Guidance counsellors in the capital receive training to deal with sexually abused students

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(NASSAU, Bahamas - BIS) -- Guidance counsellors from Government primary schools throughout New Providence are receiving instruction in how to counsel children who have been sexually abused during a three-day workshop.

The training is just one of the activities planned for Child Protection Month by the Ministry of Labour and Social Development in conjunction with the National Child Protection Council. 

Dr Novia Carter, Senior School Psychologist in the Ministry of Education and Co-Chairperson of the Child Protection Council explained that the “Say No! Then Go!” training will help guidance counsellors get children to talk about sexual abuse and how to help them manage after being sexually abused.

“We are giving teachers skills on how they can teach these children how to be assertive and also who do they go to if they are abused, how do they react, how do they stand up to the person even if it is a family member,” Dr Carter said.

The Say No! Then Go! training consists of a 40-minute presentation, which shows the counsellors how to get children in a comfortable and non-threatening environment to talk about the sensitive and complex issue of sexual abuse, she explained.

“So not only do we talk about abuse and give these guidance counsellors the skills to deal with it, but we show them how to give students protective skills and information so that students can be responsible for their own personal body safety,” Dr Carter said.

The counsellors will receive training in other areas during the workshop, which began on Monday, March 29.

Sandra Dean Patterson and a lawyer will also review the Child Protection Act, which enacted in October 2009 to provide for the care and protection of children.

Dr Carter said the remainder of the workshop would focus anger management or control.  “We are going to give guidance counsellors skills on how to manage aggressive kids who come to the classroom to help them not be so aggressive,” she said.