Delivered by PACT and part of our REACH work, Bounce Back 4 Kids (BB4K) is a trauma and therapeutically informed group programme to support children aged 3–11 years old and their non-abusive parent in their recovery from the impact of domestic abuse. Support Worker and service lead, Lydia¹, reflects on the BB4K trial. 

When a child has lived through domestic abuse, the impact can linger long after the situation has changed. At Bounce Back 4 Kids (BB4K), we provide a safe, trauma-informed environment to enable child victims and their victim-survivor parent to rebuild and strengthen relationships while equipping families with tools to move forward and thrive.  

Our programme for primary school-aged children runs over eight sessions (our three-to five-year-old programme runs for 12 sessions) and is designed to help children understand and process their experiences in a way that feels safe and age-appropriate. We never ask children to talk directly about what happened. Instead, we use the language they know best: play and creativity. 

Through storybooks, group activities, and crafts, we explore themes like safety, blame, and emotions. For example, when we talk about blame, we might play a game of giant Jenga and ask: when the tower falls, is it just one person’s fault? Or did everyone contribute? This simple activity helps children begin to understand that the chaos they experienced wasn’t their fault and they don’t need to carry that weight. 

Supporting parents and children simultaneously 

One of the things that makes BB4K unique is that we work with both the child and the non-abusive parent at the same time. While children are in one room exploring feelings like anger or anxiety, their parent is next door learning how to support them through those same emotions. 

This means that when we teach children grounding techniques or emotional regulation skills, parents learn them too. They leave with practical tools to help their child feel safe and understood – not just during the sessions, but every day. 

Challenges children face at school 

Domestic abuse doesn’t end when parents separate. For many children, the aftermath can be just as hard. At school, this often shows up in two ways: 

• Big feelings on display: Some children see school as their safe space and express emotions like anger or upset openly. This can feel disruptive to teachers, but it’s often a sign that the child feels secure enough to let those feelings out. 

• Feelings hidden away: Other children mask their emotions so well that they fly under the radar. But using all that energy to keep feelings inside means they have little left for learning. When they get home, the smallest trigger can lead to big outbursts. 

Understanding these patterns helps schools and parents respond with empathy rather than frustration. 

Keeping families safe through appropriate referrals 

One of the most challenging parts of our work is when we can’t offer a family a place straight away. Safeguarding is our top priority, so if a family is still living with an abuser, we can’t begin the programme. It’s never easy to share that news, but we will act on any safeguarding concerns, signpost to other services and reassure families that they can return when the time is right. 

On the flip side, the most rewarding moments often come from our youngest groups with children as young as three. Supporting little ones means getting creative: messy play for mindfulness, “worry monsters” made from socks, and owl puppets to explore separation anxiety. At the end of each session, parents and children come together for bonding activities like the “blanket swing,” where children are gently swung in a blanket while their parent sings to them. It’s simple, soothing, and magical to watch. 

BB4K exists because every child deserves to feel safe, understood, and free from blame. And every parent deserves the tools to help them heal. Together, we can make that happen. 

Find out more about BB4K and support our work:

• https://www.pactcharity.org/bb4k/about-bb4k/ 
• Bounce Back 4 Kids – Foundations 
• Breakthrough trials begin to address longstanding evidence gap in what works to support children who experience domestic abuse, says Foundations  – Foundations.

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1. Anonymised. Not her real name. ↩︎