Across the Growing Up Safe partnership, child and youth workers and child and family therapists work closely with children and caregivers who are navigating stress, transition, and recovery after experiences of gender-based violence. In a recent conversation with the Growing Up Safe peer group, we spoke about the realities families are facing right now and the kinds of support that are making a meaningful difference in their day-to-day lives.
Parenting Support During Transitions
One of the most common needs families express is parenting support during moments of stress. When children first arrive in shelter environments, caregivers often notice behaviours they haven’t seen before; testing limits, heightened emotions, or difficulty settling. These changes can feel alarming, especially when parents are already overwhelmed. Much of the early work focuses on normalizing these reactions and helping caregivers understand that children are
responding to a new, unfamiliar, and often frightening environment.
Building relationships is always the starting point. Trust and safety take time, particularly for families who
have experienced trauma. Child and youth workers and child and family therapists focus first on creating a space where caregivers and children feel comfortable,
respected, and heard. Without that foundation, it can be difficult for families to share concerns or accept support. As relationships develop, families often become more open about what they’re struggling with and what they need most.
Helping Families Find Balance
Many caregivers share that disrupted routines are one of their biggest challenges. Entering shelter often means adjusting to new schedules, shared spaces, and an influx of services and appointments. This can feel overwhelming for both parents and children. Supporting families to establish simple, predictable routines helps restore a sense of grounding and stability. Even small steps can make daily life feel more manageable.
Another key focus is supporting caregivers when both they and their children are dysregulated. Parents are often trying to help their children cope while managing their own stress and triggers. Child and youth workers and child and family therapists support caregivers through co-regulation, communication strategies, and self-care, emphasizing that perfection isn’t the goal. Normalizing mistakes, emotional responses, and hard days helps caregivers feel less alone and more confident in their parenting.
Supporting Skills, Supporting Growth
Practical tools play an important role in this work. Families are supported through problem-solving conversations that include both caregivers and children, helping everyone feel heard and involved in finding solutions. Breathing exercises, role-playing, mindfulness, and simple coping strategies are often used because they are accessible in the moment. These tools help children name emotions, slow down their reactions, and practice skills in a safe, supportive setting.
Over time, progress often shows up in small but meaningful ways. Caregivers may begin to reach out for support without prompting, spend more time in shared spaces, or speak with greater confidence about their parenting. Children may start using language from sessions, choose healthier ways to cope with big feelings, or feel comfortable expressing themselves more openly. These moments signal growing safety, trust, and emotional regulation.
Listening With Care
Families consistently share that being listened to is one of the most valuable parts of the support they receive. Having a space where they can speak openly without judgment, feel respected as parents, and explore new perspectives makes a significant difference. Caregivers
are not told how to parent; instead, their strengths are acknowledged, and support builds on what they are already doing well.
One Day at a Time
If there is one message child and youth workers and child and family therapists hope families carry with them, it is this: you are doing the best you can in an incredibly difficult situation. You don’t have to have everything figured out right now. In moments of uncertainty, having even one space where you feel safe, heard, and supported can help families take the next step forward, one day at a time.