A therapeutic center for children at risk of domestic violence began operating in Prague’s Vratislavova Street today. In addition to direct victims, it will focus on children traumatized by violence in their parents’ relationship, who also need therapeutic help.

The center was opened today by representatives of the Acorus organization, which runs it, and the Sirius Foundation, thanks to whose grant it was able to enter.

For over twenty years, Acorus has focused on helping victims of domestic violence. According to the director of the organization, Jaroslava Chaloupková, there is a lack of capacity in the republic for the care of children from disabled families, of which there are many. Only the shelter run by Acorus leaves an average of 20 children a year, and there is no follow-up service for them.

That was the reason for the creation of a new center supported by about three million from a grant from the Sirius Foundation. The grant provided the lease and equipment of the space and the operation of the center for 26 months. “In addition to crisis intervention and long-term individual therapy, we also want children to have group therapy, dance movement therapy and group art therapy. We offer interaction to parents who want to work on their relationship and communication with the child in the support center through a video training, “says Kateřina Mrzenová, head of the center. (CTK)