Letting the future in
An intervention for children or young people affected by sexual abuse
February 2012
Letting the future in is a new guide produced by the NSPCC to help professionals work therapeutically with sexually abused children and young people and their safe (non-abusing) carers.
Overview
Letting the future in is a guide developed by the NSPCC. It is based on a review of research, established evidence-based theories, the experience of practitioners and the views of children and adults who have received therapy following sexual abuse.
The guide will be used by NSPCC practitioners to deliver therapeutic services and capture learning about what works to help children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse.
Background
NSPCC research has shown there are not enough therapeutic services for children and young people who have been sexually abused and the quality of the services that do exist is inconsistent. The research also highlighted a lack of evidence about which services and interventions are effective (
Allnock et al, 2009).
The guide
Letting the future in is based on a report called:
Therapeutic services for sexually abused children and young people. It uses a strengths-based approach that is child focused and builds upon the therapeutic relationship between the child and practitioner, including the safe carer as an integral part of intervention.
It draws on: child development, neuroscience, attachment theory, resilience factors, sexual abuse models, motivational interviewing, trauma focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and play therapy.
The guide is divided into five modules:
- module one introduces the goals and scope of the intervention
- module two focuses on the application of values, knowledge and skills in working therapeutically with sexually abused children and young people
- module three covers assessment
- module four focuses on the interventions
- module five is on the resolution and endings.
NSPCC service
The NSPCC will use the guide to work directly with children and young people aged from 4 up to 18 years who have been sexually abused. This means a referral must be made by their 17th birthday.
We will work with each child for approximately one year, helping them to explore and express their thoughts and feelings about their experiences, recover from the impact and develop or strengthen the important supportive relationship between the child and their carers.
Over a two year period, we aim to work with up to 900 children.
Learning
In order to evaluate which interventions are effective and what kind of support has the most lasting impact, we will be undertaking rigorous monitoring and evaluation. This will be used to refine the Letting the future in guide.
We will explore what works best with children of different ages and genders and in different situations.
The aim is to produce a guide, refined through practice, that will enable services across the country to help children recover after sexual abuse with interventions that are consistent, evidence based and effective.
We will use this learning to continue our campaign for more consistent and widely-available therapeutic services.
References
Allnock, Debbie, Bunting, Lisa, Price, Avril, Morgan-Klein, Natalie, Ellis, Jane, Radford, Lorraine and Stafford, Anne(2009)
Sexual abuse and therapeutic services for children and young people: the gap between provision and need. London: NSPCC, 2009.
Gil, Eliana (2006) Helping abused and traumatized children: integrating directive and nondirective approaches. New York ; London: Guilford Press.
Bannister, Anne (2003) Creative therapies with traumatized children. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Related resources
Publications to help professionals working with children or adolescents who have been sexually abused or with non-abusive parents or carers.
See all of our resources for professionals on working to prevent child sexual abuse.
Keep up to date with the most recent developments on working with adult sex offenders pulled from CASPAR, the current awareness service for child protection policy, practice and research.
Contact the NSPCC Information Service for information on NSPCC services, child sexual abuse or any child protection topic
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Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NH. Incorporated by Royal Charter. Registered charity number 216401. NSPCC, charity registered in Scotland, charity number SC037717.