Readiness to Change: Mother-Child Relationship and Domestic Violence Intervention

This paper argues that 'readiness to change' is not a concept which should only be used to understand an individual's motivation to change. In the complex field of domestic violence intervention, organisations and workers are as important in the change process as the women and children with whom they work. An action research project was undertaken to explore changes to practice which needed to occur if a model of individualised intervention for women and children shifted to a focus on strengthening their relationship in the aftermath of domestic violence. 'The Talking to My Mum' project developed activities to support the change process and found that organisations and workers needed to be 'ready' and motivated to embrace the change to the work focus if the entrenched divisions between services for children and services for women in domestic violence intervention were to be overcome. Creative processes were needed to support women and children if they were to feel safe and supported in strengthening their relationship in the aftermath of violence.