Emmy-Nominated Progam

As the first film to speak directly to young people about childhood domestic violence, Family Secrets: When Violence Hits Home will be a valuable resource.  We plan to incorporate it into our youth programs to directly reach children living with domestic violence. Violence is cyclical, and we believe that Family Secrets will help us encourage children experiencing domestic violence to break the cycle in their own lives and future relationships.

- Nwando Ofokansi, Education Programs Coordinator at Katie Brown Educational Program

Chronicling the Stories of children who grew up with domestic violence

Childhood Domestic Violence Family Secrets
Childhood Domestic Violence Family Secrets Discussion Guide

 FAMILY SECRETS: WHEN VIOLENCE HITS HOME, is an Emmy-nominated children’s segment that is the first film to approach the topic of Childhood Domestic Violence (CDV) with a young audience in an age-appropriate manner. It features multiple stories of children impacted by chlidhood domestic violece and their journey towards resiliency.

FAMILY SECRETS also comes accompanied by a Nick News Discussion Guide, which provides a step-by-step walk through of how to organize and host a successful screening and facilitate a compelling post-screening discussion. It includes key sections on how to speak particularly with children and young adults about childhod domestic violence and key messages that will help them achieve their innate potential.

A film that connects to kids' own experiences with childhood domestic violence

TRIGGER WARNING: the content in this video may be triggering for some. Our goal is to educate and support our community via this content.

This children’s program was created to help speak directly to young people who are growing up with domestic violence or care about a friend who may be. Shortly after its release, FAMILY SECRETS was honored with an Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Children’s Program.”

What people say about family secrets

Our Children’s Counselor has utilized the video with several shelter children with wonderful results where children have opened up about the violence at home and our Outreach Coordinator has used the videos and book when counseling adults in our in shelter program and our Outreach Program.

- Joan Duncan, Penelope House

I am so excited about sharing this video with my children currently living in our safe shelter. This video specifically I think will really impact the kids here in the shelter because the children in the video share their personal experiences in the domestic violence homes but they also share a little about their experiences in a safe shelter.

- Stacey Simonson, ACT Children’s Program Coordinator Abuse Counseling & Treatment Residential Programs

Our Children’s Counselor has utilized the video with several shelter children with wonderful results where children have opened up about the violence at home and our Outreach Coordinator has used the videos and book when counseling adults in our in shelter program and our Outreach Program.

- Joan Duncan, Penelope House

I am so excited about sharing this video with my children currently living in our safe shelter. This video specifically I think will really impact the kids here in the shelter because the children in the video share their personal experiences in the domestic violence homes but they also share a little about their experiences in a safe shelter.

- Stacey Simonson, ACT Children’s Program Coordinator Abuse Counseling & Treatment Residential Programs

Get the film & related tools to help you talk to children, adolescents and teens about childhood domestic violence

Watch the segment together with a young person experiencing childhood domestic violence – or if you’re a professional working with children, adolescent and teens, host a screening. Download the Discussion Guide to provide a step by step approach to facilitate meaningful discussions.

As this segment tackles childhood domestic violence through the lens of childhood, through children who’ve experienced it, using language and stories young people can relate to, its impact is significant.  We utilize a short film to share with children that there are others experiencing something similar, and they are NOT alone, that there are positive ways to cope, that some day they will be free of the violence, and that it is okay to talk about it, as they see other children talking about it in a very public way. And talking about it is key, because it is one of the most effective ways to overcome the impact.

To prepare for you screening FAMILY SECRETS, consider taking our Change A Life program, designed to train any caring adult how to step into the life of an impacted child with simple support and messages of hope that can help change their life.