Response to the statement from Elly Rojer

PROPOSITION

The following proposition was submitted to Drs. Elly Rojer, Behavioural Scientist, Child and Youth Psychologist and Attention Officer Child Abuse and Domestic Violence at the ZJCN Youth Care Bonaire.

The proposition reads:

‘Shelter in a halfway house for victims of domestic violence always has an adverse impact on the development of the child.’

Elly Rojer:
‘No, it is not always detrimental to the development. It is, however, better for the child to be able to stay in their own environment, together with the parent who stays in their own home. But if that is not safe enough, a halfway house is a less bad choice. This does not necessarily affect the development adversely if an important support figure is available to the child. If this support figure is the parent who goes to the halfway house with the child then the question does arise whether they are sufficiently available to the child. After all, the parent is still full of emotions and preoccupied with their own worries and things to organise.’