During initial intervention, the offender should be removed from the home and denied all contact with the child victim in order to ensure both the physical and emotional safety of the child. All contact with minor children also should be prohibited until a thorough evaluation has assessed the risk of additional offending. Initial contact with the child should be established via a letter in which the offender accepts responsibility for the incest, assures the child he is not to blame, and apologizes for the hurt caused by the act. This may be followed by a meeting between the offender and the victim in the therapist's office. Both parties will have been prepared for the form and content of this visit beforehand. At this time, rules for subsequent visits can be set and discussed. Family outings in public settings, without the therapist can then be planned. Assuming continued progress, the offender is allowed visits to the family home. This is followed by overnight visits and eventually the offender's return to the family home. Throughout intervention, attention must be given to careful planning and thorough discussion both before and after the offender's contact with family members. 1 reference.