We are ecstatic to have been awarded a major grant by Big Lottery’s Reaching Communities Fund. The grant will enable us to deliver Project Synergy, a programme offering support to families affected by Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse (APVA). Project Synergy will be the first dedicated service of its kind in Kent and will support families where young people are exhibiting abusive behaviours in the family home, aiming to build better relationships between family members, manage risks and work with young people around their attitudes, behaviours and life experiences.
Why is it important?
Oasis Fundraising Manager, Loukia Michael, said, “APVA is a very serious issue and all the evidence suggests that it is increasing. And yet we know that it is a really hard subject for people to talk about; parents can feel embarrassed and can find the idea of involving a professional quite daunting. One of the fantastic things about this project is that it tells people that they are not alone in what they are experiencing and that the right help is out there. We are hugely grateful to the Big Lottery Fund whose grant is making it possible for us to deliver this vital work”.
What is APVA?
Adolescent to parent violence is likely to involve a pattern of behaviour that can include physical violence, threats, emotional and financial abuse or damaging things around the home. Data from the Metropolitan police revealed that there were 1,892 reported cases of 13- to 19-year-olds committing violence against their own parents in Greater London alone over a 12-month period from 2009-10 and Oasis has seen, among its own clients, incidence of children as perpetrators of abuse within their family more than double since 2012.
Synergy will not only be filling a gap in the abuse services currently on offer, it will also help to get a much better picture of what is going on nationally. By teaming up with Respect, the national organisation whose work includes supporting young people who use violence against parents, Oasis will be able to contribute to the national dataset and share its learning. The project will be taking referrals from January 2017, if you'd like more information please do email us, or if you need support go to our one stop shop to get advice.