Helping Children Recover

Vol. 3, No. 1
April 1998

Helping Children Recover

Here are some examples of interventions that can be made when working with children who have been abused.

Be honest with the child. Let the child know what is happening to him or her and why. Give the child opportunities to ask questions about the situation. Answer those questions.

Offer the child as many choices as possible. For example, let them select among healthy food choices, decide what possessions to take along to a new placement, or even have a voice in choosing potential foster parents.

Because these actions foster a sense of control, the child may find it easier to recover from the stress of abuse and subsequent displacement from the life he or she knows. These kinds of interventions can help children become more resilient in other stressful situations as well, such as the death of a parent or a move to a new school district.