Teaching future educators how to properly address domestic abuse among children is no easy task. A recent symposium discussed how to deal with children who are exposed to domestic abuse with education majors.
Cabrini has taken a great step to help its future educators. Last Wednesday there was a Domestic Violence Symposium in the mansion. This event for educators on campus was titled “Keeping Children Safe: Child Victims of Domestics Violence.” The focus of the event was to teach future educators how to deal with children who are exposed to domestic abuse.
October is domestic abuse awareness month. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Abuse, children exposed to domestic abuse are at a dangerously high risk to become violent later on in life, thus continuing the cycle of domestic abuse.
To discuss the effects of children who are victims of domestic abuse the symposium had a panel discussion. There were people who have various jobs which deal with the welfare of children. Maggie Sweeney is a forensic interviewer for Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center. Michele Kristofco works at the Montgomery County of Children and Youth. Mercedes Cassese-McDonald is a family counselor for the domestic violence center of Chester County. Kelsey Alderman who is a children’s advocate at Laurel House.
These professionals talked about different situations that an educator could be faced with while teaching. Sweeney talked about how it is important for everyone at a school who comes in to contact with children to be aware of the signs of abuse. If everyone is aware of the signs they can properly report them if they suspect a child to be in danger. Cassese-McDonald added to this with “Reporting is not accusing, but requesting an investigation.”
Another main point of the symposium was how children who are exposed to domestic abuse can suffer academically. Molly McDougall, junior elementary and special education major, has learned about these effects in her classes with professor Colleen Lelli. While working on different projects, McDougall has witness children in the classroom who are victims of domestic abuse.
“These kids aren’t getting support at home, so they get support at school,” McDougall said.
Later on during the event Lelli gave a presentation on strategies about helping children who are victims of domestic abuse. During this she discussed the various forms of abuse and how they affect the young child’s brain, thus leading to learning problems and or behavior problems.
Lelli taught the audience how the use of children’s books could help children dealing with this victimization.
“School is a great safety net for kids. Teachers know kids the best and they see them the most,” Kristofco said.
