Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger applauded the recent release of a new study by UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children and Families that hones in on the trauma impacting survivors of domestic violence and the obstacles they encounter in child welfare cases.
Titled “Collaborative Reform in Child Welfare for Families Experiencing Domestic Violence in the Antelope Valley,” the study was shared with the public in a packed community room at the Los Angeles County Lancaster Library on Oct. 15.
An eager crowd started filing into the room over a half hour before the presentation started, filling every seat in the room. The Board of Supervisors recently declared October as Domestic Violence Awareness month in Los Angeles County.
Barger shared a few comments, kicking off the morning.
“Domestic violence is a big issue impacting the lives of Los Angeles County residents — from childhood to adulthood,” she said. “Our foster care system feels the impact of this challenge every day and needs new strategies that support families to keep them safely together. With novel research from the UCLA Pritzker Center, Los Angeles County’s safety net is primed to innovate. This boils down to proactively supporting domestic violence survivors and their children. We need to keep evolving our methods and work to meet today’s reality and needs.”
Findings were then presented directly by the research team, led by Dr. Brenda Tully, and project collaborators from Valley Oasis and the LA County Department of Children and Family Services.
“As a public institution, UCLA makes a concerted effort to join hands with philanthropy, government and community-based organizations and the UCLA Pritzker Center is pleased to conduct this community-based research in the Antelope Valley,” said Tyrone C. Howard, co-director of the UCLA Pritzker Center and the Pritzker Family Endowed Chair in the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies. “This research examining domestic violence and foster care is one such example of coming together to enhance the social safety net for families in need. Sharing research relevant to the Antelope Valley has the potential to benefit all of LA County and other jurisdictions across the country.”
The study documents the experiences of parent survivors of domestic violence, domestic violence service providers and child welfare staff. It also reviews the collaborative efforts of Valley Oasis, a domestic violence service agency, and the Los Angeles County Department of the Department of Children and Family Services Lancaster Regional Office and evaluates their interventions.
“The focus groups held for mothers who had experienced domestic violence and involvement with the Department of Children and Family Services provided a powerful platform for these women to share their personal experiences navigating systems as they began their journey toward recovery,” said Sarah Perry, chief executive officer of Valley Oasis. “These discussions not only gave mothers a voice but will also serve to provide valuable feedback to policymakers, social workers, and service providers, helping to inform more comprehensive and effective approaches to domestic violence support and reunification efforts.”
“Keeping families safely together can be very challenging in situations involving intimate partner violence because these incidents can sometimes unintentionally endanger children in the home,” added Brandon T. Nichols, director of the Department of Children and Family Services. “What we’ve gleaned from this work is that family dynamics are deeply personal, human, and complex, requiring us to better understand and assess the risks posed to the children involved. With the insights we’ve gained, we are creating environments where survivors can feel safe and free of guilt, shame or a sense of responsibility for the abuse they’ve endured. Most importantly, with this new guidance, we hope to help survivors access services and resources they need to heal themselves and their children.”
