Introduction

Home: Workers: Counselling Issues: Supporting family members

Research has consistently shown that supportive and empowered caregivers play a major role in lessening the negative impacts of trauma on children and in promoting healing and recovery. It is therefore critical that non-offending parents, caregivers and family members are given appropriate information and support to enable them to deal with their own feelings and to provide the support necessary for the abused child.

Discovering that a child has been sexually assaulted is a shocking and traumatic experience for parents and caregivers which impacts both on their sense of self as a parent and as a person. It is painful to care for a child who has been hurt and frightened and it can also trigger memories and feelings associated with difficult experiences from their own childhood. It can have a significant impact on how you see yourself and your relationships.

Parents and family members can have a range of reactions that can be frightening and that become expressed in a range of ways. They may find that normal day to day life can be complicated by sleeping and eating problems, anxiety, depression, and a range of other responses. These are normal reactions after experiencing events out of the ordinary and parents and caregivers need to be reassured of this and supported in this experiencing and ways of coping.

Sponsor

Gippsland Centre Against Sexual Assault

Disclaimer Copyright Updated: 9 Feb 2010