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George, 8, was removed from his biological family after he reported abuse at the hands of his older brother. The offending brother was removed, too, and is undergoing intensive treatment in northern Indiana for abusing George and another younger sibling.

George was having trouble talking about the abuse, part of understanding and working through the trauma, so Family & Children’s Place counselors reached out to Indiana’s Department of Child Services and other providers to arrange a supervised session between George and his older brother.

There, the brother admitted abusing George and took full responsibility. He also explained and made it clear to George the abuse was in no way his fault; that nothing he had done caused it. Following that meeting, George and his brother had a supervised session with their biological parents and grandparents.

The week after those meetings, George was able to talk openly about the abuse. He said his brother taking full responsibility for the abuse made it easier to think and talk about. George is making progress in his own meetings and in meetings with his foster parents, and caseworkers report seeing fewer and fewer behavioral issues and indications of trauma.

With help, George is slowly putting his life together toward the day he can again be a happy, healthy child.