Negotiated rights : Children's possibilities for recovery after abuse

The overall aim of the thesis is to understand how the societal obligation to support children's recovery after abuse is realized. It builds on the results from four studies. Three of them focus on responses from children and young people who have experienced child abuse. The fourth study concentrates on responses from professionals who support abused children. The gaps in formal support for abused children are considerable, and the assistance provided is insufficiently tailored to meet the specific needs of the children involved. The formal support appears fragmented, with no one taking overall responsibility in practice for providing support and ensuring that no children are left behind. When the support system fails, abused children are left alone. Additionally, there is a significant risk of systematic inequality that results in reduced access to support for certain groups of children. It seems that children must have the correct problems to gain access to support after abuse, neither too few or too minor, nor too many or too severe. A key factor in ensuring more children receive support for their recovery after abuse is disclosure, yet child abuse largely remains a private issue. Disclosure of child abuse is a process, and societal responses can either facilitate or hinder this process. Negative societal reactions following disclosure are all too common and require significant improvement. It is also crucial to recognize that child participation and agency are essential for fostering supportive disclosures.