Getting help in Austin, Texas

FAMILY VIOLENCE

I am a teacher/child care worker. What can I do within my classroom?

Children from violent homes will benefit from personal attention and connections to adults, such as counselors, teachers, aides, adult mentors, etc.

As a teacher with a large classroom, it may be difficult for you to provide this by yourself. Referring the child to the school counselor, Communities in Schools, Visiting Teachers, or any other program within your school setting may help them get the attention they need.

Make your classroom environment run like a healthy family. Maintain high academic and behavior expectations for students without encouraging competition between students. Encourage students to be responsible for classroom decisions as opposed to being an authoritarian teacher. This will help build studentÍs self-esteem and will increase their respect for their learning environment.

Provide students with opportunities to work in small groups. Not only does this give withdrawn students a greater chance of participating, but it also provides a healthy setting for making friends with their peers.

Peer mentoring: You can establish a peer mentoring/tutoring program within your classroom if one does not exist within your school. A program such as this builds the self-esteem of both students and can even reduce the workload of the teacher.

You can also enlist the support of older students to serve as mentors.

Be aware that it may not be appropriate to contact the parent of a child who has divulged information about violence in their home.

Often,, the victimized parent may be embarrassed and the family may follow a strict code of secrecy.

You do not want to endanger the child or the victimized parent by addressing the issue directly.

If you are unsure or just have questions do not hesitate to contact our office or that of the other resources listed here for further support.

What can I do?
 
 
 
  I am a teacher
 
 
My family is experiencing violence
I would like to...

 

Legal Services Links:
Travis County Attorney's Office
Travis County District Attorney's Office
Legal Aid of Central Texas
Women's Advocacy Project

Social Services Links:
APD Victim Services
TCSO Victim Services
SafePlace: Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Survival Center
Austin Child Guidance Center

Additional Resources:

Domestic Violence Hotlines and Resources

National Domestic Violence Hotline

Violence Against Women Office

Violence Agaianst Men and Women

Family Violence Awareness Page

Husband Battering

Child Abuse:

National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information

Prevent Child Abuse America

National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect

Child Abuse Yellow Pages

Family Violence

Child Abuse

Traffic Accidents and Fatalities

Legal Support and Information