Starbucks Trafford Centre, Barton Dock Rd

Our charity supports people living with sight loss and a range of other disabilities to achieve their ambitions and to go beyond expectations. We believe that, wherever they are, everyone has the right to an independent and fulfilling life. Our support, advice and training enables people and their families build skills, develop confidence, help each other and look forward to a more positive future.

Please help TDAS, an established local domestic abuse charity, to change the lives of children traumatised as a result of living through domestic abuse. You can make a difference! Our charity's overall aim is to relieve the physical and psychological distress of people who have experienced, or are exposed to, domestic abuse, in particular by the provision of temporary accommodation, support and advice services. Additionally we aim to educate the public in the causes and effects of domestic abuse. We provide safe, secure and supported Refuge and dispersed accommodation and a Children & Young People's service that recognises and provides for the emotional and educational needs of the children and young people living in our accommodation. All these children will be disadvantaged through suffering illness, distress, neglect or abuse as a result of experiencing or witnessing domestic abuse. They often have been forced to leave their homes, their friends and schools to live in a refuge to escape domestic abuse. Sometimes the children themselves will have been abused. Even when not directly abused themselves their development can be affected and all will be disadvantaged by suffering behavioural or psychological difficulties, as domestic abuse can have a long term negative impact on self esteem, social adjustment and mood. The children can be negatively affected in every aspect of their functioning - safety, health, school attendance and achievements, economic well being, social and emotional development. Without support these problems can develop into longer term behavioural problems such as depression, withdrawal, aggression or eating disorders. The children can experience disadvantage through stress related illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis, irritable bowel syndrome or migraines. They can also suffer from deprivation or poverty as a result of financial abuse experienced by their mother. We want to work jointly with an Art Therapist who is a qualified Psychotherapist to increase the children's communication skills, strengthen their relationships and give them confidence through learning new skills. The Art Therapy work will allow children to explore their feelings and experiences in a safe environment. They will gain self esteem, realise they are not to blame for the abuse and that they are not the only children it happens to. They will be empowered to lead tasks, make friends and benefit from time to 'play' as a family.