Therapy is a critical element of work with abused children, offering them the opportunity to explore past experiences in a safe environment with the emotional support of a therapist. Reaching the Vulnerable Child offers a tried-and-tested model of integrated therapy that incorporates play and expressive arts to foster verbal, non-verbal and symbolic communication. The authors describe how emotional, physical and sexual abuse impact on children's development, and discuss attachment, separation, loss, and the effects of trauma on brain functioning. They provide practical guidance on preparing for sessions and creating safe therapeutic environments, and explain the importance of involving carers in the recovery process. Drawing on a wide range of techniques including play, movement, art, drama, music and therapeutic story work, this approach proposes methods for addressing guilt and low self-esteem, establishing trust and dealing with sexualized or aggressive behaviour. This guide to working with abused children and young people will be valued by professionals and therapists from a range of backgrounds, including psychotherapists, play therapists and arts therapists, as well as those responsible for children's services. It is an ideal accompaniment to The Child's Own Story, also in the Delivering Recovery series.

Without question, the most difficult and complex crime facing America's investigators and prosecutors is the crime of child abuse. The limited language abilities of these victims, the rarity of traditional physical evidence, and the skepticism of the public makes the successful handling of these cases a daunting task. To assist investigators and prosecutors, APRI's National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse-the nation's premiere trainer of child abuse prosecutors and investigators-presents the Investigation and Prosecution of Child Abuse, Third Edition. Readers of this manual will receive practical, common sense assistance in handling child abuse cases from the initial report to the closing argument at trial. Appendices on the enclosed CD-ROM include hundreds of sample motions and other legal documents that can be adapted to the jurisdiction of individual readers. Now in its Third Edition, the manual contains the latest in case law and research on nearly every facet of child sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect. This is the only book on the market specifically geared to investigators and prosecutors called upon to handle abuse cases. Child abuse prosecutors and investigators, child protection attorneys, social workers, psychologists, and forensic interviewers, whether new to the field or experts with years of experience, will find this manual invaluable to continued efforts at protecting children in need. University criminal justice and social work departments and law schools will also find this a much-needed addition to course readings and library collections.

This highly accessible and informative book offers practical strategies for the protection of children that all parents, teachers, and anyone involved in the life of a child will find indispensable. Providing the reader with an understanding of typical/normative sexual development in children, Christiane Sanderson enables parents and teachers to distinguish this from atypical sexual development and recognize the warning signs of sexual abuse. The more knowledgeable and comfortable teachers and parents are, the easier it is for them to understand and talk openly with children about sexual development - this book offers guidance on discussing appropriate and inappropriate touching/behaviours and the dangers of sexual abuse in an age-sensitive way. The author presents information about abusers and how to protect against their attempts to gain access to a child through grooming children, parents and other adults, including up-to-date information on the use of the Internet and mobile phones. Armed with the accurate knowledge and practical guidance on child sexual abuse provided in this book, parents, teachers, and professionals will be able to confront the threat their children may face and take practical steps to protect against it.

Despite heightened media attention and the increase in professional knowledge about child abuse, many children are still being failed by the system. Using attachment theory as a foundation, this book addresses in depth the acute practice dilemmas concerning children who, despite the climate of increased awareness, multi-disciplinary cooperation and legislative and procedural change, cannot easily be protected. The contributors give guidelines for working with the children, in particular those who, unable to disclose their experience themselves, are the most difficult to support. Illustrated throughout with case material and informed by the experiences of survivors themselves, the book presents a framework for well managed and resourced, flexible and integrated intervention with children, their families, and the community that will enable professionals and families to work together to break the `cycle of abuse'.

The developmental challenges of children with special needs means they are often more at risk of physical or emotional exploitation. This book provides invaluable tools to help parents, carers and teachers protect vulnerable children. Difficult topics are sensitively and straightforwardly addressed through step-by-step guidelines for parents and learning activities for children. Guidance to carers includes information on how to identify warning signs of abuse, and recognise tell-tale behaviour changes in their child. Intervention activities help children learn which adults to trust and how to stay safe, while reducing the fear, shame or stigma surrounding abuse. Aimed at ages 5-12, these learning devices have been specifically designed to meet a range of comprehension and developmental abilities, with instructions for parents to adapt them to meet the specific needs of their child. This important guidebook empowers adults to fulfil their responsibility to protect and support children, and to provide a safe environment in which every child can reach their highest potential free from coercion or abuse.