Evaluation of outcomes of the Building Resilience in Children groupwork programme for women and children impacted by intimate partner violence

Children’s experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) are a well-recognised risk factor for harmful consequences. Programmes exist to address these consequences, but few have been rigorously evaluated. Building Resilience in Children (BRIC), is a groupwork programme based on attachment and strengthening mother–child relationships, for mothers and their children, to reduce impacts of IPV. This study explored reported changes to children’s behaviour and women’s parenting from the BRIC programme. Surveys at baseline, endline, and six-month follow-up incorporated the Tool to Measure Parenting Self-Efficacy , the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire , the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Young Children and the Composite Abuse Scale for abuse severity. Eighty-four women commenced the programme, with 50 completing all three surveys. Self-reported parenting self-efficacy significantly increased between baseline and endline, maintained with a small increase at follow-up. Participant reports indicated significantly decreased emotional and behavioural difficulties at endline, maintained at follow-up with 29 per cent of children less likely to meet post-traumatic stress disorder criteria at follow-up from baseline. Non-completers had higher abuse scores at baseline, suggesting that programme participation was more challenging. This groupwork programme shows promise in reducing IPV impacts on parenting. Such programmes are key to addressing childhood problems after IPV and reducing intergenerational trauma.