MFT-6113: Assessing and Treating Family Violence

Phillips, J. D. (2016). A qualitative study of collaboration between guardians ad litem and caseworkers in the child welfare system. Children and Youth Services Review, 60, 61–67.
As part of systemic practice, MFTs need to consider how they can support the collaboration between the multiple professionals involved in child welfare cases. This article provides recommendations for enhancing child welfare caseworkers and attorneys’ relationships.

Cupit Swenson, C., & Schaeffer, C. M. (2011). Multisystemic therapy for child abuse and neglect. In A. Rubin (Ed.), Programs and interventions for maltreated children and families at risk: Clinician's guide to evidence-based practice (pp. 31-40). John Wiley & Sons.
This chapter reviews a systemic approach to therapy with families involved in the child welfare system. This approach was designed for multi-stressed families.

Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2015). Promoting protective factors for victims of child abuse and neglect: A guide for practitioners.
This resource reviews why it is important for providers to consider protective factors when working with children who’ve experienced maltreatment, and how to promote those factors to support their well-being. This resource highlights how protective factors exist across various levels of the ecosystem including individual, relational, and community-level aspects.

Lender, D., Booth, P. B., & Lindaman, S. (2011). The Theraplay treatment program: Description and implementation of attachment-based play for children and caregivers (pp. 105-118). In R.I Cottom (Ed.), Programs and interventions for maltreated children and families at risk: Clinician's guide to evidence-based practice. John Wiley & Sons.
This resource reviews a specific parent-child attachment-based approach for treating children who have a trauma history.

Fisak, B. (2014). Trauma-related problems and disorders. In C.A. Alfano & D.C. Beidel (Eds.), Comprehensive evidence-based interventions for children and adolescents (pp. 287-300). John Wiley & Sons.
This resource reviews the implementation of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) with children.

Gil, E. M. (2016). Using integrated directive and nondirective play interventions for abused and traumatized children. In Empirically based play interventions for children (2nd ed., pp. 95–113). American Psychological Association.
This resource discusses an integrated play therapy approach to treat children with a history of trauma.

Burns-Jager, K., Bozek, K., & Horsford, S. (2012). Calculating all of our losses: Writing real-world therapy experiences in child welfare. Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, 24(1), 79–100.
In this auto-ethnography, the authors process their experiences as therapists working in the child welfare system. This resource is included to give students a real-world look at what it can be like to work with families involved in this system.

Dixon, L., Perkins, D. F., Hamilton-Giachritsis, C., & Craig, L. A. (Eds.). (2017). The Wiley handbook of what works in child maltreatment: An evidence-based approach to assessment and intervention in child protection.
This week, you will read Chapters 18-19 (pp. 297-325) of this text. These chapters discuss specific interventions for children and parents who are at risk for child maltreatment or where child maltreatment has occurred.

Ziegler, R. G., & Weidner, D. A. (2006). Assessment and intervention with parents to stabilize children who have witnessed violence. Journal of Family Violence, 21(3), 209–219.
This resource reviews recommendations for supporting the parent in responding to children’s trauma after witnessing intimate partner violence.