CHILDREN & TEENS
Our children and teen services offer prevention, intervention, and treatment services for children and teens dealing with issues of violence.  The overall goal of our services for children is to break the cycle of violence which often is passed down through generations in families.  Specifically, the Women’s Center seeks to give young people the knowledge and tools to recognize the warning signs of violent behavior, practice sound judgment and know how to react if they find themselves in a violent situation.  

Child Abuse & Violence Prevention Education
South Lake Tahoe Women’s Center has provided child abuse prevention education in local schools for over 20 years.  Children represent one out of three victims of violence, so teaching children warning signs of violence and what to do if they have experienced violence is vital.  Studies show that children who experience violence are far more likely to perpetrate violence against others as children or as adults.  Infants exposed to violence may fail to thrive; preschool children in violent homes may regress developmentally and suffer nightmares; school-age children who witness violence may exhibit depression, anxiety and perpetrate violence against peers; and adolescents who have grown up in violent homes are at risk for recreating the abusive relationships they have seen, either as perpetrators or victims.

Young Parents Program
South Lake Tahoe Women’s Center and the Young Parents Program at South Tahoe High School have collaborated for three years.  Two advocates from the Women’s Center conduct weekly support groups with pregnant teens and teen parents at the high school to educate them about essential parenting skills, life skills, health information, and stress reduction techniques they will need to be effective parents while still focusing on completing their high school careers.  Fostering relationships with these young parents while providing parenting education and information about local resources appropriate for their families is essential, as the odds are stacked against teen parents and their children.  Less than one third of teen parents earn a high school diploma and only 1.5% will earn a college degree before they are 30 years old.  South Lake Tahoe Women’s Center advocates provide the life skills teen parents need to provide healthy, safe homes for their new babies. 

FY 2006-07 Children and Teen Services Provided
Individual Counseling: 45 children and teens
Group Counseling:  75 children and teens
Crisis Intervention: 67 children and teens
Advocacy and/or Accompaniment: 58 children and teens
Child Abuse & Violence Prevention Education: 165 presentations to 3,450 children
Disclosures of Abuse: 34 children, following school presentations
Parenting Classes: 66 clients
Young Parents Program: 31 teens
Teen Dating Violence Prevention Education: 24 presentations to 494 teens
Teen Anger Management: 24 teens