What is Gatehouse Centre?

Gatehouse Centre is a department of the Royal Children’s Hospital.

It is a Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA) that provides assessment, treatment and advocacy services for:

• Children, young people (aged between 0-17) and their families, living in the North Western metropolitan area of Melbourne or the cities of Moreland and Hume, where sexual abuse is known or suspected to have happened.
• Children, young people (aged between 0-15) and their families, living in the North Western metropolitan area of Melbourne or the cities of Moreland and Hume, where problem sexual or sexually abusive behaviours are a concern.
• Royal Children’s Hospital Inpatients.

Why would a child or young person come to Gatehouse Centre?

A child or young person may have told someone (you, a teacher, a friend, another relative, etc...) about an experience of sexual abuse

• If you are a child or young person and:
  • someone has sexually abused you
  • someone has exposed you to pornography
  • you have witnessed sexual abuse
  • you have witnessed sexually inappropriate content
  • you are worried you may have been sexually abused
• If you are a parent or carer and are concerned about the possibility that your child has been sexually abused
• If you are concerned that a child or young person may have been acting in a sexual manner either with other children or with themselves

If this is the case, a child or young person may come to Gatehouse Centre for an assessment of current concerns. Some children and young people go on to need treatment to assist and develop helpful ways of coping with the impacts of the abuse or concerning behaviours.

Gatehouse Centre also provides training and consulation services for professionals and other agencies.