Keshet Initiative

The effects of domestic violence on children, either as direct victims or as witnesses, have serious implications for individuals and society. It is estimated that 250,000-500,000 children in Israel live in households with domestic violence, but so far the issue has not received sufficient attention and specific solutions are yet to be created.

In light of this situation, the Welfare Ministry, the Schusterman Foundation and Rashi are joining forces to develop a holistic model that will set the baseline for an improved and expanded solution for children victims of domestic violence.

The initiative aims to design and implement a pilot program in five communities across the country, while examining its effectiveness and making adaptations for scaling up. Its main components are:

• Treatment model – defining professional standards and best practices for therapeutic interventions involving children victims of domestic violence.
• Organizational model – examining models for optimal operation within the municipal welfare services, with an emphasis on cooperation with the local education and health systems to ensure treatment continuity.
• Knowledge and data infrastructure – creating an IT system for managing the intervention and gathering data as the basis for effective monitoring and ongoing development of the model.

In order to provide the best possible response, the initiative includes training and guidance for the teams of therapists, as well as per-family flexible budget for complementary solutions as needed.

Partners

Government | Local authorities | Philanthropy