An Albury mother-of-four has spoken out about the importance of protecting children in family violence situations during National Child Protection Week.
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The woman, known only as Anna to protect her and her children's identity, had endured a long term abusive relationship and was able to seek help for her family thanks to Mission Australia's Brighter Futures team.
"At the beginning I hadn't come to terms with my situation," Anna said.
"With their support we reached out to police and support services - since then I feel like mine and my family's life is different in many ways.
"My case worker listened to me without making assumptions, and having someone to talk to who had worked with people with similar experiences before helped me to identify behaviours I had experienced in my relationship that were not okay.
"One of the greatest challenges has been how isolated I had been. Having someone to talk to and affirm me validated my experiences and my understanding of myself - there are no words I can use to express how helpful that was for me.
"Sometimes with four kids with special needs, it's not always easy to identify what the best things to do for my children and family are."
The theme for this year's National Child Protection Week, which runs until Saturday, is Putting Children First.
"The Brighter Futures team also connected my children and I with the supports we need to work through trauma," Anna said.
"And it has been good to see how my children have responded to counselling.
"I've found that although each of my four children had similar experiences in our family life, they respond differently to different forms of care.
"One of my children would not say a word during art therapy, and was agitated and fidgety.
"But when we participates in equine therapy, I saw him with the horse and he was calm and connected.
"I feel confident that with the right supports my children can adapt and overcome the traumas and have opportunities to thrive."
Mission Australia is urging Border families to reach out for help with keeping children safe.
Program manager Louise Clarke said everyone plays a role creating "safe, positive environments and strong communities" for children.
"We want to make sure children and young people have the best start in life, with access to services they can trust," she said.
"This National Child Protection week is an important opportunity for local organisations and communities to commit to 'putting children first' in policy, planning and service delivery, and in all the areas where children live, play and develop.
"All children and young people have a right to feel safe, and to be safe at all times."
The Brighter Futures program supports Riverina families who are experiencing difficulty in their ability to properly care for their children.
- If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, phone 1800 RESPECT.