If your child has been sexually abused or has been exposed to violence, CFPA has free and confidential therapy services that may be able to help.

Safe From the Start – Heart of Illinois

Safe From the Start counseling is available for children ages 0-5 years old who have been exposed to violence at home or in the community. CFPA is one of nine sites in Illinois to offer this program for young children. Services include child and family therapy, comprehensive case management*, confidential consultation for professionals, and professional trainings.

For more information about recognizing and responding to childhood trauma, visit The National Child Traumatic Stress Network. To schedule an appointment with a CFPA therapist for your child, please call 309-691-0551 or the 24/7 crisis hotline at 1-800-559-SAFE (7233).

*case management focuses on safety planning, as well as assistance with employment, housing, transportation, legal assistance, criminal justice advocacy, education, medical and mental health, etc.

Child Sexual Abuse Therapy

Child sexual abuse therapy is available for survivors of recent and past occurrences of child sexual abuse. Art and play therapy is available to help children express their feelings, as well as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). CFPA’s Master’s-level therapists are available to conduct sessions at CFPA’s main location or at the child’s school. For more information, please call 309-691-0551 or the 24/7 crisis hotline at 1-800-559-SAFE (7233).

For more information on our therapists, please click here. To schedule an appointment for the child in your care, please call 309-691-0551 or the 24/7 crisis hotline at 1-800-559-SAFE (7233).

Remember, you, too, should discuss your feelings with someone you trust, such as a friend, relative, or counselor. This is not a time for you to be “tough.” It is a good time to seek support for yourself. Call CFPA to schedule an appointment for yourself.

Do:

Help the child to express their feelings.
Be honest with the child. Share what you know. They need to trust you more than ever.
Restore the child’s sense of control. Allow them to help decide what to do. Assure that you will be with them and help.
Suggest to the child’s non-abusive guardian to maintain routines and return to usual activities as soon as possible. Be careful not to become too protective of the child. You want to calm any sense of urgency or emergency and not escalate the fear or anxiety.
Pay attention to the needs of other children in your household. Give them the information and support they need to deal with their concerns.
Be patient. It may be difficult for the child to put into words exactly what happened to them. Some child victims may experience regressive behaviors. This is normal and can be worked through with a therapist.

Do Not:

Do not blame the child for what has happened. Tell the child that you are not angry with them and that they did nothing wrong. Tell the child that you are concerned about them and want to help.
Do not cause them to be more fearful of people than they already are. Help them to identify safe people to go to when they are scared or sad.
Do not push the child to talk about the experience. If the subject comes up, discuss it honestly and openly.