Evidence and Impact: Child-centred responses to CSA

The NSPCC works with children, young people and families who need help across the UK. Its services aim to protect children today, prevent abuse tomorrow and support wider efforts to make child cruelty a thing of the past. To improve understanding of best safeguarding practice, the NSPCC publishes evaluations of its services and interventions, and undertakes research and literature reviews. These are published on the NSPCC website (www.nspcc.org.uk/evidence) to contribute to the evidence on what works in preventing child abuse and neglect.

Abuse can affect children and young people in many ways and without support the effects can endure into adulthood. Research by Cutajar in 2010 shows that people who experience sexual abuse as children are three times more likely to access mental health services than those who have not been sexually abused during childhood (Cutajar et al, 2010). However, 98 per cent of professionals surveyed by the NSPCC said there is not enough therapeutic support for children who have been abused.