Professionals & Practitioners

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Professionals and practitioners—including social workers, counselors, pediatricians, psychologists, juvenile justice professionals, and educators—may encounter someone who has experienced sibling aggression or abuse. To help you navigate this topic and provide support to individuals across the lifespan with lived experience, parents, and families, we offer education and resources on a variety of topics, which can be customized to meet the needs of your organization or audience.

Our sibling aggression and abuse experts speak at conferences, provide webinars and in-person training, offer consultation to professionals and organizations, and appear on podcasts and traditional media forms. Please contact us for more information.

An attendee at one of our recent trainings provided the following feedback:

"I'm so glad this topic was covered! It's something that frequently gets brought up in my practice and this is the first training I have come across to address the issue."

Some of the topics we’re available to provide training on include:

  • Sibling Rivalry and Conflict
  • Sibling Aggression and Abuse
  • Sibling Sexual Abuse
  • Family Dynamics and Sibling Aggression and Abuse
  • Promoting Positive Sibling Relationships
  • Sibling Dynamics in Childhood, Adolescence, and Adulthood
  • For Professionals: Prevention, Intervention, and Screening
  • For Parents: Prevention and Intervention
  • Barriers to Help-Seeking for Sibling Aggression and Abuse
  • Siblings with Disabilities
  • Links Between Sibling Aggression and Peer Bullying
  • Policy: A Public Health Approach to Sibling Aggression and Abuse

Email to Book a Training

LEARN MORE

Psychology Today

"Supporting Siblings in Foster Care," May 2026

Psychology Today

"Domestic Violence Can Lead to Sibling Aggression and Abuse," February 2026

Healthy Children Podcast

"Sibling Rivalry: Expert Tips to De-Escalate Fights and Build Stronger Bonds," Episode 58, October 2025

Talking About Kids Podcast

"What You Need to Know About Sibling Sexual Abuse," Season 4, Episode 30, May 2025

SAARA Resources for Professionals

Cover of Preventing Sibling Aggression and Abuse for Children with Disabilities
Preventing Sibling Aggression and Abuse for Children with Disabilities
September 25, 2026
SAARA Bulletin #13. While many children with disabilities have positive sibling relationships, some can face difficulties that increase their risk of harming or being harmed by their siblings. Parents can reduce the risk by encouraging positive sibling interactions, avoiding favoritism, and watching for signs of sibling aggression and abuse.
Cover of Adult Survivors of Sibling Abuse: Your Experiences are Valid
Adult Survivors of Sibling Abuse: Your Experiences are Valid
September 10, 2026
SAARA Bulletin #12. Adults who have survived childhood and/or adolescent experiences of sibling abuse may continue to struggle with the long-term emotional outcomes. Although patterns of sibling abuse can linger across time, they do not define a survivor’s future.
First page of "The Limits of Family Preservation"
August 24, 2026
In this expert opinion article, we discuss the challenges of deciding whether to place siblings in foster care together or separately and highlight the importance of considering the quality of their sibling relationships.
Cover of the Handbook of the Psychology of Sibling Relationships
The Dark Side of Sibling Relationships
August 3, 2026
Book chapter about sibling aggression and abuse in the Handbook of the Psychology of Sibling Relationships: Advancing Research and Practice.
SiblingsBeyondRivalry.org logo
July 30, 2026
SiblingsBeyondRivalry.org helps parents of young children (ages 0-7) foster healthy sibling relationships with practical, research-based strategies for preventing and managing rivalry, conflict, and aggression.
First page of handout
Responding to Sibling Sexual Behavior and Abuse
February 26, 2026
This handout includes guidance for parents and caregivers to respond to sexual behavior between siblings. Available in English and Spanish.
Partial screenshot of first page of "Classification of Sibling Dynamics" handout
Sibling Dynamics: Classification and Practice Recommendations
October 28, 2025
SAARA provides a classification of sibling dynamics with definitions of rivalry, constructive conflict, destructive conflict, and abuse, as well as practice recommendations to address each type of sibling dynamic to promote positive sibling relationships
First page of SAARA Bulletin #11
A Five-Step Model to Help School Mental Health Professionals Identify and Respond to Sibling Abuse
September 29, 2025
SAARA Bulletin #11. In this bulletin, a five-step model is described to guide school mental health professionals on identifying and responding to sibling abuse.
AJPH Vol 115, Issue 9 cover image
August 6, 2025
This open-access publication makes the case that sibling aggression and abuse are overlooked public health problems, and calls for greater awareness, practitioner training, and inclusion of these experiences in trauma assessments such as ACE inventories.
First page of SAARA Bulletin #10
When Is It Unsafe for Siblings to Live Together?
May 9, 2025
SAARA Bulletin #10. This bulletin aims to help professionals and practitioners identify factors that indicate when it is unsafe for siblings to live together due to physical or psychological abuse, severe aggression, or harmful sexual behaviors.
First page of Practical Tips for K-12 Personnel to Address Sibling Aggression and Abuse
Practical Tips for K-12 Personnel to Address Sibling Aggression and Abuse
May 7, 2025
This handout includes ten practical tips to help K-12 personnel identify and respond to sibling aggression and abuse experienced by their students. Available in English and Spanish.
First page of "Clarifying labels, constructs, and definitions: Sibling aggression and abuse are family violence"
April 3, 2025
This critical review article explores the distinctions between sibling rivalry, conflict, aggression, and abuse, challenging traditional perceptions and emphasizing the need for more precise terminology in understanding family violence. We offer recommendations for responding to each type of sibling dynamic.
Sibling aggression and abuse screening handout
Sibling Aggression and Abuse Screening Handout
November 7, 2024
This handout provides professional resources and suggested questions to use when screening children and adults for sibling aggression and abuse in a clinical or therapeutic setting.
Addressing sibling aggression is key to reducing peer bullying
Addressing Sibling Aggression is Key to Reducing Peer Bullying
August 5, 2024
SAARA Bulletin #9. The next step in bullying prevention is the dissemination of information on sibling aggression and its impacts. Adapting peer bullying education efforts to include information about sibling aggression will promote children’s and adolescents’ well-being and increase safety at school and home.
Sibling aggression and abuse are ACEs
Sibling Aggression and Abuse are ACEs
August 2, 2024
SAARA Bulletin #8. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) screenings for children, parents, and adults should be broadened to include sibling aggression and abuse (SAA) experiences. Positive screenings for SAA necessitate training for practitioners and professionals on SAA and the continued development of evidence-based interventions aimed at preventing and healing from SAA.
Recognizing and responding to sibling sexual abuse
Recognizing and Responding to Sibling Sexual Abuse
July 29, 2024
SAARA Bulletin #7. The goal of this bulletin is to define sibling sexual abuse (SSA) and provide guidance for parents and professionals on how to respond. Professionals responding to sibling sexual behavior may find their training on child sexual abuse and maltreatment to be helpful; however, keep in mind that there are unique dynamics in sibling relationships that are important to consider.
Promoting Positive Sibling Relationships: Practical Tips for Caregivers handout
Promoting Positive Sibling Relationships: Practical Tips for Caregivers
June 26, 2024
This handout includes ten practical tips for parents and caregivers to promote positive sibling relationships. Available in English and Spanish.
An opportunity to address sibling aggression
January 26, 2024
Given the prevalence and impacts of sibling aggression, parenting education is needed. Yet evidence-based parent education programs generally do not address it. This represents an opportunity for parenting education. We propose how such information could be infused into parent education programming.
Do State Child Abuse and Neglect Policies Address Sibling Abuse?
Do State Child Abuse and Neglect Policies Address Sibling Abuse?
January 1, 2024
SAARA Bulletin #6. Sibling abuse can be just as harmful as parental child maltreatment, leaving injuries and mental distress, yet there are no consistent statutory policies for responding to it.
Family Violence and Abuse Encyclopedia cover
Sibling Abuse and Bullying
November 30, 2023
Encyclopedia entry about sibling abuse and bullying in Family Violence and Abuse: An Encyclopedia of Trends, Issues, and Solutions.