In this presentation, Cathy Richardson and Shelly Dean explore the topic of children’s resistance to violence and adversity. They discuss how children are frequently viewed as passive and “witnesses” to violence when they actually take active, agentive roles and positions in relation to violent situations. Children’s responses exist within a larger context and tend to provide rich information about the child’s values, beliefs and relationships to family members.  Richardson and Dean discuss the implications for health, recovery, practice and well-being based on practice that highlights children's resistance. They will present an interactional analysis of events and demonstrate ways of talking to children to elicit accounts of responses and resistance.  As well, they discuss the importance of accurate representations as part of a broader positive social response to young people who have experienced violence.