Domestic Violence: Our Families and Children The Honourable Judge The Honourable Justice Nancy A. Flatters James R. Williams Provincial Court of Alberta Supreme Court of Nova Scotia Calgary Family and Youth Court Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Calgary, Alberta, Canada World Congress Family Violence 1, March 18, 2013

World Congress Building Bridges: Principle to Reality  Principle: children living in environments free from violence – domestic or otherwise  Reality: how to get there: one path - work collaboratively for the sake of children who are our most precious resources copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 2 March 2013

copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 3 March 2013 Introduction Overview Why work together?  because we are stronger working together than in silos and vacuums Understanding/sharing what professionals (all working in helping professions (including legal counsel and judges) need to effectively respond to dv Responding to dv as a community and societal issue

4 Need To Eliminate DV “Silos” Response: Create a Circle of Consultation Silo: Police Silo: Victim Services Governmental Services (ex.: Family and Children) Addictions (alchol/drugs) Services Family Counselling and other Services Silo: Medical Hospital Emergency General Practitioners Govenmental: (ex.: Health) Silo: Prosecution Silo: Defence: Private Counsel/ Legal Sevices/Legal Aid

5 Silo Other Agencies Women ’ s Directorates/Services Status of Women Organisations Women ’ s Centres Transitional Homes Housing Organizations Silo Client Diversity Programmes Cultural Alcohol and Drug Social Services Probation Services Bail Supervision Probation Parole Offender/Victim/Child Programmes Spousal Abuse Programmes Children ’ s Programmes/Services Alcohol and Drug Services Family Counselling and others Silo Courts Need To Eliminate DV “Silos”: con’t Replace with Circles of Consultation

The Potential of Interdisciplinary Collaboration  why think about this? increases information and involvement wider detection of abuse earlier intervention more effective protection/support/empowerment better use of resources provides mutual support reduces burnout builds potential for prevention copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 6 March 2013

copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 7 March 2013 DV and Information Professionals need:  knowledge and understanding increase knowledge and understanding through collaboration

copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 8 March 2013 Why Focus on Knowledge and Understanding It enhances  our understanding – stronger platform  appreciation of context/other professional work  empowerment of self and others to create change and hope because this is hard, challenging work

copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 9 March 2013 Solutions, con’t. Why Collaborate?  professionals too have a responsibility for education about dv, its effects on children over a life-time, and prevention

Why Focus on Children? Brief Overview: Brain and Children the Core Story (Alberta’s Norlein Foundation*):  brains are built over time from the bottom up  brain architecture is shaped by: interaction of gene expression/experiences active ingredient: serve and return  nature of children’s relationship engagement with parent/other  toxic stress effects derails healthy development: on nervous and stress hormone systems:  leads to life-long problems in learning/behaviour/health copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 10 March 2013

Norlein Foundation In 2007, the Norlein Foundation, a pro-active private foundation with offices in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta, created the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative (AFWI). “The AFWI’s mission is to connect with emerging research about experienced-based brain and biological development as it relates to early childhood development and its lifelong impact on addiction and other negative health outcomes. … AFWI is continually seeking to bridge the gap between “what we know” in science and “what we do” in policy and practice.” Two Early Brain & Biological Development Symposiums were “designed to facilitate a greater awareness and understanding of the current scientific evidence in early brain and biological development in children and connect this knowledge back to the many different areas of policy, services, training, and research represented among the participants.” Executive Summary, page 2, Norlein Foundation, Early Brain and Biological Development: A Science in Society Symposium, Summary Report, May 31 To June 4, 2010 – Banff, Alberta, Canada copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 11 March 2013

Serve and Return: An Active Ingredient of Brain Architecture serve and return environment of relationships include: pertinent skills in emotional regulation give and take sustained attention ordered and predictable environments:  routine  people  rules and consequences R eproduced from Deborah A. Phillips, Interventions in Executive Functioning, May 29, 2012, Norlien Foundation Symposium on Early Brain and Biological Development, May 28-June 1, 2012, Banff, Alberta copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 12 March 2013

Toxic Stress toxic stress:  “prolonged activation of the stress system in absence of protective relationships  stress buffering are sources of fear or threat risk factors  neglect/abuse/exposure to violence cumulative effect of more risk factors:  increased probability of negative outcomes, ex: severe developmental delays markedly reduced growth” Gunnar, Megan, Stress and Neurobiological Development in Childhood, Norlien Foundation Symposium on Early Brain and Biological Development, Summary Report, May 30-June 3, 2011, Banff Alberta copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 13 March 2013

slide copyright Dr. Leonard Smith - with permission of Dr. Smith 14

slide copyright Dr. Leonard Smith - with permission of Dr. Smith 15

16 Why Talk About This? ■ to increase problem solving in DV cases  working together means learning together  alternate/appropriate problem solving frameworks for DV cases

copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 17 March 2013 Looking for Creativity in Solutions as professionals can impart information about impact of violence on children/others  Why? Two other Norlein Core Concepts “child development is a foundation for community and economic development; healthy children build a prosperous and sustainable sustainable society … creating the right conditions in the early years for childhood development is more effective and far less costly than addressing problems later on”  How? by working collaboratively and learning from each other

Video: The Mountain and Beyond copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 18 March 2013

Video: The Mountain and Beyond copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 19 March 2013

Solutions, con’t. Interdisciplinary Cooperation  How? personal commitment coordinate activities within/between/amongst organisations and other professionals collaborate with others in the community work toward more integrated approaches in government and across your profession and others identify system-wide barriers to collaboration and overcome copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 20 March 2013

21 After Talking: Take Action ■ What does it look like from your perspective?

copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 22 March 2013 Solutions, con’t. why do all this?  to assist in creation of relationships based on wellness and equality  to create stronger and safer communities

copyright: Nancy A. Flatters 23 March 2013 Solutions, con’t. AND because we owe it to children to help make a better life for them – they are our most precious resources