Support survivors escaping domestic violence

Did you know that over half of our residents and program participants at Raphael House of Portland are children?

Our Youth Program meets the unique needs of children who have experienced domestic violence. Case managers provide individualized support to every child, helping them process their experiences and develop skills that will help them navigate the world in healthy ways. Youth Program staff work with parents across all programs to identify family strengths and needs, and to enhance parenting skills, build support systems, encourage resiliency, and increase family attachment.

Our Youth Program meets the unique needs of children who have experienced domestic violence. Case managers provide individualized support to every child, helping them process their experiences and develop skills that will help them navigate the world in healthy ways. Youth Program staff work with parents across all programs to identify family strengths and needs, and to enhance parenting skills, build support systems, encourage resiliency, and increase family attachment.

Raphael House has created an agency-wide culture that looks at the family as a whole, recognizes that the majority of participants served in our space are young children, provides social and emotional learning opportunities, and supports each staff member to be comfortable and proficient in working with kids, creating an environment where children and families can be successful and thrive.

Our trauma-informed and family-centered approach positions us as more than a shelter from crisis. These comments from recent interviews with parents express lasting change in family dynamics and communication:  

“I can say, I’m less frustrated, I’m happier. I know what my responsibilities are in parenting now. Before I came to shelter I didn’t really know that the way I was parenting wasn’t helpful or productive.”

“They don’t understand fully, but practice is important. They are little humans becoming big humans. We’re all learning how to deal with hard emotions instead of bottling things up. We’re all learning together, learning to be open-minded, that others’ feelings are important, and to not be a bully.”

Thank you for your generous support of Raphael House! Your assistance gives children and adults escaping domestic violence a safe place to heal and transform.