When Father Kills Mother: Guiding Children Through Trauma and Grief

by Dora Black (Contributor), Dora Black (Contributor), Jean Harris-Hendriks (Author), Tony Kaplan (Contributor)

• New

  Paperback
  2000

  $42.03

  Children bereaved by the death of one parent at the hands of the other, almost always the father, in effect lose both parents, and are often forgotten in the midst of such dramatic situations. Reflecting the increased interest in child protection and child law systems, this second edition of When Father Kills Mother brings to public knowledge, in amplified form information about the effects of psychological trauma and bereavement on children. By combining knowledge about bereavement with that of post-traumatic stress disorder, the book remains informative and essential reading for all those involved in the field, both professionally and personally.

• Used

  Paperback
  1993

  $3.24

  Children bereaved by the death of one parent (almost always the mother) at the hands of the other, in effect lose them both as the father is usually arrested soon after the killing or occasionally is dead by his own hand. The children are then uprooted. Almost inevitably they lose their home and, quite often, access to all personal possessions. School work, familiar routine and important friendships are all disrupted. Bereavement is but part of the process and when children are dislocated and traumatised in this way it is not possible for them to mourn their loss. To date, there has been little literature available about such tragedies and the implications for everyone concerned in the future of the affected child. Black, Harris Hendriks and Kaplan all have special experience of treating such children. In When Father Kills Mother they discuss the importance of debriefing children immediately after they gave witnessed violence and what therapeutic help will be of most value to both the children and their carers. They also examine the legal aspect of the tragedy, not only the civil rights of children and their role as witnesses, but the role of social workers, guardians and courts as decision makers for the children. Questions such as where the children should live, how their future should be planned, whether and how often they should see their fathers in prison, and whether it should ever be ethically right that a parent who has killed resume care the the children, are all considered from the child's point of view.