Working with Non-Offending Caregivers: Common Challenges and Effective Strategies

Overview: It is vital that clinicians working with families impacted by trauma, include a non-offending caregiver in their work with child clients. This presentation will review the importance of caregiver involvement in treatment of child sexual abuse, best-practices in engagement and treatment, and common challenges one may expect in this work.Proposal text: It is vital that clinicians working with families impacted by trauma, include a non-offending caregiver in the engagement, assessment and treatment of child clients. This process brings about varying challenges, and best-practices are needed for clinicians to know what to expect and how best to respond in service of their child client. This presentation will review the results of a recent qualitative research study, with results that highlight the importance of caregiver involvement in treatment of child sexual abuse (CSA), best-practices in engagement and treatment, and the common challenges one may expect in this work. The knowledge and skills presented will enable professionals to assess and intervene with caregivers effectively, and to develop intervention and prevention strategies that include the specific needs of children and their families. The importance of including this information in social work education will be emphasized.