We invest in professional expertise
How do we ensure that the women and children we support receive the best possible professional support?
By staying curious about our field, continuing to learn, and putting new knowledge into practice.
On August 31, 2026, we completed the second year of Institut Mod Volds’ specialist training in domestic violence. This marks the completion of a two-year professional training program, during which a large part of Fonden Gaia’s staff have deepened their knowledge of domestic violence.
Over the two years, we have explored topics including the dynamics of violence, risk factors and warning signs, violence against children, trauma, sexualised violence, and Response-Based Practice. During the second year, we also worked with coercive control, violence and the body, relationship and family work, professional documentation, and involving family members and others close to the women and children we support.
A focus on Response-Based Practice
A central focus throughout the training has been Response-Based Practice. Developed by, among others, Allan Wade and Linda Coates, Response-Based Practice focuses on people’s actions and resistance in response to violence. Rather than looking only at the consequences of violence, the approach explores what people experiencing violence have done to protect themselves and others, create safety, and navigate their situation.
This perspective helps make visible the strategies, resources and forms of resistance that women and children develop in response to violence, while placing responsibility for the violence clearly with the person who uses it.
We take this perspective with us into our daily work. We will apply the knowledge we have gained in our conversations with women and children, in our documentation and in our professional reflections. In particular, we are focused on improving how we document not only the impact of violence, but also what people do to cope with, resist and survive it.
From training to practice
For us, professional development is about strengthening the quality of our work and the support we provide to women and children. The knowledge and perspectives we have gained through the training will now become part of our daily practice.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Institut Mod Vold and to Allan Wade, Josefin Grände, Ditte Brorson and Sara Svane for a professionally strong and challenging training programme.
And a big congratulations to our new specialist domestic violence consultants. ❤️ Thank you for your commitment and for your continued focus on developing and strengthening our professional practice.
