eiseEducation

Children’s exposure to Domestic Violence (DV) [Or Family Violence] is increasingly seen as a form of Childhood Maltreatment. As such it may also represent a serious impediment to a child’s healthy development, impacting formative attachment development, and key outcomes across childhood, potentially into adulthood. Of particular importance is exposure to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) between caregivers [as well as Coercive Control]. Similar to the four historically studied forms of child maltreatment—Child Physical Abuse, Child Sexual Abuse, Child Emotional Abuse and Neglect— exposure to DV/IPV needs to be seen as a complex phenomenon requiring consideration of contextual and social/community influences. Multiple forms of maltreatment typically occur in unique patterns.

An identification of exposure risks to childhood attachment across development for infant and caregiver will be provided: beginning in utero / post-utero through the three periods of childhood beyond infancy. Importantly, prevention research and applications for specific interventions for each developmental period will be identified. Case studies for each these periods will engage the Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP). Questions of the impact of parental separation on children experiencing exposure will also be addressed.