the nia project>family support>family support service
Family Support Service
the nia project’s Children and Young People’s Service offers a range of services to children, young people and parents who are affected by violence against women. We are a child-centred service and put children’s needs at the heart of all of our work. We also know that the best way to keep children safe is to work supportively with their mums.
We work with children of all ages and from a wide range of communities. Our work is with children who have experienced violence and abuse themselves, as well as with children who have been affected by witnessing violence and abuse in their families. To reduce violence against women in the future we also deliver prevention work in schools and youth groups.
We are committed to providing high quality services and the participation of children and young people in our work. We offer training to professional to share our expertise and skills.
For more details about our services please go to:
• Supporting Children
• Supporting Young People
• Training
Family Support
We offer family support for women living in a nia project refuge. This services consists of practical support and advocacy for mothers/carers to best meet their children’s needs. This includes child protection and child contact advocacy, and support to minimise the impact of violence on children and parenting capacity. We also offer workshops for mums and children, and holiday playschemes.
This service is funded by LB Hackney Community Partnerships and London Councils.
Play Therapy
The Play Therapy & Creative Arts Counselling Service offers therapy for children and young people affected by violence against women. Children and young people can chose different ways to express themselves – playing, drawing, painting, music, puppets – or just a chance to talk things over. We welcome self referrals as well referrals from professionals – feel free to call with any questions or queries. You can also email: playtherapist@niaproject.plus.com
This service is funded by BBC Children in Need.
Family Learning
We provide play based and educational activities for mothers/carers and their children (0-16yrs) to learn together, have fun, develop new and existing skills, improve parenting skills and increase confidence. Our programmes are aimed at women and children from minority ethnic groups who have experienced violence and are delivered throughout London. We offer these sessions in partnership with other agencies, for example children’s centres, youth groups and community centres.
We offer taster sessions and eight week programmes During the courses we work to develop language and literacy, physical development, communication, social skills and safety planning skills.
Examples of the activities on offer are:
Arts and craft, Swimming, Story telling, Dancing, Songs and Rhymes, Cooking, Mask making, Treasure/Pirate Hunt, Using your imagination, Messy play, Growing plants, Healthy eating, Outdoor activities, Yoga, Toy making, Themed activities, Playing Detectives.
The Family Learning Programme is funded by:
Jacana Parenting Project
Are you working with families in Hackney who are affected by domestic violence?
Are you concerned about the impact of violence and abuse on parenting capacity and on children’s development?
Do you find that parents struggle to understand abuse from a child’s perspective and often minimise its impact on family relationships?
The Jacana Parenting Service is a new partnership being piloted in Hackney by the nia project and the Domestic Violence Intervention Project (DVIP), a best practice organisation working with perpetrators of gender violence as well as women and children.
Jacana offers a service across Hackney to parents affected by domestic violence. Our aim is to increase the safety of women and children, to support the development of positive family relationships and to reduce the impact of domestic violence on parenting capacity. The service is designed for families who have been, or are currently, affected by domestic violence. It includes separate programmes for mothers who are survivors/victims and fathers who are perpetrators.
We complete an initial assessment of both mothers and fathers to decide whether the service is suitable. Our programmes will include both individual and group support.
Referral Criteria for Jacana:
• Does he/she have children?
• Has there been violence and abuse?
• Does he/she need support with parenting?
• Does he/she have the motivation/ability to engage with the service?
This project is funded by The Parenting Fund
For more information about any of these services please contact us on 020 76831270
For details about our prevention work please see Supporting Young People
Testimonies
(no changes)
Young People: Schools (within Training Section)
We offer training for professionals who work with children and young people in any capacity.
We deliver training on:
• Young women and serious youth violence
• Skills training on working with violent young women
• Sexual Exploitation
• Sexual Bullying
• Dealing with disclosures of sexual bullying/exploitation
• Violence against women prevention work
• Young men and violence against women
• Bespoke training on violence against women and children
See Supporting Young People for information about prevention work with young people and awareness-raising work with parents/carers.