Aggression toward Family/Caregivers in Childhood & Adolescence (AFCCA) describes a pattern of behaviour in childhood or adolescence, characterized by aggressive behaviour by a child or adolescent toward family members or other caregivers. This causes significant harm (physical and/or psychological) to the child / adolescent, the person(s) the behaviour is directed toward, and other witnessing family members. This stems from a common difficulty in which the child struggles to find co-regulation with the adult(s), resulting in progressive challenges with self-regulation. AFCCA is most often directed to parents, primary caregivers, and siblings in the home, but can also be directed toward other caregivers in other settings. The behaviour commonly becomes entrenched and escalates over time.
AFCCA Family Supports Program
Adopt4Life’s AFCCA Family Supports Program provides families with access to peer communities and clinical coordination for families with more complex needs.
National Consortium on Aggression toward Family/Caregivers in Childhood & Adolescence
Adopt4Life is a founding member of the National Consortium on Aggression toward Family/Caregivers in Childhood & Adolescence (AFCCA) . The Consortium on AFCCA was formed to explore the breadth of perspectives from engaged individuals, families, and organizations, while considering how best to improve outcomes for Canadian children, their families, and their communities. Visit the Consortium site to access family stories and experiences, an operational definition for professionals, and recommendations for policymakers.
On-Demand Webinars
This presentation from researchers with the University of Ottawa is shedding light on parents’ perspectives and actions related to upholding children’s rights to treatment, health care, support and protection (CRC Articles 3, 18, 40), as well as to their rights to express their views, to be heard and to seek information (CRC Articles 12 and 13). These issues are considered within the context of AFCCA, particularly within adoptive, kinship and customary care settings.
Caring for a child or adolescent who shows violence or aggression towards you or other family members can be an impossibly lonely and frightening place to be. If you are struggling with such a situation, this webinar is for you.
Parenting Children Who Can Cause Harm Caring for a child or adolescent who shows aggression towards you or other family members can be an impossibly lonely and frightening place to be. If you are struggling with such a situation, this webinar is for you.
Websites
Website with various resources for parents raising children with special needs who display violent or aggressive challenging behaviours.
Blogs, Articles, and Research
This summary research poster highlights the findings of the study “Young Persons’ Reflections on their Rights as Children in the Context of AFCCA”, by DeCarlo-Slobodnik, D., and Gervais, C. University of Ottawa, September 2022.
Informed by the National Consortium on AFCCA and Adopt4Life, and in consultation with young people and invested parties, this study centres youth voices and sheds light on their experiences of AFCCA, both as demonstrators and siblings of demonstrators who had rights as children to expression and protection. DeCarlo-Slobodnik, D., and Gervais, C. University of Ottawa, September 2022.
When we hear the words “aggression” and “violence”, we can feel the negativity in our body. The words create images that elicit memories from experiences that directly relate to pain and suffering.
One year ago, Adopt4Life set out to open a conversation with parents, families, and the professionals engaged with them, to explore a topic that was being referenced as “child to parent violence and aggression”. We had sensed for some time that an increasing number of parents and caregivers in our Parent2Parent Support Network community were struggling with what appeared to be escalating incidents of harm and safety concerns in their homes. We had earlier become aware of credible, evidence-based research and findings internationally that spoke of these issues, and we felt it was important to bring forward.