Building Understanding and Connections with Resistant and Non-Supportive Caregivers
Presented by Amelia Siders, Ph.D. from Western Region Children's Advocacy Center
Amelia Siders, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist who has worked to support children and adolescents who have experienced trauma for over 25 years. She gained experience providing direct service as well as being a clinical supervisor and program director at a children’s advocacy center in Traverse City, Michigan. Following her time at the CAC, she had the opportunity to serve as the Clinical Director at the state chapter level for Children’s Advocacy Centers of Michigan. Her current role as a Chapter Specialist for the Western Regional Children’s Advocacy Center allows her to draw from her previous experience to support state chapters in the areas of mental health and telemental health delivery. She has been trained in several evidenced-based trauma informed treatment practices including Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. She has provided consultation in the areas of trauma-informed assessment and substance use treatment as well as serving as an expert witness related to trauma and sexual abuse.
Session description:
CAC Advocates and clinicians have a critical role when working with families in the aftermath of an abuse disclosure. Understanding the barriers, family/cultural factors, and stages of change related to a caregiver's processing of abuse is important when trying to understand caregiver response, especially when the team members perceive the caregiver as "difficult, resistant, or unsupportive." How CAC staff advocates for and presents them in a trauma-informed perspective to the team can determine if they pursue supports for their child and engage in meaningful ways in the investigative process. The argument can be made that understanding, engaging, and supporting these caregivers is some of the most important work CACs can do to serve child victims. This presentation will review research, interventions, and team engagement strategies related to understanding and building compassion for these often misunderstood and maligned caregivers.
1. Participants will learn current research related to caregiver perceptions of child abuse disclosures
2. Coercive control and domestic violence factors will be reviewed in the context of caregiver response to abuse
3. Dynamics of abuse will be explored to explain the nature of "unsupportive responses" from caregiver
4. Interventions for caregiver engagement and advocacy in the team will be reviewed.
