Frequently Asked Questions

REPORTING ~ SOCIAL WORKERS

Child, Youth and Family are the first people you should contact for advice if you suspect the sexual abuse of a child. Child, Youth and Family social workers have the authority, expertise and experience to assess the situation and plan any further steps that are necessary for the care and protection of the child. We asked Judy Clayton from Child, Youth and Family some common questions about the reporting of sexual abuse.

 

· What happens with the information I give over the telephone?

· It is passed on for investigation to a Social Worker in the Child, Youth and Family office that serves the area that the child lives in.

 

· What happens next?

· A Social Worker is appointed to investigate the case.  They will make contact with the child’s parent or caregiver to arrange an assessment.  If the parent or caregiver is the alleged abuser this contact may need to be made through another avenue.

 

· What is an "assessment interview"?

· An assessment interview is a meeting of the Social Worker and the child.  It happens when the child has not directly told that they were abused but where enough concern exists to suggest that this is a possibility.

 

· Can I be with my child at the assessment interview?

· Generally no – because children often find it hard to talk about what is troubling them if they think it might distress their parent’s or caregiver’s.  This can be particularly so if the caregiver is in the room when they are trying to talk.

 

· What is my child asked at the assessment interview?

· The child is asked non-leading questions e.g. What have they been doing? Do they know their behaviour has changed? Do they know why it has changed?  They might also be asked to talk about their feelings.

 

· If a child has been sexually abused, will they disclose this at the assessment interview?

· Not necessarily.  This can be because the child is not ready or does not feel safe enough to tell yet.

 

· Do changes in my child's behaviour always indicate sexual abuse?

· No – there can be many reasons for behavioural changes other than sexual abuse.

 

· 

What happens if my child does disclose sexual abuse during the assessment interview?

· The Social Worker will discuss with the child and caregiver the next step i.e. referring the child to the evidential unit to make a video.  They will also make sure that the child is safe from any risk of further abuse in the interim.

 

· So how long does it take from the time I call Child, Youth and Family Services until the assessment interview is arranged?

· If the child is immediately at risk of ongoing abuse then action should occur within 24 hours.  Where the child is not at present risk then it can take one to two weeks.