Cleo Smith's parents are considering changing the four-year-old's name to shield her from unwanted attention in the wake of her miraculous rescue 18 days after she was allegedly abducted.
Mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon have been seeking advice from other parents whose children have been unwittingly thrust into the spotlight after suffering comparable ordeals.
They are asking how young victims of high-profile crimes recovered psychologically, including whether they underwent professional counselling and if their parents considered that process worthwhile.
Cleo made global headlines late last year when Western Australian police found her in a house at Carnarvon, 900km north of Perth, 18 days after she disappeared from a camping ground.
Cleo Smith's parents are considering changing the four-year-old's name to shield her from unwanted attention in the wake of her miraculous rescue 18 days after she was allegedly abducted
Mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon have been seeking advice from other parents whose children who have unwittingly thrust into the spotlight after suffering similar ordeals
Her alleged abductor, who was not known to Cleo's family, is due to make his third court appearance on Monday.
Cleo's story will receive ongoing and widespread media coverage while the case progresses through the courts, as she reaches personal milestones and when anniversaries arrive.
It is almost inevitable what happened to Cleo will one day be turned into a film.
Her parents are concerned about how their daughter will cope with years of such intense attention, having already been the focus of worldwide publicity in early childhood.
'They're worried about the repercussions of the media and so forth down the track,' a source told Daily Mail Australia.
Ms Smith has even raised with friends the possibility of changing Cleo's first and last names in an effort to protect her daughter's identity as she grows into adulthood.
'They're worried about people making the connection later on down the line,' the source said.
Cleo made global headlines late last year when Western Australian police found her in a house at Carnarvon, 900km north of Perth, 18 days after she disappeared from a camping ground. She is pictured back in the arms of her mother Ellie
Cleo's alleged abductor, Terence Darrell Kelly, is due to make his third court appearance on January 24. The 36-eyar-old was not known to Cleo's family but lived near their home
Daily Mail Australia understands Western Australian police have encouraged Ms Smith to talk about Cleo's future with the parents of other children who have experienced traumatic events.
'As with all matters such as these, WA Police Force provides ongoing support to families,' a spokeswoman said.
Forensic psychologist Tim Watson-Munro told Daily Mail Australia he believed it could be beneficial for Cleo's parents to talk to other families.
'I think it's a great thing as long as people are willing to speak with them,' he said. 'It's like any sort of therapy.
'Those who've been through trauma are often best-placed to speak to others about their experiences and they seem to identify more with it that way.
'They don't have people coming in just from a clinical, academic perspective. They're coming from real-life experiences and it seems to work for people.
'I think it's a great thing that they're doing it, frankly, if it's assisting people.'
Cleo disappeared from a tent on October 16 while on a weekend family holiday at the Blowholes campsite, about 80km north of Carnarvon.
She had woken about 1.30am and asked for water but when her parents got up at 6am the little girl was gone.
An land, air and sea search failed to find any trace of Cleo. Five days after she went missing police announced they believed Cleo had been abducted and offered a $1million reward.
Cleo quickly became perhaps the most recognisable four-year-old in Australia and within two weeks her smiling face would become famous around the world.
On November 3 police found Cleo alive and well inside a locked house at Carnarvon just minutes
