The Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse (CSA Centre) has published a guide for professionals on communicating with children who have, or may have, been sexually abused.
The guide helps those working with children know how to respond to concerns about child sexual abuse, including best practice for what to say and do in conversations with children and provides an understanding of the professional behaviours that can give children the confidence to tell.
The guide is divided into three parts: -
- Part A explores why it is difficult for sexually abused children to tell anyone about their abuse, the impact of sexual abuse on the child, barriers to telling and how telling can be understood as a gradual process.
- Part B details the actions, skills and knowledge that may support children to tell you about their sexual abuse. Including helpful question prompts and examples.
- Part C contains advice on communicating with children in different contexts, such as when you have concerns about their behaviour, and when you are supporting a child during a police investigation – featuring example conversations.
It’s vital that anyone who works with children has the knowledge and confidence to talk to them about their experiences; knows how to recognise what is happening and understands how to help the child to have that conversation.