series is designed to address many facets of preventing and addressing domestic violence in Head Start programs. So, let's look together at the five places where we're going to stop and talk throughout the course of this entire dialogue. You'll see at the top of your screen today's topic, as mentioned, is an introduction to addressing domestic violence in Head Start programs. From there, in the second of the series we're going to go right to healing and specifically healing for family members who have experienced domestic violence. Beyond that, in the third part, how to partner with parents to prevent and respond to domestic violence. Then we're going to think about how to partner with parents or family members who've used violence in their intimate relationships. And finally, how to build collaborative relationships with community partners in service of preventing and addressing domestic violence.

Before we get too far into the content, let me introduce myself. My name is Brandi Black Thacker. I'm the director of training, technical assistance, and collaboration for the National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement. And today, I have the honor of spending time with one of my favorite folks, Mie Fukuda. She's from one of our partner organizations and one that I love very much. If you guys know their work, I know you're a big fan already. But Mie is here today from Futures Without Violence, and she is going to lead us to begin this conversation through our learning objectives. Take it away, Mie.

Mie Fukuda: Thank you, Brandi. This session we'll focus on terminology with definitions as well as foundational information regarding domestic violence and its impacts and how it connects to the Head Start Framework. The learning objectives for this webinar are to be able to define domestic violence, recognize the impact of domestic violence on families, and apply the Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework to both preventing and responding to domestic violence.

Brandi: Well, Mie left us off there with a little bit of the tease about the PFCE Framework. So, let's go right there. For those of you that have loved and lived in Head Start for a while, you probably know the story of this framework, but I'm going to give you the shortcut version. And what we do is start with the end in mind, in terms of what that means for this graphic, it's really looking at that child outcomes column, that purple one, and kind of walking backwards through how this fits together and how it tells our story in Head Start. So, let's think about this, picture it. We're born back in 1965. And we really were born as a child development program. So, our whole reason for springing out of bed every day is to support children and their families toward school readiness and readiness beyond for life. So, one of the things that we work together around all day, every day, is that school readiness piece. Well, here's what we know, to get to school readiness we have to have strong child outcomes, that purple column. And if you walk backwards with me, we know that to get to the child outcomes column and the strength of those, we also have to have solid family outcomes. So, to get child outcomes and the success we hope to have with and for children, their families have to be right along with us with their own growth and progress. Now for either of those things to happen in Head Start programming, we have a role and responsibility. That's to take one more step back to the pink column or the program impact areas. To us, this really illustrates the high-quality, comprehensive service structure in Head Start. It's how we do what we do with those services, and then taking an additional step backwards to the yellow column, or program foundations. This is really where the systems live or Head Start speak.

So, the shortcut here is if you have strong systems and high-quality services, families and children grow! Then on the left, one of the most important pieces out, the two arrows at the top. You can do any of the things that I just mentioned without having positive goal and relationships that are grounded in equity, inclusiveness, cultural and linguistic responsiveness. Those are critical and foundational. I mean, guys, I feel like I'm preaching to that proverbial choir 'cause we do this so much better than everybody else in my humble opinion. This is sort of the fabric in which our whole foundation was born in Head Start. So to get to the growth for both families and children, we have to have strong systems, high-quality services, and they all have to be grounded in those relationships by honoring each of us as individuals through equity, inclusion, cultural and linguistic responsiveness.

Now, why am I bringing this up in the context of a conversation on domestic violence? Well, one of the things that we want to think about together is this blue column that's popped out, specifically the family outcomes. And there are so many connections to the conversation around domestic violence, not only in this blue column but throughout if you were to map how this stands across the framework, you'd see many, many points of intersection. But the one that we want to lift up today is one that we know many of you are driving toward, anyway, and that's around family well-being. The place that we want to begin is operationally defining it.

And again, if you guys know the framework, and you know how those things live and breathe within the context of this framework, you might already have this language but let's look at it just in case. Families are safe, healthy, and have the opportunities for educational advancement, economic mobility, and have access to physical and mental health services, housing, food assistance, and other family support services. Well, certainly, this could include any services around domestic violence. But what I love about this definition is, in Brandi's speak, it's basically like allowing families, as they're ready, the opportunity to get access to the services that they need in the timing that they deserve it.

So, that's what we want to sort of lift up as one point of intersect in this overall conversation about domestic violence. Well, since we have some time to look at the framework and really unpack what family well-being means, we also want to take a look at another phrase that you'll recognize from the framework, positive, goal-oriented relationships. You guys know this comes from that top arrow and to give it the credence that it deserves, we want to look at the operational definition of this as well. You can see here, a mutually respectful and intentional partnership ... Now I'm going to pause there because to me, this means there's a reciprocity. It means that there is a guide from the side-type approach that we're not in front of, we're not ahead of, we're really side by side with families as they travel their journey, and as they're ready. And, guys, check this out, with a focus on promoting family and child outcomes. So, to me, the summary statement here is, we get the chance to stay in the relationship and partnership with families as they go on their journey in growth for themselves and for their littlest ones. Now if that doesn't get you excited, I don't know what will. The thing that I want to point out here is, in the context of a conversation around domestic violence, this kind of connected relationship takes on an even higher priority. So, we want to make sure that we keep our mind here and really be thinking about together how we can keep this at the forefront of all of our interactions, but specifically when we get to be in partnership with a family member who has experienced or has been exposed to domestic violence.

While we're at it, and we're thinking about all these terms and getting together on what each of them mean, here's another one that we need to pull apart together. Let's explore your attitude. So, if I were to ask you right now, what comes to mind when you hear the word "attitude"?

What would you say? What popcorn, kind of, stream-of -consciousness words come to your brain with the word "attitude"? One of the things that we lift up is it's a frame of mind that you take toward another person or a way of thinking about other folks based on your own values, beliefs, and experiences that's reflected in your behavior. So, if I were to, you know, take a step back and say this like I want to, it's like, you bring yourself wherever you are, right? No matter what your experiences and what your journey is, it comes with you. So, as I specifically think about serving families who have experienced domestic violence, we have to be aware of what kinds of things we bring into that interaction. And it can be based on our own journey, whether we have experienced or whether we have come through a healing journey around domestic violence, whether we have preconceived notions about what that means and what it looks like, it's all very important to think about as we prepare ourselves in this work for how to serve families in a way that is highly reverent of where they are and where they're going.

Mie: So, violence comes in many forms. And this list on the slide has a list of a few of examples. And it's definitely not an exhaustive list, but just to demonstrate that violence can take on different forms. So, the way that we define violence is that violence is a form of abuse, including emotional, financial, psychological, physical, and sexual abuse. And examples can be domestic violence, family violence, community violence, school violence, hate violence, and child abuse and neglect. And similar to what I spoke to in the previous slide about trauma, domestic violence may not be the only type of violence of family you're working with is experiencing. So, again, having that understanding and trying to see the larger picture and trying to understand the context of what a family might be experiencing outside or on top of domestic violence will be very important for you as someone who is providing meaningful support to a family.

Brandi: Well, now that we've had a chance to come together on what the word "attitude" means, let's look at a few ways we can apply those attitudes in a strengths-based way. Now, there are four of the strengths-based attitudes. and one of the things that I want to say right away is, we're only going to touch the surface of the beauty of these attitudes, and on the next slide. I'll get to talk a little bit about practices. We have a lot of resources, and I'll show you those, too, in case you want to really pull these apart in a bigger, more extensive way. So ,we'll scratch the surface of these here, and then I'll show you a few things in a little bit where you can go back and revisit them and share them with your colleagues and your families if you'd like to.

So, let's look at the first one. Parents are children's first and most important teachers. And, guys, I felt like we wrote this one. I feel like this really lives in the core of who we are in Head Start, and the way we revere families, their voices, and their contributions for their child's growth and development. This is something that really sets us apart from a lot of other human service entities. And I know I am proud of this one. and I'm guessing that you are, too. But what I want to push us to think about here is not only how we apply this sentiment and the three others that we're following for all and with all of the families that we have the honor to serve, but specifically, in the context of this conversation, as it is connected to domestic violence, and not only folks who have received violence, but also folks who use violence. So I want us to stand in a place of really thinking about what we bring into these interactions and how we can fully, wholly without judgment and without stigma wrap ourselves around each of the family members in a way that really supports strengths-based interactions, but also reveres them as the important adult in the life of the little one that they are.

Let's look at the second one. Parents are our partners in supporting their child's development. They know their little ones, they know what works, and they have ideas about how we can help their child to grow together. So one of the best things that we can do is make sure to not only offer and create, A, space to share information, but, I would humbly submit, to gain information from families about their child and how they're growing and how they're doing. The third one is, parents have expertise about their child. Well, for those of you that know me, you know I have a 7-year-old little boy, and I have to say, I know him better than anybody else. If you need to know about his mood, about his choices, about his behavior, I am the best investigative reporter that exists, I'm going to be able to help you to puzzle that out. So, this is what we do within Head Start. And I think it's really important to lift up that, you know, parents not only have expertise about their child, but they have expertise about how to help us to support their child. So, being able to create the space, again, for them to share and for us to share as partners in this journey.

The fourth and final one for the attitudes is that parents have something valuable to contribute. Now, I don't know about you guys, but I've certainly been in a place before where I don't know what in the world valuable I have to contribute as a parent. And part of our job in Head Start is to really remind families what those incredible strengths are that they already have, and how to help them really unpack and showcase those as they're ready in ways that are meaningful not only for their own growth, but for the growth of their child. But in the context of this conversation around domestic violence, this is a core tenet that we have to hold close. Again, both for family members who might have received harm and for family members who have used harm. Each of us have strengths, we have to think about each person that we have the honor to serve in a way of their individuals and thinking about how to really inspire that piece of them that really leans into the growth and development of their child and the growth and development of who they are as adults. Well, since we got to talk about the attitudes, we definitely want to touch also the relationship-based practices.

Now, these six practices, I'm going to go ahead and put these up on the screen for you so you can see them all at once. These six practices are universally applicable for and with everybody you interact with. And one of the wonderful things is it just speaks to the heart of who we are as human beings, like we're all moved. I'm looking at this first one, describe observations of the child's behavior to open communication. And I'm a mama, I mentioned to you guys, I have a 7- year-old little boy, and anytime that you can watch and see what he's doing, and bring it to my attention in a way that reflects that you noticed something about him, it makes my heart swell up, right, with pride and happiness. Even if it's so simple as, "Oh, my goodness, Brandi, he saw you walk in the room and he lit up." That's a genuine observation, right? You just noticed what happened between me and my child, and you just made a huge deposit in the relationship that you and I share together. When we're thinking about this in the context of domestic violence, I really want to focus in on this fourth bullet point, the one that's I'm focusing on the family- and- child relationship. And we couldn't have a more powerful opportunity to build connection with a parent or a family member who's important in the life of a child. We all want what's best for our little ones. We all share that together, even if in the moments in our own journey that we might not be making the best decisions, we steal to the heart of who we are, want to support the growth, development, and success of our children.

So, one of the things that I love about these relationship-based practices and for the context of this conversation, we're just obviously touching the surface of this one, we get the chance to really wonder with parents about, what it means to them to be a good parent. Now, specifically for family members who have experienced or who have even used harm, and these are questions that can be asked in a way that's nonjudgmental, that's nonstigmatizing that really bring them closer to us, as opposed to any other kind of, you know, interaction. So, we're always looking for those ways to make genuine deposits within, for families in this dialogue and all of the dialogues when we get to have. So, check out these relationship-based practices. In that, I want to show you guys this next slide 'cause I promised this.

A little earlier, I mentioned that if you really want to get down in these attitudes and practices that we have so many resources at the National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement, for you to try these out. And you can see on the screen that series of four books, and we're adding to this series all the time, but you can see we have this beginning partnership series, and you can find all of these resources totally for free over on ECLKC. Now depending on where you live, I always say depending on your geography, you might say e-click, eh-click, or E- C-L-K-C. But that stands for the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center. If you've never been in, go visit. And if you're a frequent flyer like me, there's new stuff over there all the time. But you can just Google that phrase, Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center. And not only will you find our Building Partnerships Series under the Family Engagement topic, but if you haven't checked out our simulation series, which you see represented on the right-hand side of the screen, please do that 'cause you can actually, in your own self-pacing situation, can go over into these simulations and try out the ideas that I just offered around those attitudes and practices. It's so cool. In this virtual environment, there's a relationship meter, it shows you, like, if you have a thoughtful interaction with the family, the relationship meter grows. If perhaps you could have made a different choice, it will fall. It allows you the opportunity to really choose what the staff person who's interacting with the family is going to say. So, it gives you a safe space to try out some ideas, to test out some thinking, and to really figure out what works best for you in building relationships with families. So, go check these out if you found them helpful. And gosh, guys, without further ado, I really need to turn this over to Mie because we want to begin really drilling down into the idea of not only trauma but how all these pieces tacked together in this overarching conversation on domestic violence. Thank you, guys. Take it away, Mie.

Mie: So, now we'll switch gears a little bit and start to cover some of the terminology we'll be using throughout this webinar series. We'll begin with this term trauma. Trauma is a term used to describe a response to an experience that is so stressful it overwhelms a person's ability to cope or deal with what has happened. So, trauma is our response to an event or a series of events that threatens our own life and wellness or that of somebody who is important to us, like a parent, a sibling, et cetera. Traumatic experiences can be a one-time event or they can be multiple events and can happen repeatedly as well. Trauma can have both short- and long-term impacts on children. and it's important to note that not all children experience trauma in the same way. Also, the effects of trauma may not present itself immediately after a traumatic event.

It is also important that traumatic experiences be addressed and processed to reduce any negative impacts that might have on children's health and well-being. Although this webinar series really focuses on domestic violence and its impacts on children and families, we also know that many children experiencing trauma also experience multiple traumatic stressors. So, children who are experiencing domestic violence may be experiencing other types of traumatic events as well. So, when we talk about trauma, we want to encourage people to think of the larger picture, right, about the larger picture of what a child and their family are experiencing. And within this list on the slide, you'll see environmental factors contribute as well in terms of the larger picture of trauma and how trauma might be impacting families. And, you know, that includes racism, poverty, things like natural disasters, all of these things can also have negative impacts and be traumatic for children and families.

So, domestic violence refers to a pattern of coercive, controlling behavior that is used by a person to gain or maintain power and control over their intimate partner. The tactics that someone uses in order to gain control ... gain and maintain control over their partner can include physical, sexual, emotional, economic, psychological, and even just threats of action, right, and not actually acting it out but threatening. And all of these tactics influence the person who's experiencing the domestic violence. There may be similar behaviors that you can see in a situation that involves domestic violence in unhealthy relationships as well that isn't domestic, that doesn't have domestic violence. And that's important to point out because I just want to make sure that we are making the distinction that not all unhealthy relationships involve domestic violence. And the key distinction with domestic violence and other types of relationships is whether one person in the relationship has significant power and control over the other person and within the relationship itself. So, it's really about an imbalance of power and control in a relationship, and where one person has more control than the other person. And this is why you might hear some folks referencing something called mutual abuse. And that's just a concept that is not true and cannot happen because if one person has more power over the other person, then the other person wouldn't be able to replicate that, right? So, wouldn't be mutual abuse.

So, this is just to say that without the analysis of power within a relationship that involves domestic violence, we actually run the risk of potentially misidentifying the person who's actually experiencing the domestic violence as the person who's using violence, right? So, many times people who are experiencing domestic violence use physical violence such as hitting and kicking as a form of self-defense and protection and may be misidentified as the person using violence if the focus is only on, you know, who hit who, or yeah, what kind of violence was used without the context of really understanding where the power lies within relationship. And this is actually quite common to see the misidentifying and mislabeling of, you know, people who are actually experiencing DV to be the person who's using DV, because it is a tactic used by the person who's abusing, who's using domestic violence in order to shift blame onto their partner and manipulate others into thinking, you know, that they are not abusing their partner. And, you know, other terms that you might hear, other folks’ reference for domestic violence will include intimate partner violence, abuse, and then battering. Although, this particular term is a little more outdated, and I find it's being used less and less, but some folks still use it. And then I'll also just note that domestic violence is commonly abbreviated by the first letters, so it's DV, which I'll probably be switching between domestic violence and DV throughout this session, and I believe my colleagues will be as well throughout the webinar series. So, just wanted to point that out in case we reference DV, that means domestic violence.

So, we are very careful to separate the words describing the behavior of a person or experience of a person, especially related to domestic violence, from the person themselves. So, this is because we believe it's important to name the behaviors and experience, we're talking about. So, in this case, domestic violence and not label the person based on it. So, for this webinar series, we'll be using the terms "person who uses domestic violence," and that's to reference the person who's using violence and coercive control against their intimate partner. And then "person experiencing domestic violence" to refer to the person who's experiencing or has experienced an intimate partner's use of coercive control and or violent tactics. And then, finally, "child or children experiencing domestic violence" to refer to children or young people who are experiencing or, again, has experienced in the past domestic violence against a parent or parent figure by their other parent who is their intimate partner. Other terminology that you might hear folks use to reference these people would be for, so the person who uses domestic violence, people might say batterer. Again, this is a little outdated but still used, abuser and perpetrator. And then for the parent who's experiencing domestic violence, you may hear folks reference the word victim or survivor. And then for child experiencing domestic violence, you might hear something like children exposed to domestic violence.

So, "what about men?" is a common question we get asked at every domestic violence training and it is the elephant in the room a lot of times. We know that when there are discussions and trainings about domestic violence, folks will often imply that women are the ones who experience the domestic violence. However, we want to make sure that we point out that men also can experience domestic violence, and that is why it is really important to use gender- neutral language like the ones we did in the previous slide. Like when we say, you know, person experiencing domestic violence or using violence, it's gender-neutral. However, we know from research and years of experience working in this field, that domestic violence is a form of gender-based violence, which means that we do see a disproportionate rate of women experiencing domestic violence compared to men, and people who use domestic violence are overwhelmingly men. We also know that most men do not use or go on to use domestic violence at any point in their life, and that's a distinction that is important to make. Many of the men who use domestic violence have also experienced domestic violence as children. And we're learning more and more about the connection between men who use domestic violence in their experiences of child sexual abuse.

In the field of domestic violence, we use this graphic very often. This is the Power and Control Wheel created by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Program. This graphic illustrates the various types of tactics and behaviors used by the person using domestic violence to gain and maintain control over their partner. The words power and control are at the center of the wheel because it is the key element, as I have described before, and the definition of the term of domestic violence. The behaviors listed and the spokes of this wheel are examples of how a person might instill fear and manipulate their partner. But again, it's definitely not exhaustive. They're just examples and some things that we know folks use, in order to, again, gain and maintain control. And there are other similar graphics that folks have created to list more specific categories of behaviors used... with marginalized communities such as the LGBT community. There might be more specific categories of behaviors that we see used and make, you know, LGBTQ folks vulnerable to violence. Such as, you know, threatening to out them at work, to their families, if they are not out as queer or trans, et cetera.

So, how common is domestic violence? Domestic violence is, unfortunately, very common. According to the 2010-2012 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, one in three women and one in nine men in the continental U.S. experience domestic violence. For women, the highest risk of domestic violence is within the ages of 18 years and 24 years, and a high percentage have children. Domestic violence cuts across race, class, sexual orientation, and gender identity, but some groups are more at risk and are more impacted than others. Because sexism, racism, homophobia, and transphobia are risk factors for violence that affects certain groups more than others. Black, indigenous, and other people of color, women, transgender, and nonbinary folks are most impacted by domestic violence. Violence is also very common in the lives of children. According to the National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence, 60% of children between birth and 17 years have been exposed to some form of violence in the previous year. About 39% reported multiple exposures to violence. There's also a high rate of co-occurrence of domestic violence and child abuse, where 40% to 60% of children experience both, including sexual abuse as well. As I mentioned earlier, traumatic stressors can negatively affect a child's health in the same way that domestic violence exposure does and may increase the child's risk for emotional or physical health issues, both short and long term. So, let's talk about the possible impacts that domestic violence can have on a child's brain development. A young child, so, in early childhood is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of domestic violence because of their rapid brain development.

Now, stress is not inherently bad. It's actually a part of the human experience. And positive stress is important for our development and growth. When our stress response system is activated repeatedly and over prolonged periods of time, our bodies are not equipped for this. And so this is what can result in what we call toxic stress. Toxic stress can have negative implications on children's development and health. Domestic violence is a stressor that can lead to this type of stress and therefore can change the way a child's brain develops. And we see these impacts manifest in a child's ability to manage their emotions, interact with others, and learn. There are many things that influence the way a child is impacted by trauma, and the ways trauma symptoms manifest. But some possible symptoms of trauma include aggressive behaviors, not being able to control and manage impulses, changes in sleep patterns. So, you might see a child sleep more or sleep less than usual. The same with weight. A child may gain or lose weight, and some children regress in their developmental milestones. So, for example, children who are already potty-trained might start to have accidents again. And I want to note that this list is like all lists that are in this webinar presentation. It's definitely not exhaustive.

And just want to remake the point that children are different, and the effects of trauma vary greatly, depending on the child.

As I mentioned earlier, domestic violence, like other traumatic stressors, can have long-term impacts on children and their health. Studies have shown that children who experienced domestic violence are more likely to have health challenges like asthma, diabetes, obesity, frequent infections, and poor mental health. This is why it is so important to address trauma with children and intervene early in order to mitigate the negative effects of trauma that could be long-lasting and show up later on in adulthood. It's probably not surprising to hear that DV can have an impact on parents as well. Parents experiencing domestic violence experienced increased stress and possible trauma. Studies on child maltreatment have found that parents with past and recent traumatic experiences were at an increased risk of neglecting their child and using physical punishment on them. We also know that domestic violence can impact the relationships between the parent and child. And the person who's using domestic violence can intentionally attempt to sever the relationship between the parent who's experiencing domestic violence and their child as a means to, again, gain and maintain the control over them. It is really complicated when it comes to parenting and domestic violence. And I think it's really important to highlight that parents who have social supports and access to resource-rich environments and systems where their needs are taken care of, the likelihood of the risks that I mentioned decrease significantly.

And I also say that many parents who experience domestic violence are nurturing and caring to their children and go to extreme measures to ensure their children's safety many times over their own. So, on that note, yes, parenting can be compromised by domestic violence and trauma. But many parents experiencing domestic violence are excellent parents, and the attachment and bond between them and their children at times get even stronger. A lot of times a parent's protective behaviors might be misunderstood by others and might result in a report being made to child protective services or child welfare system. It is very common for parents experiencing domestic violence to be blamed for staying with their partner who's abusing them and therefore be labeled as a "bad parent." But it's important to know that many times leaving a domestic violence situation can actually be very dangerous for the person who's experiencing DV. In fact, leaving a domestic violence relationship or leaving the person who's using domestic violence against them is the most dangerous time for a person who's experiencing DV. Ultimately, a parent who stays with their partner who is using domestic violence have very complex reasons for why they stay. And it's important to not judge them if we truly want to be supportive and create the environments that are conducive to supporting their safety.

Although we've just covered a lot of information on how domestic violence and trauma can have negative and devastating impacts on families and children, it's so important to not end on that note. Children and adults can heal with support and care. You may have heard this term "resilience" before, but if not, it's a beautiful term to know. The definition we choose to use for this term resilience comes from the late Ann Brickson, who used to work at the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She was a lifelong advocate for children who have experienced domestic violence and passed away in 2018. So, her definition of resilience is, "The human capacity to face, overcome, and be strengthened by adversity." And the following session, session 2, will cover more information on resilience and protective factors. Before we end, I will share a great resource from Sesame Street. The Sesame Street community's website has a trauma topics specific website with videos and tools aimed for adults who want to support children experiencing trauma to heal. So, this particular video, it's called Traumatic Experiences, has a powerful message for adults in the lives of children. So, let's watch that.

[Video begins]

Big Bird: Thank you, Alan, you give the best hug.

Alan: Muraoka: Oh, anytime, Big Bird. You need one, you just ask. You feel any better? Big Bird: A little bit. Oh, I'm going to go get my teddy bear, Radar. I'll be right back.

Alan: Okay, anything that helps. When children experience trauma, it can affect them in many ways. They can have big feelings that can seem overwhelming at times. But children need to know they're not alone. They need us, grown-ups, family, and friends to help them through. You can lend an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, or even offer words of hope. There's always something you can do to make a difference in the life of the child.

Big Bird: Alan?

Alan: Big Bird!

Big Bird: Alan. Hey, Radar could use a hug, too. Alan: Oh, sure.

Big Bird: Do you mind?

Alan: Come here. Come here, Radar. Big Bird: Radar could use a hug, too. Alan: Oh, sure.

Big Bird: Do you mind?

Alan: Come here. Come here, Radar. Alan: How's that? Great?

Big Bird: That's great. Yeah. See, Radar, I told you that Alan can help you feel better. [laughter] [Video ends]

Mie: The presence of loving and caring adults in the lives of children is the number one factor in building resilience. We can be one of those caring adults and support other adults, such as parents and other adult family members to also be the loving caring adults in the child's life, so that they can help strengthen the child's and children's resilience. So, to wrap up, here are some key takeaways from the session. Domestic violence is prevalent in the lives of the families we partner with. Not all people are impacted equally. And healing is possible. Loving, nurturing, and consistent adults can help support healing and resiliency for children. For more information and resources on domestic violence prevention and response, there is a page on the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center that includes the resources we cover in this whole webinar series with some additional ones as well. So, please visit the website by clicking on the link in the slide. Thank you so much for viewing this webinar session and for your interest in learning more about domestic violence and ways you can support families in Head Start programs who are experiencing domestic violence.

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