What do Child Abuse Counselors do?

---

Our Abusive Society

Crimes against children are considered the most socially unacceptable crimes and yet the number of cases recorded is staggering, not to mention, the ones that goes unreported. Each year there are over three million reports made, involving more than six million children. The United States has the worst record among industrialized countries, losing an average of between four to seven children each day due to abuse or neglect.

Child abuse and neglect is not exclusive to any one race or creed, nor is influenced by whether you are poor or wealthy. The victims of these crimes are too young to discern what constitutes normal behavior. They lack the maturity and experiences to make objective comparisons. They often lack adequate communication skills. They need someone to talk for them, talk to them, and help them lead normal lives.

The Responsive Counselor

Child abuse counselors are trained to become the bridge of understanding and communications with abused and neglected children. Since therapy relies on the therapist’s creativity, intuition, and spontaneity, their practice is called an art. Because therapy with abused and neglected children is based on theory, research, and clinical studies, it is also called a science.

Child abuse counselors use their skills to help children make sense of their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, as well as teach them how to control their actions and how to interact with others. Developing a rapport and gaining a trusting relationship that will help the child be able to express the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that stem from abuse and neglect is the primary task of the child abuse counselor. Teaching parents of abused or neglected children proper parenting skills and opening the lines of communication between the parents and the child is also of key importance.

A child abuse counselor will use joint therapy with a parent and child, family therapy, or roleplaying family interactions when no parent is available to help the child gain a realistic and practical approach to his or her family. Abused children will often times isolate themselves from social activities or even social interaction.

Integrating Into Society

A child abuse counselor is skilled in teaching the patient how to get back into interaction and be able to discern between positive peers and negative influence. The use of group therapy allows for participation with a supportive and understanding peer group and allows the child to practice some of the skills needed to develop and evaluate relationships.

Children unable to manage their impulsive behaviors would be disruptive in groups or unable to gain acceptance. Children with limited or no social skills will often need individual therapy to prepare them for the social interaction of group therapy. A child abuse counselor facilitates both needs, and is able to determine which course of action is best suited for their client.

The objective of an abuse counselor is to aide children and the families in regaining their ability to communicate and function in our standard society. The importance of the art and science skills of a child abuse counselor cannot be stressed enough. Through therapy, a child abuse counselor will give the children and their families the tools and confidence needed to assist in the effects of abuse or neglect, so their patients will be able to move forward from being victims, and continue in their progress toward positive and productive adults. Victims come in all sizes, all ages and they all need someone to hear them and speak for them. A child abuse counselor is the one who speaks for the children.