Did You Know?
The hours immediately following a disclosure can be important for helping a child feel safe and supported, determining whether urgent medical care is needed, and taking appropriate reporting and protective steps.
the resource project
The first 48 hours:
An immediate crisis protocol
You are not alone in this. And your child is fortunate to have you.
There is no way to be fully prepared for a disclosure. Whether your child told you five minutes ago or you are returning to this document after a sleepless night, the shock is real, the fear is real, and the urge to fix everything immediately is real. This section is designed to give you a clear triage framework – not because you need to be perfect, but because having a sequence of priorities can cut through the paralysis that often follows a disclosure.
Establishing Immediate Safety. Before you do anything else, you need to establish that your child is not in continued danger.
If the person your child identified lives in your home, your immediate priority is preventing further access to your child. Do not leave your child alone with that person. If you are unsure how to safely separate them, or leaving could put you or your child at greater risk, contact Children's Aid or police for immediate guidance. They can help you determine the safest next step. See our Support Directory for these contacts.
Do not wait for a criminal conviction, a formal investigation, or anyone else's opinion on what "probably" happened. Err on the side of your child's safety, every time.
The first 48 hours – a prioritized checklist
The following sequence is designed to give you a structured path through the immediate aftermath of a disclosure:
Priority one – immediate safety
Respond with belief and calm reassurance.
Ensure the accused has no access to the child.
Do not confront the accused.
Do not conduct your own investigation or interrogate your child for details.
If the abuse was recent, your child may be injured, or you are unsure whether medical care is needed, seek medical guidance promptly. Some medical and forensic considerations can be time-sensitive, so seek medical guidance promptly rather than trying to determine yourself whether an examination is necessary.
Priority two – make an appropriate report
In Ontario, if your child is under 16, contact your local Children's Aid Society immediately. You do not need proof or certainty — reasonable grounds to suspect that a child may need protection are enough. If your child is 16 or 17, you may still contact Children's Aid if you are concerned they may need protection, although Ontario's mandatory duty to report does not apply in the same way. If your child is in immediate danger, call 911. Please refer to Working with Children's Aid Society for more details.
If the abuse involved online sexual exploitation, sexual images, sextortion or online luring, you can also make a report to Cybertip.ca, Canada's national tip line for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children. This does not replace a report to child protection where a provincial or territorial duty to report applies. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911 or local police.
Do not wait to see whether your child “changes their story” before reporting. You do not need certainty before contacting Children's Aid.
Priority three – seek specialized support
Ask police or child welfare to connect you with your nearest Child & Youth Advocacy Centre (CAC). These multidisciplinary centres bring specially trained professionals together in a child-friendly setting, helping coordinate the investigation and reduce the number of times a child may need to repeat what happened.
If you or your child need immediate emotional support, ask police, Children's Aid Society, Victim Services, or your Child Advocacy Centre to connect you with local crisis and counselling resources.
Priority four – take care of your own needs immediately
You have just experienced a profound shock. You may feel overwhelmed, numb, panicked, angry, confused, or unable to think clearly. These can all be understandable responses.
Write down important contact information and instructions you receive from professionals. You do not need to remember everything right now.
Reach out to a trusted friend, family member, or therapist for your own immediate support – not to discuss the case, but to ensure you are not navigating this alone.
Eating, resting when you can, and attending to your basic needs are not indulgences. They can help you stay present for your child during an extraordinarily difficult time.
The essentials
Tell them, "I believe you." Save this guide - you don't have to read it all today. Choose one trusted adult to support you. If you haven't already, take the appropriate reporting step. See Do I Really Need to Report This? for guidance.
If the abuse was recent or your child may be injured, seek medical guidance promptly.
For Additional Reading and listening:
When Your Child Has Been Molested: A Parents’ Guide to Healing and Recovery — Kathryn Brohl & Joyce Case Potter
A practical guide for parents covering disclosure, reporting, forensic interviews, supporting your child, the justice system and recovery.
Book information – WileyHelping Your Child Recover from Sexual Abuse — Caren Adams & Jennifer J. Fay
Practical guidance about what parents can say and do immediately following a disclosure and throughout recovery. Note: originally published in 1992, so Canadian legal and reporting information in The Resource Project should take precedence.
Book information – University of Washington PressOne in Ten Podcast — National Children’s Alliance
Expert conversations about child abuse, disclosure, trauma, forensic interviewing, Children’s Advocacy Centres and helping children heal. It is U.S.-based, so Canadian sources should be used for legal and reporting guidance.
Listen to One in TenKids Are the Experts: Youth Perspectives on Healing After Abuse — One in Ten Podcast
A particularly valuable episode exploring what children and young people themselves identify as important to healing and support following abuse.
Listen to the episode