Psychosocial services

The Centre d'expertise Marie-Vincent's psychosocial services are offered to child sexual abuse victims, aged 12 and younger, and to their parent(s) or accompanying adults.

To benefit from services rendered at the Centre, certain obligations must be met:

  • The child must be referred by one of the Centre's designated Partners;

  • The child must, each time, be accompanied by his parent(s) or other adult.

The Centre offers NO services to offenders or alleged offenders.

A multidisciplinary team of professionals (Psychoeducators, Psychologists, Sexologists, Social Workers) work closely together at providing clinical services, taking into account the child's wellbeing at all times. All counsellors are Master or Doctorate degree graduates and are also regulated members of their respective professional order or association.

The following psychosocial services are provided at the Centre:

  1. Personalized Services to support parent(s) upon disclosure
  2. Needs assessment services for children and their parent(s) in regards to sexual abuse or sexual behaviour problems
  3. Specialized treatment services for child sexual abuse victims
  4. Specialized treatment services for children with sexual behaviour problems

1. Personalized Services to support parent(s) upon disclosure

The Centre offers made to measure Personalised Services to support the parent(s) upon disclosure of the child's sexual abuse.

Personalised Services pursues these main objectives:

  • Promptly offer, following police investigation, services that meet the parents' specific needs in order to help them cope with the situation and support them in their parental role;

  • Accompany the parents throughout the various stages of the medical, social and social-judicial process upon a disclosure by their child.

Did you know?
Studies show maternal support positively influences the child sexual abuse victim's coping skills and reduce short term behavioural problems.

Research is just now looking into the impact and influence of paternal support on a child victim of sexual abuse.

Made to measure Personalized Services are offered over an 8 week period following disclosure.

Personalized Services include:

  • Identifying information and assessing needs upon a disclosure of sexual abuse;

  • Supporting the parent(s) during scheduled visits with a counsellor;
  • Providing valuable information on what is sexual abuse and on the medical and social-judicial procedures;
  • Referring the parent(s) to other required professional resources;
  • Offering a special help-line to support parent(s) and answer questions Monday to Friday between 8 AM and 8 PM;
  • Accompanying the parent(s) through necessary steps following child sexual abuse.

2. Needs assessment services for children and their parent(s)

To better help sexual abuse victims or children with sexual behaviour problems, the Centre carefully assesses their needs.

The needs assessment principally aims at revealing the child's strengths and weaknesses in regards to sexual abuse and sexual behaviour problems therefore, helping to identify and recommend proper treatment.

Assessment tools used by the Centre are recognized by the scientific community as being amongst the most efficient and precise.

The needs assessment report is not only presented to the parent(s) but also to the child in a language suited for his/her age and development.

In total and according to the case, the needs assessment procedure accounts for 3 or 4 individual, only with the child, or joint visits with the parent(s).

3. Specialized treatment services for child sexual abuse victims

Parents are involved in every step of the child's treatment.

Specialized treatment for child sexual abuse victims relies on a post-traumatic cognitive-behavioural approach.

The scientific community has greatly demonstrated this treatment's effectiveness on reducing certain symptoms (for example: post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, behavioural problems) linked to sexual abuse.

Generally, the treatment involves twelve 90 minute weekly therapy sessions (individual or joint).

Following the treatment, the child's needs are again assessed and a meeting is held to account on the progress reported. If necessary, other sessions are offered.

4. Specialized treatment services for children with sexual behaviour problems

Specialized treatment for children presenting sexual behaviour problems relies on a cognitive-behavioural approach. This treatment is oriented towards managing sexual behaviours and working on parent-child communication.

The treatment is inspired by best practices in treating children presenting sexual behaviour problems.

Generally, the treatment involves twelve 90 minute weekly therapy sessions. The child and parent(s) are met individually or together.

Following the treatment, the child's needs are again assessed and a meeting is held to account on the progress reported. If needed, other sessions are offered.

Sources