You are not alone.

Welcome to the COPE website. COPE is the Caregiver Online Psychoeducation resource developed by a team of mental health specialists at Child Abuse Services, which is a part of the Luna Child and Youth Advocacy Center, in partnership with the University of Calgary. 

We understand that this can be a stressful and overwhelming time for parents and caregivers who are looking for ways to best support their child in the aftermath of traumatic experiences. We strongly believe that mental health support helps kids and families manage the challenging times after child maltreatment. The COPE website is a resource that parents and caregivers can access to learn more information about the effects of trauma and coping, to better prepare yourself for further mental health support.

Right now, you might feel like it’s challenging to find information that may help during this difficult time. It might feel like you are a ship stranded at sea, not knowing where to turn for help. The modules on the COPE website are intended to serve as a “lifeboat” so-to-speak, to provide you with information and strategies that will help you to reach calmer waters – to help you understand the impacts of child abuse and trauma and to equip you with tools to manage the stress that comes with these experiences so that you, your child, and family can begin the process of healing. 

The modules on the COPE website are divided into five sections: 1) an introduction to the Luna Child and Youth Advocacy Center and an overview of the COPE website; 2) information on trauma and its impacts; 3) detailed information on trauma signs and reactions; 4) a coping toolkit section that provides information on coping strategies to reduce the stress of trauma or prevent stress from building and causing more harm; and 5) additional resources to help you on your journey to healing. 

We encourage you to take the time to review all of the content provided on the website so that you can be as prepared as possible to deal with trauma and its effects on children and families. We hope that you find the information here helpful and we wish you and your child all the best in your journey to recovery.