Creative Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
Challenges and Dilemmas

Despite heightened media attention and the increase in professional knowledge about child abuse, many children are still being failed by the system. This text addresses the acute practice dilemmas concerning these children.

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'.

Foreword, Frank Cook. Introduction, Sue Richardson, Independent psychotherapist and trainer and Heather Bacon, Clinical Psychologist NHS. 1. Unspeakable Truths: Child Sexual Abuse and the Media Tim Tate, Journalist. 2. Piecing the Fragments Together, Sue Richardson and Heather Bacon. 3. Attachment, Trauma and Child Sexual Abuse: An Exploration, Heather Bacon. 4. Telling the Baby Crocodile's Story: Attachment and the Continuum of Disclosure, Heather Bacon. 5. Multi-Perpetrator Abuse of Children: Mothers of the Victims Tell their Stories, Isabel Brooks, League against Sadistic Abuse. 6. Flamingos or Sparrows? Paediatricians and the Recognition of Child Sexual AbuseJane Wynne, Former paediatrician. 7. Advocacy for the Sexually Abused Child: The Role of the Guardian ad Litem Pat McGlouglin, Guardian ad Litem. 8. A Zebra among Horses: Sexually Abused Children in the Care System, Heather Bacon. 9. Pre-Trial Therapy with Children who have been Sexually Abused, Tink Palmer, Barnardo's Bridgway Project. 10. Monsters and Angels: How Can Child Victims Achieve Resolution?, Maggie Ambridge, Art therapist, NHS. 11. Daleks and Kerb Stones: Surviving the Aftermath of Abuse, Maggie Ambridge, Art Therapist, Cara Henry, social worker and Sue Richardson. 12. Maintaining Awareness of Unspeakable Truths: Responses to Child Abuse in the Longer Term, Sue Richardson. Bibliographic references. Index