Webinar: Notice Me, Think About Me, Ask About Me

Join us for the launch of two new resources to raise awareness of the impact of Domestic Violence and Abuse on the very young child (pregnancy to pre-school).

With key note by Dr Wendy Bunston, Australian trainer, consultant, lecturer, family therapist and IMH practitioner who specialises in working with infants, children and their parents impacted by family violence

And address by the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD.

Barnardos was established in 1962 with the vision to ensure all vulnerable children in Ireland get the support they need to overcome childhood adversity. In 2019 Barnardos, in partnership with Tusla, established the Childhood Domestic Violence and Abuse Project (CDVA) with the overall purpose to assist in increasing the visibility of childhood domestic abuse; to support a collective and collaborative approach to identifying the needs of children; and to delivering effective services in response.

The CDVA project identified a need to enhance our understanding of the impact of domestic violence and abuse on the very young (children aged 0-5 years old) including pregnancy. Over the course of 3 years, the CDVA project collaborated with mothers surviving domestic violence and abuse, young children in early years and pre-school settings, academics and our colleagues across the early years services, infant mental health and specialist domestic violence services. The result is a new resource called

‘Notice me – Think about me – Ask about me’ - two resources in one:

1. An animation, which raises awareness of the impact of domestic violence and abuse on the young child, from pregnancy to preschool.
2. An accompanying document that offers some accessible information for professionals responding to the needs of children and families.

This project was made possible by our funders the Department of Justice and is a collaboration with the following partner services, our valued colleagues in the creation of this resource:

• Women’s Aid Maternity outreach service
• Drogheda Women’s and Children’s Refuge Centre CLG
• In Sync Youth & Family Services
• Let’s Grow Together
• Ascend Domestic Abuse Service
• Barnardos TLC KIDZ Projects in North Tipperary & Carlow/South Tipperary
• Barnardos Better Finglas Project, Early Years Services in Tivoli and Loughlinstown and the Early Years Regional Development Team