Children as Witnesses of Family Violence: Needs Assessment with Program Implications

Women who are victims of family violence within a rural Midwestern county receive multi-faceted services from area service providers, while their children who witness family violence receive residual attention. It was the intention of this study to discern the needs of children in this population and to determine if a program of specialized services was indicated. Research for this study was done by interviewing key informants within the service delivery system to pinpoint the percieved physical, educational/cognitive, social, and emotional needs of this population. The findings indicated that there is a need for further services within the Goodhue County area. A program to address these needs would include some of the recommendations developed as a result of this study