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Sophie's Story
Sophie is 14 years old and lives with her mum and her 10 year old sister Abigail.
Her Mum has recently separated from Sophie's stepfather after a 12 year marriage. Her Mum was subjected to domestic abuse throughout this marriage. As a result of the abuse she has witnessed, Sophie is very clingy with her mum and is nervous about leaving the home and going out by herself in case she sees her stepdad.
Our Children’s worker had regular support sessions with Sophie over 12 weeks. During these sessions, Sophie was supported to explore her feelings and anxieties which enabled her to put into perspective her fears and worries. She was also given strategies and reasoning to combat these feelings.
These sessions enabled Sophie to feel safe enough to open up and share her thoughts and feelings. As a result of this some of the sessions became quite emotional for her, which then allowed the Children’s Worker to talk about those feelings.
By the end of the sessions Sophie’s confidence had developed so much that she was able to increase participation at school and was more relaxed and understanding about her little sister having contact with her Dad
There are many ways a teenager can experience violence. They may experience it themselves, witness it happening to someone close to them or see it in the community. They may have a friend confide in them about experiences of violence at home.