Considering a potential problem “Child Abuse” which may arise within a school setting of Guyana from a student age 11 years. 1. Discuss the nature of the problem identified above. 2. Identify and describe one (1) therapeutic approach which is deemed to be best suited based on the type of problem identified (ensure to highlight any step-by-step engagement in the approach you have selected). 3. Briefly offer considerations for an alternative method of therapy which may also be practical and appropriate. 4. Examine any possible legal and ethical considerations presented in this case. (Legal considerations must be from Guyana) Rubric Appearance ? Identification of potential problem which may arise within the school setting from a pupil or student. ? Discussion of the problem. ? Identification and description of one (1) therapeutic approach which is deemed to be best suited based on the type of problem identified. ? Considerations for an alternative method of therapy which may also be practical and appropriate. ? Examine any possible legal and ethical considerations presented in this case. Maximum Score 2 4 5 4 5 Include genuine references and in – text citation.

Child Abuse and Legal and Ethical Framework

The Nature of The Child Sexual Abuse.

A potential problem, "Child Abuse," which may arise within a school setting of Guyana from a student age 11 years, is child sexual abuse. Child sexual abuse implies any sexual act with a child, such as physical contact with the child and other non-penetrative activities like kissing and touching. Additionally, non-contact activities such as making the children watch or view sexual activities and giving them sexual images are a form of child sexual abuse. Sexual abuse can also happen online through computers, mobile phones, and other electronic devices that usually allow a secretive and quick exchange of sexual conversations or explicit images. Child sexual abuse can be perpetrated by someone younger than the children, someone older, or their peers. According to Bolen and Gergely (2014), about two-thirds of children's sexual abuse was done by young people and other children. In this case, the abuse can cause adverse impacts to both the victim and the perpetrator. It is essential to note that sexual abuse can happen to any individual, especially at their childhood age. It is not the fault of the children to be sexually abused. Most times, the children do not understand that they are being sexually abused or are not knowing that whatever is being done to them is wrong. Most of them are also afraid to speak it to someone.

Child sexual abuse is most common in a school setting of Guyana for children aged 11 years, but it is usually underreported. Between 2006 January and September, the same year, a Guyanese non-governmental organization named "Help and Shelter" offered assistance to about 75 physically abused children and about 24 children who were raped and were under 17 years (Akmatov 2011). In Guyana, corporal punishment is taken as a legitimate method of disciplining children causing many people to take advantage of that, thereby traumatizing and brutalizing children. Therefore, children in Guyana usually live in a violent environment, and they are ill-treated, sexually and physically abused. The Guyana non-governmental organizations reported that the law is not clear concerning emotional and physical abuse or children (Henry 2017). This poses a challenge to law enforcement agencies, who are expected to first judge every situation, which may go against their misconceptions concerning how children should be disciplined or treated.

Therapeutic Approach Which Is Deemed to Be Best Suited for Child Sexual Abuse.

Children who have undergone sexual abuse may experience post-traumatic stress disorder, which is usually characterized by numerous developments of adverse characteristic signs and symptoms after exposure to various traumatic events like sexual abuse. Symptoms that are linked to post-traumatic stress disorder include different intrusion systems, avoidance of multiple stimuli, and adverse alterations in mood and conditions attached to the traumatic event (Knefel et al., 2019). It may also cause numerous alterations in various arousal reactivity linked to a traumatic event. Trauma-focused therapies may be effective in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Trauma-focused therapies are therapies that usually address different traumatic experiences. Trauma-focused cognitive therapy has been regarded as the most effective and recommended therapy among the various trauma-focused therapies.

Trauma-focused cognitive therapy is a component and phase treatment. The three steps are stabilization, trauma narration and processing, and integration and consolidation (Cohen and Mannarino 2015). In the stabilization phase, the therapist gives information concerning the everyday trauma reminders and responses, thereby connecting them to the trauma that the child experienced. The therapist also validates and normalizes the trauma responses because most people view affective dysregulation and traumatic behavior as the child is becoming immoral.

The second step is the trauma narrative and processing phase. At this step, the child and the therapist participate in a communicative session during which the child is expected to describe the significantly intricate details about their personal traumatic experiences. The experiences may include body sensations, feelings, thoughts that happened during the traumas. In this process, the child is expected to talk about the most feared and horrific traumatic memories. This assists the child in learning a mastery rather than avoidance responses to these memories.

The last step is consolidation and integration. Some children usually develop avoidance and fear of various situations, thereby becoming inherently innocuous. This interferes with children's adaptive functioning, thereby being an issue that should be addressed. The therapist at this stage applies clinical judgment to identify which children require the component. For instance, a child who was abused sexually by the perpetrator who no longer lives at home may still be afraid of sleeping in her bed and may even be scared to sleep at night. This stage involves exposing the child to the innocuous situation that the child may be avoiding or fearing. This helps the child learn that the feared outcome cannot happen again, thereby learning mastery and not avoidance.

Considerations For an Alternative Method of Therapy Which May Also Be Practical and Appropriate.

The alternative method of therapy is play therapy for traumatized children. Play is the children's natural way of thinking, exploring, and communicating. Children have the ability to find their own meaning and discover their potential via the process of play therapy. In the playroom, therapists mainly use toys. They use play as the child's method of communication. Play therapy has significant importance because of its usage efficacy. Some of the clinical issues that play therapy has been effective include working with children who might be having grief, autism, post-traumatic stress disorder, and attachment disorders (Paone and Maldonado 2018). It also deals with various traumatic events such as sexual and physical abuse of children, homelessness, and domestic violence witnessed. Clinical application for the application of play therapy ensures that the therapist better communicates with children to assist them in recovering from various traumatic events, thereby achieving optimal mental health. Therefore, play therapy is considered a natural method for therapeutic communication that heartens children to work on their emotions and feelings concerning their world.

This kind of therapy usually fosters the establishment of a child’s positive self-concept. It also provides the child with a structured and safe therapeutic environment that assists the child to become self-accepting, self-reliant, and self-directing. This allows the child to feel an experience of having self-control. Therefore, children learn via the process of play therapy to show responsibility and control when undergoing various problems in daily activities and situations. Via the therapeutic relationship, the child understands that their experiences and feelings are acceptable and authentic. This is the most critical point within the therapeutic dialogue as it helps strengthen the idea that the children are in a nurturing and safe environment and one that is tailored to their experience. According to VanFleet et al. (2011), play therapy has eight basic principles, which include establishing a friendly and a warm relationship with the child, introducing only limits that assist in anchoring the therapy session to the real world, not trying hurrying the process, not trying to direct the child, deepening the child respectability of solving their own problems and recognizing the change responsibility for change, reflecting and recognizing child's feelings to get insights of their behavior and accepting the child as they are.

Possible Legal and Ethical Considerations Presented In The Guyana Case.

The Guyana infancy act conceded in 1916 and amended in 1983 collates marriage of minors, guardianship, wills, and contracts. The Guyana infancy act defines a child as an individual who is younger than the majority age but does not specify the age. The 1996 domestic violence act indicates that domestic violence includes various forms of intimidation and harassment. It also noted that domestic violence might consist of attempted murder or murder, the threat of injury or violence, whether physical or emotional, manslaughter, psychological abuse, and rape. The act provides that individuals who are under a threat of any form of domestic violence or any one of them who have experienced domestic violence can file an application with the relevant authorities for an order for protection (Bolen and Gergely 2014). The act also states that if a child below 16 years is involved, de facto police officers, social workers, parents, and guardians can apply for security.  Additionally, children under sixteen years may apply for protection with permission from the court, but the court must be convinced that the child understands the ibid or the process.

Guyana criminal offenses/law act contains numerous articles relevant to childhood abuse. Additionally, the UN Committee on the children's rights articulated concern in 2004 under the act. It stated that a girl aged 16 years or above 16 years and has ever participated in incest can be proven guilty of a sexual offense and can be sentenced to seven-year imprisonment (Bolen and Gergely 2014). In 2007 February, a Guyana member of the national assembly introduced a motion aimed at outlawing corporal punishments in all schools in Guyana. In the 2007 march, the Guyana government introduced the children and family bill that aimed at protecting the children over in their development course.

Child Abuse and Legal and Ethical Framework paper outline

The first paragraph introduces The Nature of Child Sexual Abuse and explains the meaning of sexual abuse. It also introduces children's sexual abuse in Guyana.

The second paragraph introduces the impacts of childhood sexual abuse and shows the most appropriate Therapeutic Approach for Children who have undergone Sexual Abuse. The approach is Trauma-focused cognitive therapy.

The third paragraph explains trauma-focused cognitive therapy and shows its steps.

The fourth and the fifth paragraph is a continuation of the steps involved in trauma-focused cognitive therapy.

The sixth and the seventh paragraph provides Alternative Method of Therapy Which May Also Be Practical and Appropriate. The therapy is play therapy for traumatized children.

The eighth and ninth paragraphs reveal the   Possible Legal and Ethical Considerations Presented in The Guyana Case.