Many people view a new year as a clean slate: a chance to start afresh, including emotionally. For some this includes healing from past hurts which may have kept the person from moving forward in life. If a client comes to you with forgiveness on her mind — and, perhaps, whether she should or should […]
Abuse
Child Abuse and Neglect: Case Planning and Review
With the assessment complete, the next step to ensure that the needs of the child and family are met is case planning. Essentially case planning is the process of setting goals and building in strategies to meet those goals. The counsellor must work with the child and/or family to decide upon the goals that are […]
- February 2, 2009
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- Children & Adolescents, Counselling Theory & Process, Relationship & Families
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Child Abuse and Neglect: Intervention
There is not a clear cut off line from where the assessment ends and the intervention begins in child and family work. Following is a number of approaches to intervention that have been selected because they are consistent with values of self-determination, respect, dignity empowerment and social justice: values commonly drawn upon in child and […]
- January 28, 2009
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- Children & Adolescents, Counselling Theory & Process, Relationship & Families
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Child Abuse and Neglect: Assessment
Assessment is the core function for counsellors in child and family services. It begins with efforts to engage a child and family in order to build a working relationship where you as the counsellor can encourage participation rather than resistance. The assessment requires the counsellor to make sense of all the information sh/e is given […]
- January 23, 2009
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- Children & Adolescents, Diagnosis & Treatment, Relationship & Families
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Recognising When a Child is at Risk
There are behavioural cues that alert the counsellor to the possibilities of a child being abused; different indicators are associated with the different abuses. Remembering that the indicators mentioned here are not absolute and that one behaviour that the child displays may not mean they are abused or neglected. There are four recognised forms of […]
- January 13, 2009
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- Children & Adolescents, Relationship & Families
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Supporting Children Victims of Abuse and Neglect
Identifying and reducing the stressors that put a family at risk can be important opportunities to assist families in overcoming the abusive home environment. While it has already been mentioned that the stressors of socio-economic status are a major underlying contributor in some families due to the added stresses of poverty, isolation and drug and […]
- December 24, 2008
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- Children & Adolescents, Relationship & Families
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Consequences of Abuse and Neglect for Children
Whatever the cause of the abuse and/or neglect, it can have long-standing consequences for the child. The younger the child, and the more vulnerable they are, the more serious the consequences are likely to be, however, with early intervention children can recover from abuse and neglect. When the abuse is ongoing or long term it […]
- December 20, 2008
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- Children & Adolescents, Relationship & Families
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Series: Working with Children at Risk
As stated in The Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2004 edition of Identifying and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect, the sad facts are: There are four recognised types of child abuse: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional/psychological abuse, and neglect. Children and young people are most often abused by a parent or a carer. The […]
- December 16, 2008
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- Children & Adolescents, Counselling Theory & Process
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The Impact of Child Sexual Abuse: Gender Issues
Studies concerning gender differences amongst CSA girls and boys have reported somewhat mixed results. Some researchers have concluded that males react in more neutral, or even positive, ways to Child Sexual Abuse compared to girls (Bauserman & Rind, 1997). However many studies have found that children of both genders exhibit a range of negative effects […]
- June 12, 2007
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- Children & Adolescents, Relationship & Families, Trauma & Disaster Mental Health
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New Relationships
On leaving a domestic violent relationship, many victims find themselves in new relationships which are also abusive. This may be due to not giving themselves enough time to fully recover their self esteem and work through the various stages of grieving. Be cautious about new relationships, but remember not to let the experience of abuse […]
- May 10, 2007
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- Relationship & Families
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Looking After Yourself
Victims of domestic violence describe the experience as exhausting and emotionally draining. Many victims continue to blame themselves for the abuse long after they have left the relationship. For this reason, constructing a new life can take time and energy. The victim needs to gain confidence and get on top of things. Answering the following […]
- May 8, 2007
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Why do Domestic Violence Victims Stay?
Fear is the main reason abused individuals do not seek help or tell anyone about the violence or abused in a relationship. Sometimes this fear is about coping alone if and when they leave and is heightened in cases where the person is either physically or financially dependent on their partner. People with disabilities there […]
- April 27, 2007
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Domestic Violence: Impact on Children
Estimates are that more than 3.3 million children are exposed to physical or verbal abuse each year. Children may directly observe domestic violence or they may be aware of it indirectly. They may be in another room when it takes place, be woken during the night and hear the violence, or see bruising or damaged […]
- April 18, 2007
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- Children & Adolescents
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Myths About Domestic Violence
In this post we debunk common myths about domestic violence. 1. Domestic violence is rare Although statistics on domestic violence is not exact, it’s clear that millions of women, children and even men are abused physically by family members and other people close to them. 2. Domestic violence is only seen in lower socio-economic families […]
- April 13, 2007
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- Relationship & Families
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Types of Domestic Violence
You do not have to be physically hurt to be abused, nor is it ever too late to seek assistance. This means that domestic violence can be categorised into several forms. Let’s take a look at the different types of domestic violence. Physical Abuse Physical abuse includes direct harm against a person, their child, pet […]
- April 5, 2007
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- Relationship & Families
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