Baltic Sea Region Comprehensive Assistance to Children Victims of Trafficking

1. Baltic Sea Region Comprehensive Assistance to Children Victims of Trafficking BSR CACVT Training Programme

2. “Coexisting with one another and for each other are the main conditions for the interaction between parents and children. The transition into “parenting” is characterized by the parents’ ability to care for the child not only as for someone they love, but as for a part of themselves”

3. “Work with Families As The Main Intervention Component in Rehabilitation of Trafficked Children and Victims of CSEC (Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children)” Goals ●To provide crisis support to families during repatriation of trafficked children and CSEC victims ●To provide support to families in creating effective interaction between parents and children during the post-crisis reintegration

4. Family: main supporter in the rehabilitation process of trafficked children and CSEC victims at the integration and reintegration stages Motivational Level of the Family ٧Sufficient - The family is motivated to take part in the program ٧Unclear - The family requires information in order to make the decision of participating in the program ٧Insufficient - The family is not prepared to discuss the situation with anyone; or is set against participating in the program

5. Stages of Work with Families Informing the victim’s family about possible crisis support ►Introductory Stage: - gathering background information about the family ►Main Stage: - First meeting with the family; motivating toward discussion of situation - Providing support to the family (crisis support; emotional support for parents; preparation to bring the child back into the family) ►Final Stage: - Performing follow-ups with the family (invitation to join long–term parent support groups, encounter groups)

6. Main Components for Working with Families ThroughAll Stages at the CrisisCenter

7. Main Components for Working with Families ThroughAll Stages at the CrisisCenter

8. Goals for the specialist’s initial meeting with the parents: • ▼ Establishing personal contact with the parents. Introductions • ▼ Motivational interview • ▼ Presenting and clarifying the problems family faces • within the context of their child’s current situation • ▼ Presenting information about the work process, the support and protectionprogram • ▼ Acknowledgement of parents’ decision to participate in the program

9. Therapist’s Position in Regard to the Parent: ♥ “Рartner” relationship ♥Empathy ♥Acceptance of parent’s reactions; sympathy toward emotions ♥Pointing out parent’s ability to develop competence and responsibility ♥Promoting parent’s active interaction with their social surroundings. ♥Support of parent’s abilities in their parenting roles; increasing parent’s self- confidence

10. Possible difficulties during initial stages of work: ◄ Discrepancy between specialist’s expectations and reality (parents often don’t realize the importance and benefits of participating in the program) ◄ Specialist’s prejudgment: “poor child/horrible parents/good team” ◄ Specialist’s inability to understand and accept parents’ harsh conditions, refusal, opposition, necessity to hide the facts ◄ Specialist’s tendency to become too deeply involved in the relationships of the family members ◄ Inner family problems (marital issues, conflicts, possible separation issues) ◄ Cultural aspects (certain cultures view sexual trauma as a permanent contamination of the child; the family is shunned by society)

11. Note for Therapists on Conducting Discussions with Parents Discussion Plan 1. Express your interest in the personality and fate of your conversation partner. 2. Ask questions in a straightforward, calm and truthful manner; employ the technique of active listening. 3.Find out what the parent is expecting of the child once he returns to the family: ▪ how the parent views the child; ▪ the parent’s specific plans for supporting and protecting the child; ▪ parent’s evaluation of the child’s successful adaptation within the family; ▪ what the parents thinks about possible changes in the child’s behavior, his feelings toward the CSEC situation 4. Try to propose and discuss with the parents possible reasons and conditions under which their child got involved in the traumatic situation. Don’t force the parent to discuss the reasons if the memory is too painful to recall. 5. Motivate the parent to express his feelings toward the situation. 6. Ask the parent if he’s ever had to discuss the situation with anyone in the past. This question may direct the parent’s attention toward the thought that his main problem is, possibly, social self-isolation

12. Types of Problems Parents Face Parent – Surroundings parent’s ability to look for resource in his social surroundings; parent’s active interaction with surroundings; the therapist is the facilitator __________________________________________ Parent – Parent how parents deal with their own feelings; the therapist assists parent in expressing and recognizing his feelings __________________________________________ Parent – Child parent’s ability to create a safe, stable, comfortable environment for the child’s development; the therapist assists parent in creating this environment

13. Social Problems of Parents: ● Psychological isolation and self-isolation ● Lack of sufficient emotional support (nobody to provide support; inability to ask; inability to accept support) ● Expects society’s refusal to accept, judgment ● Deficit of informational knowledge of the problem and possible social support ● Problem of “What to tell people?” (how to communicate with others about what happened) ● Cultural and religious restrictions

14. Possible Emotions Parents Have Toward Their Child as a CSEC Victim: ■Guilt and Blame (What happened to my child is my fault; I wasn’t able to help him; the situation is degrading to me) ■Hurt (How could this happen to my child) ■Anger (I’m helpless) ■Fear (I’m afraid I won’t be able to handle the situation) ■Irritation (I don’t need new problems) ■Self-Pity (I need help) Therapist’s actions: Work with parent’s actual feelings through use of verbal and non-verbal techniques (Empty Chair, Dialog with Feelings, Nonverbal Expression of Feelings, etc.)

15. Therapist’s Actions at the Main Stage of the Work ► Active Listening ► Promoting nonjudgmental safe environment ► Assisting parents in recognizing and expressing feelings ► Empathy and acceptance of feelings ► Focusing attention of the parent’s feelings ► Interactive analysis of feelings, thoughts and emotions of the parent ► Providing training on parenting competence, skills of communicating with their child (training on effective parenting), teaching to “express love” ► Interactive planning of possible future of the family ► Increasing level of awareness and motivation ► Informing parent about child’s reaction toward CSEC situation ► Lowering emotional stress

16. Parent’s Effective Behavior Strategy at the Reintegration Stage A parent in the “meta-position” (“reflecting” and “involved”) provides: ◊“Normalcy” of child (supports “normal” status of the child) ◊ Intimacy (expresses it in a correct way, doesn’t make decisions for the child) ◊ Warm Feelings (at a level comfortable for the child) ◊ Approval (highlight verbally and nonverbally the child’s importance) ◊ Understanding and Predictability – stable rhythm of interaction ◊ Clear expression of expectations ◊ Support of child’s feeling of acceptance and belonging in the family ◊ Structure and stable contact ◊ Safety and confidentiality ◊ Behavior Restrictions ◊ Rewards and stimulation