Investigation of alleged incidents in childcare centres 

Sexual assault services

Sexual assault support services (Word)

Sexual assault is a broad term that captures any sexual act or attempt to engage in a sexual act where consent is not obtained or freely and voluntarily given.

When you contact a specialist sexual assault service you will:

• be believed
• be treated with respect, sensitivity and understanding
• be informed of your rights
• get information
• be in control of your decision making
• have privacy and confidentiality.

Sexual assault support services are available across Victoria for adults, children and young people who have experienced both past and recent sexual assault.

If you have experienced or been impacted by sexual assault and need help, please call or visit: 

• Sexual Assault Services Victoria or SAS Vic is the is the peak body for sexual assault and harmful sexual behaviour services in Victoria. SAS Vic can help you find your local sexual assault service through an interactive map or by visiting the list of services. For parents and families who wish to access more information on the sector, or how to support themselves, their child and any siblings, please visit SAS Vic's Child Sexual Abuse in Early Childhood Education and Care Settings web page.
• Sexual Assault Crisis Line (SACL) on 1800 806 292 for support with an immediate crisis. SACL is a state-wide (Victoria), after-hours, confidential telephone service for people who have experienced both past and recent sexual assault. SACL operates between 5pm to 9am on weeknights and throughout weekends and public holidays.
• 1800 RESPECT who can provide you with support if you are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family and sexual violence. Ph: 1800 737 732

Help for parents wanting to talk about sexual assault

Help for parents wanting to talk about sexual assault (Word)

If you are concerned about your child in any way, or feel that you need support yourself, always seek professional advice. A good place to start is your family GP and your existing networks.

The National Office for Child Safety has a range of information and resources for parents, carers and guardians of preschool aged children. You can go to their website National Office of Child Safety.

There is a range of general information, posters and phonelines available where you can find further information to support you to discuss sexual assault with children.

• National Office for Child Safety – Conversations about child sexual abuse – How to talk to children
• raisingchildren.net.au – Signs of sexual abuse in children and teenagers
• Kids Helpline – Understanding child sexual abuse facts and information
• National Office for Child Safety – Conversations about child sexual abuse - How to talk to children (Easy Read version)

• Your GP (doctor)
• Your maternal and child health nurse Maternal and Child Health Line – 13 22 29
• Your local community health centre
• Paediatricianor Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist – your doctor can refer you
• Phoenix Australia Centre for Post-traumatic Mental Health(03) 9035 5599
• Centre for Grief and Bereavement1800 642 066
• The Victims of Crime Helpline 1800 819 817 can provide information, advice and support https://www.victimsofcrime.vic.gov.au/sexual-assault
• 1800 RESPECT – 1800 737 732
• The Orange Door for families who need assistance with family violence or support with the care and wellbeing of children and young people
• The Raising Children Network
• Headspace
• Supports for LGBTIQA+ families and communities 

General telephone counselling services

• Lifeline 13 11 14
• GriefLine 1300 845 745
• beyondblue 1300 22 4636
• Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800
• NURSE-ON-CALL1300 60 60 24 – for expert health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days). 

Other available support services

• Rainbow Door is specialist LGBTIQA+ helpline. Call 1800 729 367 between 10am - 5pm, 7 days a week.
• 13YARN is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support line offering confidential yarning with a Lifeline-trained Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander counsellor. Phone 139 276, 7 days, 24 hours. 

Mental health care plan

If you need assistance, you can see a General Practitioner and discuss your situation. You may be eligible for a mental health care plan that will assist with the cost of counselling.

Information for families of children impacted

A child’s response to a distressing or frightening experience will depend on a wide range of factors including their age, stage of development and personality, and the impact of the crisis on their parents or significant others. Your child may not react in the ways you expect.

Trauma reactions may include:

• withdrawal – such as loss of interest in activities, loss of confidence, not wanting to talk or regressing to more ‘babyish’ ways of behaving
• preoccupation – needing to relive the experience, for example, through repetitive play or drawings. The child may be overly concerned about the possibility of future events or may have nightmares
• anxiety – such as problems with concentrating or paying attention, clingy behaviour, separation anxiety, sleep problems and irritable behaviour
• physical symptoms – such as headaches and stomach aches.

Allow for a delayed reaction. Some children seem to cope well at first, but can experience reactions to the stress days, weeks or even months later.

Talk about the traumatic event

It helps to bring all the issues out in the open. Suggestions include:

• Reassure your child that the event is over and they are safe. You may have to reassure them over and over again.
• Listen to your child. Take their concerns and feelings seriously.
• Let your child know that you would like to hear about how things are for them.
• Tell your child about what happened in a way that is appropriate to their level of understanding and without going into frightening and lurid detail. Use language they understand. If you keep accurate information from them, they will fill in the blanks using their experience, available information and their imagination.
• Make sure your child hasn’t jumped to any wrong conclusions. For example, younger children may think that sexual assault is their fault because they were naughty or thought bad things about someone.
• Talk about the event as a family. Allow everyone to have their say, including children. This helps everyone to overcome isolation, to understand each other and to feel supported and heard.
• Talk to your child about how people may react to distress. Tell them their feelings are normal in these circumstances and reassure them that they will gradually feel better.

Your response to the traumatic event is important to your child

How the crisis impacts on you, and your reactions to your child’s feelings and behaviour, will have an enormous impact on your child’s ability to cope and recover. Issues to keep in mind include:

• Be understanding. Recognise that changes in behaviour, such as tantrums or bedwetting, may be the way your child reacts to distressing or frightening events.
• Give your child extra attention, particularly at bedtime and at other times of separation, if this is an issue for them.
• Children look to their parents or carers to understand a crisis and find ways to respond and deal with it. They need the adults around them to be able to ‘tune in’ to their fears and distress and to comfort and support them. If you are distressed and having difficulty with your feelings, reactions or relationships, it is important to seek support and help for yourself. If you don’t, the child’s fear and distress will increase.
• Talk about your feelings in an appropriate way with your child and allow them to talk about theirs.
• Remember that everyone is different and may have different emotions. Don’t expect your child to feel the same way you do.
• Give your child a sense of control over their life. Even minor decisions, such as allowing them to choose between two sandwich fillings at lunch, makes the child feel more in control. This is especially important after the chaos of a crisis. Children who feel helpless tend to experience more severe stress symptoms.
• Try not to be overly protective of your child. It’s natural to want to keep your family members close after a crisis, but you also want them to feel that their world is a safe place to be.

Family routines can help you and your family cope

Suggestions include:

• Keep to your regular routine as much as possible. The predictability of the family’s day-to-day schedule is reassuring for children.
• Reassure your child that their routine will be back to normal as soon as possible. They may not be able to manage their usual routine for a while, such as attending childcare, pre-school or school or performing household chores. Don’t push it.
• Don’t introduce changes such as new routines or stricter standards of behaviour. Leave that for another time.
• Maintain family roles if you can. For example, don’t insist that your child take on more responsibility around the house than usual or expect them to meet the emotional needs of a distressed parent.

Practical strategies for helping your child recover from trauma

Suggestions include:

• Allow your child plenty of time to play and enjoy recreational activities such as sport, particularly favourite games and activities with ‘best’ and familiar friends.
• Allow time for fun. Laughter, good times and shared pleasure can help all family members to feel better.
• Don’t insist on three main meals if your child’s appetite is affected. If they don’t feel like eating at mealtimes, offer them regular snacks throughout the day instead.
• Make sure your child gets enough rest and sleep.
• Involve them in some sort of physical exercise – it will help your child to burn off stress chemicals and improve their sleep.
• Limit stimulants like sugar, coloured foods and chocolate.
• Help your child to physically relax – warm baths, massages, story times and lots of cuddles can help relieve muscle tension.
• Intervene if an activity makes your child upset or anxious – for example, a television show that reminds the child of the trauma or promotes feelings of worry, alarm or fear. Don’t be afraid to switch off the television if the program content is not supporting the child’s recovery.