Children who come through Hope Harbour's doors with their parent get age-appropriate counseling, school-stability support, and a calm environment while their family rebuilds. Domestic violence affects every member of the household. The Children's Program is built around that truth.
Hope Harbour's Children's Program meets kids where they are, with age-appropriate care and an understanding that they too are victims of the violence in their home.
The Children's Program serves:
Age range: infants through 17 years old. We work with what the child needs. Toddlers get one approach. Teenagers get another. Our counselors are trained for the full range.
Children's Program access happens automatically when their parent comes into Hope Harbour services. The same call that starts shelter or outreach starts Children's Program access.
(706) 324-3850. The parent or caregiver calls. Children's needs come up in intake and an advocate flags Children's Program coordination.
Once the family is at shelter or established in outreach, kids meet their counselor. The first meeting is low-pressure: getting to know each other, no expectation kids talk about what happened.
Counseling continues as long as it's helpful. School-stability work, sibling support, and family group sessions get layered in as needed. The pace is set by the child and family.
Infants through 17 years old. We tailor care to age: play-based work for young children, more verbal counseling for older kids, and adolescent-specific approaches for teens who may be processing the violence differently than younger siblings.
Children's Program counseling itself does not require any law enforcement involvement. If your case is in court and there are questions about your child being involved as a witness, your legal advocate will walk you through what is required versus what is optional. We do not pressure children into legal proceedings.
When it is safe to do so, yes. Our school-stability support works with families to keep children in their existing school during a transition. When relocation makes that impossible, we help coordinate school transfers and connect with the new school's counseling resources.
The shelter has child-friendly common areas and supervised activities, but is not a licensed daycare facility. For parents needing daycare to attend appointments, work, or court, the case manager coordinates with local daycare partners.
Yes. Teen dating violence is a real and growing issue and our Children's Program counselors are trained to work with adolescents in their own dating relationships, not just kids witnessing violence at home. Call the hotline if you are concerned about a teenager you know.
You do not need to know in advance whether Children's Program fits your situation. Call the hotline and an advocate will help you figure out what comes next.
