Learning from recent local Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews has highlighted the prevalence of Child Sexual Abuse, particularly Intra-familial Child Sexual Abuse here in Staffordshire. Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Board and its statutory partners are sharing the learning identified within these reviews across all services whilst offering training and resourses for all front line staff.
For more information on training, please visit the Learning Zone. For guidance and a downloadable video annimation briefing visit the Boards website guidance section here.
The Centre of Expertise in Child Sexual Abuse have released new research, Support Matters, which is the most comprehensive study to-date exploring provision of support in response to child sexual abuse in England & Wales.
In this landmark research, the CSA Centre found just 468 services providing support to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and their families, yet an estimated 500,000 children will suffer some form of child sexual abuse every year. Our researchers interviewed the providers of over a third (168) of these services in detail and found that most were only able to respond to comparatively very small numbers of victims/survivors. Almost half were able to support fewer than 100 people in 2021/22.
The research found waiting times for services for children who have been sexually abused have more than doubled since 2015. On average, victims/survivors, both children and adults, are waiting six months for much-needed support and one in nine support services hold waiting lists extending over a year.
Support services were predominantly delivered by the not-for-profit sector, and most were running their service with fewer than ten full-time staff.
Of course, delayed support and waiting lists can have a profound impact on top of the existing harm of sexual abuse for children, adult survivors, and their families. But leaving victims waiting to access support adds a further barrier to seeking help.
Visit Support Matters here
From March onwards, the Centre of Expertise in to Child sexual Abuse will also be holding a series of free monthly lunch and learn webinars for anyone who wants to know more about the Child Sexual Abuse Response Pathway (Response Pathway): their online resource designed to help professionals understand the steps they can take to protect and support children, young people and families.
Book your free place here.
Why language matters: why we should avoid the term ‘victim’ when talking about children who have experienced abuseNSPCC Learning has published a blog post about the use of the word ‘victim’ when talking about children who have experienced abuse, as part of its Why Language Matters Series. Discussion points include: recognising the preferences of the child; the impact of language on how professionals see and support children; and alternative language that can be used.
Read the blog: Why language matters: why we should avoid the term ‘victim’ when talking about children who have experienced abuse
