CYP Now - Charity study gives voice to the unheard victims of sexual abuse

Child protection practitioners and agencies can struggle to identify when young children have been sexually abused. Barnardo’s research identifies gaps in practice and changes services can make to improve processes.

Animations illustrate some of the issues children and families can experience around sexual abuse. Picture: Barnardo’s

As part of Barnardo’s programme of change and influence, our Safer Futures Sexual Abuse Therapeutic and Assessment Service (SATAS) based in the North-West of England wanted to investigate one of the most overlooked and hidden groups in our society: children under 10 who have been sexually abused and their families.

The research started by mapping our 20 years of practice experience focusing on what services we had delivered, why services were not commissioned to be delivered to other children who have experienced sexual abuse, and why some children are not identified at all.

One example of where services are not commissioned is in circumstances where a non-abusing parent or carer is keeping their child safe from further sexual abuse, despite the huge impact on them and their family. Often no further action will be taken by any professional service.

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