Safe to Tell, Safe to Heal: How Caregivers Can Respond to Disclosure

Presented by: Rachel Ellis, MSW

This workshop is designed to support foster and adoptive caregivers in recognizing and responding to disclosures of sexual harm in a way that promotes safety, trust, and healing for children and youth. The session will provide developmentally appropriate guidance on how sexual harm may present, including behavioral, emotional, and relational warning signs that caregivers may observe across different age groups.

Participants will learn how children typically disclose sensitive experiences, including both direct and indirect disclosures, and why a caregiver’s initial response plays a critical role in a child’s sense of safety and long-term healing. The workshop will emphasize trauma-informed, caregiver-friendly strategies for responding calmly and supportively, reducing shame, and reinforcing belief and protection without conducting an investigation themselves.

The session will also cover practical next steps following a disclosure, including maintaining emotional safety, understanding reporting responsibilities at a general level, and accessing supportive resources.

Throughout the presentation, the focus will remain on empowering caregivers with concrete tools they can use immediately to foster environments where children feel safe to share difficult experiences.
The content will be educational and prevention-focused, presented in a sensitive and accessible manner appropriate for caregivers. No graphic material will be included. The overall goal is to increase caregiver confidence, strengthen protective relationships, and support enhanced childhood experiences through safety, connection, and informed caregiving.