Welcome to Ask Robyn

Welcome to our Ask Robyn service. We are really glad you reached out. Living with violence or abuse from your own child can be frightening and exhausting, and it often leaves parents feeling unsure where to turn next.

Acknowledging your situation

Firstly, we want to acknowledge how difficult this sounds for you and your family. Dealing with abusive and violent behaviour in the home can take a huge emotional toll. You are not alone in facing this, and support is available for both you and your daughter.

About our NVR programme

In relation to the Non Violent Resistance programme, our NVR service is designed specifically to support parents and carers of children and young people under the age of 18. The focus of the programme is on helping parents cope, stay safe, and respond in a calm and consistent way to challenging and harmful behaviour.

Although your daughter is now 21 and therefore outside the age range for our NVR, the fact that you are looking for support shows real care and strength.

Support options for your adult child

At the same time, there may be other services that can support your daughter as a young adult. For example, organisations such as Family Carers Ireland offer information and supports for families caring for adult children. You can find more details at familycarers.ie/carer-supports/

In addition, support for your daughter could include speaking with her GP, who can provide information about mental health services and referrals to a therapist or other specialist supports if appropriate.

Next steps you could consider

In the meantime, there are some practical steps you may find helpful:

• Reaching out to organisations that support families of adult children to explore what help is available
• Encouraging your daughter to speak with her GP about her wellbeing and possible therapeutic supports
• Seeking support for yourselves so you can feel less isolated and better equipped to cope
• Talking through safety and boundaries within the home with a trusted professional

You are not alone

Finally, we want you to know that many parents find themselves in similar situations, even though it can feel very isolating. Support can make a real difference, both emotionally and practically.

If you would like to talk some more about this, our Support Line is open Monday Friday 9:00am to 1:00pm on 01 5224300. You can also email [email protected].

If you would still like to explore NVR supports, you are welcome to fill in our NVR application form at ISPCC.ie/nvr/ and a staff member can get back to you to discuss what options may be available.

Thank you for getting in touch with Ask Robyn. Look after yourself,

Robyn