Province Providing Violence Prevention Counsellors To Keep Kids Safe

The province is providing funding for violence prevention counsellors to ensure more children and youth receive information about healthy relationships and connect to critical support if they witness or experience violence at home.

“When there’s violence at home, it can be deeply harmful for young people. We’re taking action to reach more children and youth to make sure they know support is available and they are not alone,” said Kelli Paddon, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity.

“Ensuring kids get the counselling support they need when they need it is vital in our work to end gender-based violence.”

The BC Society of Transition Houses is receiving approximately $1.4 million to expand the Violence is Preventable Program, to address critical wait lists.

While engaging directly with students and staff, counsellors also provide support for kids who indicate there is violence at home.

Violence Is Preventable is a free, confidential, school-based violence prevention program for students from kindergarten to Grade 12.

It is delivered in 79 schools. The new funding will get more counsellors into schools and enable the program to reach more than 7,000 students and staff.

Programming also supports the Ministry of Education’s efforts to provide opportunities for kids to learn about healthy relationships, boundaries and regulating emotions.

To see the full release, visit Government of British Columbia.