« Sometimes you have nothing more than to beat back »

The Parents’ Director says that there is increased violent behavior among young people and that issues that come to the association are more complicated than before. The issue seems to be growing at the same time as resources for children and their parents are scarce.

« There is a definite anarchy and parents do not take care of their children. There are many children who have difficult diagnosis and feel very bad. They attack their parents and parents sometimes have nothing more than to return, » says Berglind Gunnarsdóttir Strandberg, Director of Parents’ Houses, in a conversation with mbl.is.

It was reported this morning that doubling had been proportional to the attacker under the age of the first three months of the year compared to the same time as last year. A total of 29 children attacked a family member, usually a parent, and in 25% of cases, family members had dealt with a child against a parent and a parent against a child.

In 34% of cases where violence was reported by a close family member in the first three months of the year, it was children who were offenders.

Children with complex diagnosis of the greatest danger

« Children who have difficult diagnosis are always at the greatest risk of experiencing violence in the home and it is part of parents’ remedies, when everything is in bankruptcy. It’s not help, they get late in diagnosis and not only that but also remedy what to do for the blessed children, » says Berglind.

She says that in most cases that the parents’ home comes to, the children usually have many diagnosis and they also look for drugs to calm their minds. Berglind mentions especially cannabis.

« It calms them down, they feel good and finally feel like they can handle life themselves. But it is something you would call self -help efforts at a very high level, » she says.

Long run but not sprint

When asked, Berglind says that it is very personal how parents are advised to approach their children when a violent circle has formed, where both children and parents use violence. Parents must be strengthened to cope with the children and parents are advised to seek medical attention if it is suspected that the child needs medicine or needs diagnosis.

The strengths of the parents and the children are also examined and how to use them to deal with the problem.

Berglind points out that this is a long run and not a sprint. It takes a long time to strengthen the relationship with the child and help to feel better.

« This is never done until you have delivered your child from you to the community and it can be a community member. »