Meital centers are therapeutic centers designed to treat sexual abuse in children and their families. The centers treat both children who have suffered sexual abuse and children whose sexual behavior is either inappropriate or harmful, yet their cases do not involve criminal proceedings.
A multidisciplinary professional team, including clinical psychologists, social workers, clinical criminologists, creative therapists and expressive therapists provide the treatment. All specialists have been specifically trained to treat sexual abuse in children.
A Home for Every Child operates six treatment centers in Israel: in Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Ashdod, Petah Tikva, Mateh Binyamin and Lod. These centers are regional and branch into surrounding settlements to provide as much service accessibility to the population as possible.
Patients receives a customized individual and family treatment plan appropriate for their age, condition and cultural background. Treatment plans usually involve separate treatment sessions for the child/youth and for the parents/guardians. Session composition and frequency vary between families.
Social workers working in the family’s local department of social services will refer them to treatment in the center.
Treatment of abused children – The centers provide emotion-focused therapy for children up to 18 years of age who have suffered intra- or extrafamilial sexual abuse, together with their parents, to help them cope with the abuse and its impact.
Treatment of children exhibiting inappropriate or harmful sexual behavior – Meital centers also offer treatment to children exhibiting inappropriate or harmful sexual behavior. Treatment of such children necessitates the unique knowledge and experience that our centers’ therapists possess; they have the up-to-date, in-depth professional knowledge related to the treatment of this child population.
The unit provides services for two types of children:
Children under 12 years of age and under the age of criminal responsibility, who exhibit inappropriate or harmful sexual behavior.
Children over 12 years of age exhibiting inappropriate or harmful sexual behavior, whose cases do not involve criminal proceedings for any reason.
For several years, our nonprofit organization has been operating a training course designated to prepare professionals for treating children with inappropriate or harmful sexual behaviors.
The Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs funds and supervises Meital centers, who cooperate to deliver the highest standards of professional service free of charge.
