Lcsw Advice For A Friend

[GhostedGirl]

I know it's silly the whole, "I have a friend who..." shtick, but I legitimately do. This person is seeing a social worker and she believes her mother may have molested her as a young child. But she's not sure. She wants to work on her issues, but because she has a minor sister still living with her mother, she's afraid that by telling the social worker anything that they'll be obligated to intervene. She doesn't want her family broken up.

I don't know what do tell her, is confidentiality assured in this instance?

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I assume youre in the states?

If she tells the social worker that she was molested as a child, and identifying details are given of the perpetrator, the social worker is obligated to report it. I'm not sure how it works if you're unsure, but if she's there to work on her issues and it later becomes a positive assertion, then things may get sticky.

Honestly, I don't know exactly how it works after that as I made my report and things were then out of my hands. I can only assume my abuser was no longer taking care of kids so it boiled down to accusations without solid proof.

 

[GhostedGirl]

(yes, sorry, we're in the states.) I'm wondering if she could explain what happened but say, "I'm not comfortable talking about who it was."

 

[cherryblossom]

I'm just wondering what 'lcsw' stands for or means?

 

[GhostedGirl]

Licensed Clinical Social Worker. :)

 

[Deleted member 1860]

If she doesn't say who it was, then the social worker has nothing to report as there needs to be an identified perpetrator in order to make the report.

I really sympathize with your friend. It is hard to not be able to identify your perpetrator in therapy for fear of having to report them. This was one of my motivating factors for reporting as I knew I didn't want to be silenced in therapy of all places (of course there were other reasons for reporting as well!)

You may want to double check the laws in your state, but I am guessing they are pretty similar state to state. I know what I have stated is true in at least two different states (one where I was being treated while in school, then in my home state)

 

[mamachick]

The social worker is a mandated reporter. If your friend does not identify the perpetrator, the social worker will likely (hopefully) be sensative to your friends position, and focus on her recovery rather than on the perps name and circumstances. Since you state that your friend thinks she may have been molested by her mother, a lot would ride on the circumstances. A good social worker will not go on a witch hunt either. It would depend on the circumstances that led your friend to believe that this may have happened.

That being said, once your friend begins talking about what happened, and if she discovers that she does in fact believe that she has been molested, she may decide that she wants to protect her sister from the same abuse and assist her in getting help for what may have already happened.

Wow, you are being put in a place that requires some heavy responsibility. I would encourage her to talk about it, knowing that she does not have to provide a name, just explore what has happened.

 

[BloomInWinter]

A way to allow a suspected-but-might-be-innocent abuser to not be aware of your concerns, yet help that child, is to alert that child's mandated reporters of your suspicions. They can't act on that info but they CAN begin watching that child for any signs of something being amiss.

Telling their teachers, babysitters, school psychologist and nurse your suspicions greatly improves the likelihood that the child will get any help required. If they see something, then they will be obligated to report their own findings, and you can be left out of it altogether.

I now never hesitate to act on such facts & feelings. If there's nothing going on, nobody in the family will know. But if so, a child has a chance.