Issue 8, September 2009

Children and adolescents may, sadly, be traumatised in many, many ways. While there is increasing recognition of the courage and strength they use to deal with such adversities, research has shown that they are very frequently left with emotional scars and mental health and other vulnerabilities. Nowhere is this more pronounced than in the area of child abuse and neglect, and specifically, child sexual abuse.

Such damaging experiences impact significantly on the child when they occur and have effects throughout his or her life. They are profoundly damaging to children’s mental health, well being, and social and emotional development. They are also likely to impact on children’s capacity to learn, to form relationships, and at times, on their physical health and wellbeing. While it is recognised that these effects on mental health and wellbeing occur in childhood, the cause of such emotional and behavioural changes may not be immediately recognised – because they occur frequently, are surrounded by secrecy, and hidden within so-called ‘normal’ families or extended networks. Sometimes, abuse occurs in the context of pre-existing mental health and family problems that are obvious. Other times it occurs in the context of an established violent culture within a family or society. Sometimes it occurs in the context of trans-generational abuse because of the tragic and traumatic experiences of parents and even grandparents.

The complexity of the situations in which abuse occurs, and the ways the children’s experiences may be hidden, means that it has often been difficult for people in the broader community to recognise. This hinders the development of effective strategies that can prevent such abuse, and protect the future for children and families when this occurs. Mental health is central to the prevention, understanding and response to child abuse and neglect. There is also a need improve our understanding of the long term effects of such traumas throughout childhood, into adult life and even old age.

Protecting children from abuse, and ensuring their well-being and safety at all times and at all ages, is critical. For children that have already suffered in this way, it is vital that they have early access to the best available protection, support and expert mental health programs.

We know that even young children can be very resilient in situations of abuse and that the ‘magic’ of developmental resilience will help. But this does not obviate the need for nationally-consistent best-practice programs of prevention, protection, early intervention and other elements of care. Moreover, these practices should encompass sensitive, and developmentally appropriate interventions for mental health.

Every child has the right to a nurturing, loving, and secure environment. Providing such environments is critical and should go beyond any silos of service delivery. Valuing children, committing to them, protecting them from such damaging adversities, with all their trauma and the loss of their innocence, is a vital challenge for the future.