Abused children not getting help
Sexually abused children are struggling to recover from their horrific ordeals due to a massive shortfall in therapy.
Post code lotteries dictate which sex abuse victims are able to benefit from vital therapeutic provisions.
Every year at least 55,000 victims face behavioural and mental health problems as they are unable to access help needed. For every 25,000 children in the UK, there is only one support programme available, and many areas do not have provisions for them at all.
Shockingly, teenagers are especially vulnerable to slipping through the help net as they are less able to access services for adults and may be considered too old to get support on a child protection plan.
The shortfalls are highlighted in a new NSPCC report Sexual abuse and therapeutic services for children and young people – the gap between provision and need.
Debbie Allnock, who led the research and is based at the NSPCC’s Fresh Start in London, said: “Sexual abuse can have devastating consequences for a child but it remains a low priority within mainstream mental health services and among local authorities. Yet experiences of sexual abuse are common among people with severe long-term behavioural, criminal and addiction problems.
“Long waiting lists mean that if a young person is sexually abused they often don’t get the therapeutic help they need unless they also have a child protection plan. It takes bravery for a young person to tell someone about their sexual abuse and ask for help. But their suffering may only get noticed when they show significant signs of distress, anguish or damaging behaviours. They may then have a long wait for the support they desperately need.”
“It is vital that effective specialist support is readily available when children want it, for as long as they want it. This helps reduce their psychological injury and enables them to lead more fulfilled lives. The severe lack of services across the UK is a serious problem that needs huge investment.”
The NSPCC is urging all Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to track the number of sexually abused children who receive therapy to get an accurate understanding of what local needs are.
This will help the government identify gaps in services and provide help for sexually abused children who might otherwise slip through the net.
Children or young people who want to talk to someone in confidence about sexual abuse, or any other problem, can call ChildLine for free on 0800 1111. Adults with a concern about a child can contact the NSPCC Helpline for advice on 0808 800 5000. Both services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.