28 October 2021
During our first year of the Beacon Project, we have supported a large number of under 10's and their families. We also held a discussion group earlier this year focusing on what support is offered to under 10's and their families.
As part of Barnardo’s programme of change and influence, Core Priority funding was awarded to the Safer Futures Sexual Abuse Therapeutic and Assessment Service (SATAS) to investigate one of the most overlooked and hidden groups at this present time: children under ten who have been sexually abused and their families.
The report highlights what we as a service have found and what young people, parents and other professionals have been telling us for this past year.
"Statistics in terms of sexual offences against children identify large gaps and inconsistencies in the research base for children generally, but children under ten specifically. Without more accurate information, the likelihood of more targeted interventions are reduced, incrementally disadvantaging the youngest and most vulnerable children.
There is no clear strategy regarding availability and accessibility of therapeutic services to support children and their families with the impacts of trauma, which means many children do not get any services when needed, or get signposted to services that do not meet their needs, sometimes compounding the issues and sense of being ‘un-helpable and/or responsible’."
You can read the full report HERE.
