Letting the future in

Helping children and young people overcome the effects of sexual abuse

Letting the Future In helps children and young people aged 4-17 who have been sexually abused to explore and express their feelings, and teaches them how to keep safe.

Facilitating children in talking about their feelings

Sexual abuse can affect young people in all kinds of ways.

Many children and young people have told us they feel confused and upset about what has happened to them. They have said that having the chance to talk about their feelings really helps.

We use a wide range of approaches to help the child express themselves. Some of these include talking, playing and creative activities such as painting, drawing or storytelling.

We meet with the child for three or four weekly sessions of about an hour, so we can get to know them and make an assessment of their needs. We also meet parents or carers separately to understand their needs.

After the sessions, the child and carer come in together to plan what happens next.

Influencing new ways of working

We are evaluating our work with these young people, so we can advise other organizations on the best ways to support and help children and young people affected by sexual abuse.