The Cottage provides an array of services to help prevent child abuse, promote intervention as well as healing. Being an accredited member of Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia, we strive to offer excellent service to all child victims and their families of sexual and physical abuse and domestic violence. The Children’s Program of The Cottage serves children ages 3-17 with no cost to the victim or the victim’s family. Those services include:

• Forensic Interview -- Fact finding, non-leading process in a child friendly environment conducted by a trained professional in response to child sexual abuse allegations. Interviews are usually video recorded for court purposes if case proceeds to prosecution.
• Forensic Evaluation -- Fact finding process of 5-6 sessions conducted by a trained master’s level professional in response to strong suspicions of child sexual abuse.
• Medical Accompaniment -- Trained staff or volunteer provides assistance and support to the non-offending caregiver and the child during a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) exam in response to child sexual abuse.
• Advocacy -- Follow up contacts to any services in the children program as well as Multi-Disciplinary Team meeting representation and support during legal process.
• Referrals -- Referrals to community agencies to assist clients and their families with counseling, food, housing, and other needs.
• Groups -- The Hero’s Group is a group for child sexual abuse survivors ages 5-10 that focuses on self-esteem building and the “feeling of you are not alone” for the children that participate. Teen Survivors is a group for female teens that are survivors of child sexual abuse. This group focuses on self-esteem building, healthy relationships and boundary issues. The ages for this group are 12-16 years. The Non-Offender’s Caregiver’s (NOC’s) Support Group is a group for parents and caregivers of children and teens that have experienced sexual abuse. This group focuses on educating, supporting and empowering NOC’s in such a way that they feel they have the skills and self-confidence to help their children heal as well as heal themselves.

As always all of our cases are extremely confidential. If you or someone you love is interested in any of these groups, please contact Lori Karr with The Cottage.

Investigative services which include Forensic Interviews, Forensic Evaluations and SANE exams are based on referrals from Law Enforcement, Department of Family and Children Services and the District Attorney’s Office. Child abuse investigations are conducted by a team of professionals called the Multi-Disciplinary Team who strives to ensure all needs of the child are met.

For more information on Child Services, contact Hannah Anderson, Child Services Program Coordinator or Lori Karr, Family Advocate.

Content author: Hannah Anderson (hannah@northgeorgiacottage.org) or Lori Karr (lori@northgeorgiacottage.org)

Books for Parents and Caregivers

Helping Your Child Recover from Sexual Abuse, Caren Adams and Jennifer Fay

When Your Child Has been Molested: A parents’ Guide to Healing and Recovery, Kathryn Brohl with Joyce Case Potter

Healing The Harm Done: A Parent’s Guide to Helping Your Child Overcome the Effects of Sexual Abuse, Jennifer Y. Levy, Ph.D

Preparing Children for Court: A Practitioner’s Guide, Lynn Copen

Healing Activities for Children in Grief, Gay McWhorter

Treating Trauma and Traumatic Greif in Children and Adolescents, Judith A Cohen, Anthony P. Mannarino, and Esther Deblinger

Walking the Tiger, Peter Levine

1,2,3 Magic: Effective Discipline For Children, Thomas Phelan

Websites (The following resources provide information on child sexual abuse and additional information on helping children who have been abused)

www.youareahero.org - Heroes Great and Small, Inc.

www.aboutourkids.org - The New York Child Study Center

www.nationalcac.org - The National Children’s Advocacy Center

www.nctnet.org -The National Child Stress Network

Books for Children

A Terrible Thing Happened, Holmes

Brave Bart, C. Sheppard

Finding Sunshine After the Storm, Sharon A. McGee and Curtis Holmes

I Like Me, Nancy Carlson

The Empty Pot, Demi

When I Feel Angry, Cornelia Maude Spelman

The Way I Feel, Janan Cain

Your Body Belongs To You, C. Spelman