Helping a Child Heal from Sexual Abuse
Sadly, it is not uncommon for children in foster care and those adopted internationally from orphanages to have experienced some type of sexual abuse. The possible impacts of sexual abuse scare many foster and kinship parents.
It is a myth that all children who were sexually abused will go on to act out sexually or become sexual predators. However, children who have been sexually abused do need help in overcoming the impact of this abuse. There is hope for parents who are looking for ways to help their foster or adopted children heal from sexual abuse.
Creating a Family has resources to help foster parents and kinship care providers help children who have experienced sexual abuse. A few we think you will find particularly helpful are:
- Building the Framework for Adopted & Foster Children to Process the Hard Parts of Their Stories (article)
- Protective Factors That Help Your Child Overcome High ACEs (article)
- Parenting a Child Who Has Been Sexually Abused (article)
- 3 Signs a Child May Have Been Sexually Abused (fact sheet)
- Protecting our Kids from Sexual Exploitation (1 hr. podcast w/ expert)
- Helping Children Heal From Sexual Abuse (1 hr. podcast w/ expert)
- Fostering/Adopting a Child That May Have Been Sexually Abused (1 hr. podcast w/ experts)
- Books For Foster Parents On Helping Children Heal From Sexual Abuse
Scroll to the bottom of this page to see the other resources we have on Helping a Child Heal from Sexual Abuse in the form of blogs, articles, radio shows/podcasts, tip sheets, fact sheets, and expert Q & A’s.