School-based counseling of abused children

Abused children experience high rates of behavior, emotional, and learning problems but infrequently receive treatment. Most services provided to abused children and their families are not based on any clear evidence that they work. A number of evidence-based treatments (EBTs), demonstrated to be safe and effective in treating a range of difficulties that present in children exposed to family violence, are appropriate for schools.We briefly review forms of abuse, describe EBTs appropriate for schools, and present a decision tree for deciding who to treat and how.