Children's Program

Domestic  violence affects not only the women or men who are abused by their  intimate partners, but also the children who live with these adults.  Children have very different perspectives about the violence in their  families, and they are often impacted in ways that adults may not even  consider. Our goal is to listen to these smaller survivors and respond  to them compassionately.

Children are silent victims of domestic violence.  Children do not  understand the effects of domestic violence nor do they have the skills  to cope effectively with what they may be experiencing.  Morning Star's  goal is to provide children with

             H - Hope
             O - Optimism
             P - Peace
             E - Empowerment

Morning Star Sanctuary HOPE program  offers the following services independently and in collaboration with  other agencies, including the Comfort Zone and the Domestic Violence  Division of the Metro Nashville Police Department:

- Counseling (both group and  individual) provided free of charge to children residing in the shelter,  as well as those ordered through the Tennessee Department of Children's  Services or local courts.  

In  2015, we provided over 670 hours of counseling to children. We also  coordinated individual and group through community outreach and on-site.

- Parenting Classes provided free of  charge for victims of domestic violence to address violence in the  home, appropriate methods of discipline based on individual  circumstances, signs and symptoms of trauma in children, varying  behavioral issues and coping methods, stress management, conflict  resolution, etc.

- Mentoring Program for Children

- Legal Advocacy for Court Appearances

- Support Group Services for Adults and Children

- Community Resource Referrals

- Other specialized counseling options available through referral to Comfort Zone or Metro Domestic Violence Division

Morning Star's HOPE program is funded through the Metropolitan Nashville government.

*The Comfort Zone is modeled after The Kids Place in Oklahoma City  as an organization that offers anger management training for children  and teens who have been affected by divorce. The Domestic Violence  Division is staffed with detectives who work with survivors for  prosecution, safety and offender accountability.