Using Non-Violent Resistance to reduce escalation and strengthen caring relationships.
This article explores Child-to-Parent Violence and introduces the Non-Violent Resistance approach as a practical model for supporting parents, foster carers and professionals.
Non-Violent Resistance helps carers recognise patterns of escalation, respond without increasing conflict and re-establish a calm and consistent parental or caring presence. The approach focuses on de-escalation, support networks, persistence, reconciliation and communicating care while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
The article was developed from work presented at the Irish Foster Care Association’s 2019 Communicating Care conference. It appears in Issue 9 of Foster, the Irish Foster Care Association’s journal for foster carers, practitioners and others involved in foster care.
Author role
Susan MacConaill — Bessborough Centre practitioner and contributor to the development and delivery of the Non-Violent Resistance programme.
Tara Keogh — Child Protection Specialist at the Bessborough Centre at the time the programme was delivered.
Publication details
Foster, Issue 9: Communicating Care, Irish Foster Care Association, 2020.
