Abstract
The purpose of this study was to gather specific information on the training of domestic violence advocates for working with children in California. Domestic violence advocates are in a unique position to offer support to children who have been exposed to trauma from domestic violence, and consistent training for advocates will help them provide better quality services to end the cycle of violence into the next generation. A quality training program exists in Wisconsin, with very specific content that addresses the need for training for working with children. To investigate practices in California agencies, the researcher used a questionnaire and reached out to 118 domestic violence agencies via their public contact email located on their websites. The agencies were asked to participate in a survey collecting information regarding their advocate training guidelines. Only 20 agencies participated. It was confirmed that these agencies are not required to participate in training that is specifically centered on working with children. It was found that 70 percent of the agencies that participated would be interested in receiving specific training for working with children. Services provided to children and families varied across agencies. Research also highlighted the need for more specific training when it comes to working with children in this specific category. A recommendation from programs in other states and existing literature is included to highlight needs in the state of California for training new advocates.