The Rainbow Kids are about to raise our awareness of the effects of domestic violence on children, writes Sharon Ní Chonchúir.

Teenaged Vikki bristles with attitude. Gold hoops in her ears, a greasy bandana on her head, the mandatory tracksuit and sulky-eyed expression - she bears all the tell-tale signs of adolescent rebellion. Mark, a 10-year-old in newly-pressed clothes, stands beside her. Earnest and ever-so neat, he regales all with his passion for computers. Nigerian Lee listens quietly, observing his surroundings in silence. He has been in Ireland for three years and still struggles to fit in.

These children, along with three others called Róisín, Michael and Lucinda, are part of a group called the Rainbow Kids. They are about to change our perception of children who suffer from domestic violence. Each has experienced abuse in the home. But they are puppets.

"Far from ordinary puppets," insists Tralee play therapist Edel Lawlor, who created this motley crew. "They have identifiable personalities and compelling stories. And thanks to the skills of Shelly Moses, who trained with [Muppets creator] Jim Henson, they are disarmingly lifelike."

The Rainbow Kids play a central role in an innovative new programme that deals with the effect of domestic violence on children. It was showcased at a recent conference in Tralee organised by The Open Door Network. The programme, based on one from Australia which has been used for more than 10 years, aims to raise awareness of the issue. Lawlor is adapting it for Irish use.

According to a survey of women carried out by the Women's Aid organisation in 2002, 40 per cent of Irish women who had been involved in a sexual relationship with a man had experienced violence. Children were witnesses in a significant number of these cases.

"Even if they are not physically hurt, they can suffer as a result," says Edel. "Puppets - especially ones as lifelike and personable as the Rainbow Kids - can be effective in helping these children and in raising awareness of their experiences."

Chris Burke, the creator of the Australian programme who has developed puppet therapies since 1986, agrees.

"Children who suffer from domestic violence have life experiences they never see reflected in books, films or in life outside the home," she says. "Seeing these true-to-life puppets and hearing their stories helps them realise abuse can be a reality for other people, too. It can give them the courage to speak out safely."

Such was the case with Burke's award-winning Jannawi Kids. These three boys and three girls of white Australian, Aboriginal and immigrant Australian origins changed the face of child therapy when they were launched in 1994. They starred in films and books. They toured schools, refuges and community centres. They built up a dedicated following and raised awareness of pertinent issues in Australian society.

"The puppets soon won people's hearts," says Burke. "And through their stories, people learned about what abused children have to deal with."

More importantly, the puppets' stories resonated with children who had been abused. "They realised they weren't alone and not to blame for what had happened to them," explains Burke. "Something they were ashamed of was finally out in the open and they realised it was okay to talk about it."

Re-branded and re-designed by Edel Lawlor, the Rainbow Kids are the first of their kind in Europe.

Lawlor believes the Rainbow Kids could have just as much impact as their Australian cousins. "Chris has proved puppets to be a powerful medium," she says. Lawlor has been developing the Rainbow Kids' characters for just over a year. She received financial support from the Open Door Network, a Kerry organisation that supports women and children who are victims of violence.

"With their help, I adapted Chris's characters and created puppets of my own," she says. "The Rainbow Kids are based on hundreds of children I've worked with over the years." Consequently, they represent a microcosm of Irish cultural life. Lee is a Nigerian immigrant, Lucinda a member of the travelling community, and all six Rainbow Kids have similar lives, anxieties and problems to the real-life children they will be interacting with. Lawlor is ambitious for her puppets. Next year, she plans to introduce them to schoolchildren.

"The Rainbow Kids will visit schools to talk about bullying and abuse of animals," she says. "Domestic violence is not an appropriate topic for the classroom, but through other topics children will meet the Rainbow Kids and learn about peer pressure, empathy and non-violent ways of dealing with problems."

The puppets will also be used in training sessions with gardaí, parents, doctors and other sectors of the community. "The puppets present a child's eye view of the world - a view often neglected," says Lawlor. She cites a Garda investigating a report of domestic violence as an example. "A big, tall man in a uniform with a booming voice coming into the house could frighten children. If that garda took off his hat and communicated with children at their level and in a friendly manner, it would make a world of difference."

So far, the response bodes well. At the Tralee conference, key speakers Fergus Finlay, the chief executive of Barnardos, and Stephanie Holt, a lecturer in Social Work and Policy at Trinity College, welcomed the Rainbow Kids. "I've been inspired by what we've seen here today and the solution-oriented approach that shone through," said Finlay.