Are we leaving boys behind?

Joan van Niekerk

ISPCAN

Cheryl Morilly is a qualified social worker, registered with the South African Council of Social Service Professions. She worked at a financial institution for twenty years before she studied for the degree of social work. In 2006 she graduated and worked at Childline Western Cape as a therapeutic counsellor to children who were sexually abused and raped. She attended numerous additional training courses that focused on working with abused children helping them and their families through the court process after reporting sexual abuse. She worked briefly at a facility for abused women and their children where she gained knowledge and experience in working with cases of adult abuse and the impact on children.From 2008, at Childline WC, she has continued to work toward promoting child protection. Her experience here has included advocacy for children’s rights, representing her organisation at a parliamentary hearing to amend children’s legislation, developing services with child sexual offenders, developing various prevention and early intervention programme materials, and working with parents, teachers and community members. She is currently assisting in developing a training arm for her organisation that will contribute to the education and development of professionals, parents and lay people in striving toward child protection.