Managing disclosures: when a child tells you something big

It rarely happens when you expect it.

It happens in the car. At the sink. Mid-cartoon. In the silence after a hard day — when a child finally decides you're the one they're going to tell.

What you say in the next ten seconds matters more than almost anything else you'll do in your shift.

In this episode, Carmel and Chelsea talk through how to respond when a child discloses something difficult — in a way that protects them, holds the trust they've just handed you, and keeps you steady when your own stomach drops.

We cover:

• Why disclosures almost never look like disclosures
• The two phrases that should be muscle memory for every adult working with children: "I'm really glad you told me."
• "I may need to share this to help keep you safe, but I'll support you through it."
• Why "promising to keep a secret" is the single most damaging response — and what to say instead
• How to manage your own reaction in the moment (because children read your face before they hear your words)
• What happens after the disclosure — and why your job isn't done when the conversation ends

Because how a child is met in that moment shapes whether they'll ever tell anyone again.

• Press play.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.