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NSPCC Treatment and Therapeutic Service teams help children and young people overcome the damaging psychological and emotional effects of abuse on their own terms. The NSPCC provides treatment for children who have suffered sexual, physical or emotional abuse as well as neglect at 39 therapeutic services throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The NSPCC alone cannot meet the requests for services. We therefore work closely with partner agencies as well as lobbying government and decision makers to work towards the provision of services nationally that would be available to every child that needed treatment following abuse.
It has been estimated that 90 per cent of children who have experienced sexual abuse receive no substantial support.1
Research into the effects of abuse consistently shows serious and lasting damage to individuals. Abused children who do not receive help can be more susceptible to further abuse.
Around 5,700 children and young people are currently on child protection registers because of concerns about physical abuse. 2,800 children are currently on the registers because of concerns about sexual abuse.2
Child abuse increases the risk of adult depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, relationship difficulties, participation in harmful activities, negative self-image and attitudes towards other people.3
Treatment work varies according to the needs of the individual child and family. It is important to remain flexible to a child's response to treatment so they can receive the best possible help. The following methods may be used:
Individual counselling can be very effective with older children. The therapist establishes a relationship of trust and encourages them to talk about their experiences, expressing how they feel. Sometimes it is difficult for children and young people to speak to their parents about what happened because of the distress or guilt the parent may feel about not having been able to protect their child.
This therapy is particularly for younger children to express their emotions and experiences. All NSPCC therapeutic teams have 'play rooms' where children can express themselves and be helped to come to terms with what has happened to them.
Children often benefit from meeting and spending time with other children and young people who have suffered similar experiences, or who are at a similar stage of development so they can share their feelings.
NSPCC teams will also help parents and carers to deal with their own reactions (such as guilt, anger and sadness) to the abuse suffered by their child, so that they can get better support their child.
1 Baginsky, M (eds) (2000), counselling and support services for young people aged 12-16 who have experienced sexual abuse: a study of the provision in Italy, the Netherlands and the UK: A study of the Prevalence of Child Abuse and Neglect, NSPCC
2 (DfES, 2005, Statistics of Education: Referrals, Assessments and Children and Young People on Child Protection Registers: Year Ending 31 March 2004
3 (The Health Effects of childhood abuse: four pathways by which abuse can influence, Kendall-Tackett, 2002 from Child Abuse and Neglect Volume 26 issue 6/7 dated June 2002)
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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.