Dr Nowakowski-Sims was awarded a $1000 research grant from the Center for Human Rights and Social Justice to explore trauma-informed services for families impacted by child-to-parent violence. Dr. Nowakowski-Sims’ innovative and timely grounded theory research used focus groups to explore experience of 20 youth/families who participated in diversion programs for child-to-parent violence in South Florida. The study was aimed at better understanding the role of trauma in youths’ experiences with child-to-parent violence and subsequent violence prevention and intervention programs. Data highlighted the overlap between childhood adversity, household dysfunction, and family conflict among participants. Findings also indicated that adverse childhood experiences were often ignored or overlooked within the existing violence prevention programs.
Dr. Nowakowski-Sims is disseminating her findings locally through trauma informed trainings and workshops with local service providers. Her focus involves facilitating a shift away from using punitive intervention approaches to violence prevention work with youthful offenders, and toward trauma informed, rehabilitative approaches which recognize the importance of addressing childhood trauma in violence prevention and intervention work. Dr Nowakowski-Sims has presented the study’s findings at national and international venues. Specifically her research was presented at the Council for Social Work Education in Dallas and at the Society for Social Work and Research in Washington, DC. In addition, Dr. Nowakowski-Sims joined more than 2,500 practitioners, researchers, and educators in Dublin, Ireland to explore the latest developments in social work and social development.