Leicester Post Sexual Abuse Service (PSA)

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Delivered by trained social workers, we focus upon addressing trauma distress symptoms and family functioning with the aim to improve mental health, emotional wellbeing, and stability.

We provide psycho-educational support, alongside emotional support, to understand the impact and consequences of trauma. We create a safe space for children and young people to share their feelings and explore a variety of coping strategies to help manage those feelings. The service is delivered in person, taking place at our office or in other child-friendly settings such as schools or community centres.

We offer:

• Up to 24 weeks of therapeutic support to children and young people, and their families. We seek to involve parents and carers throughout our work as they are vital in supporting a young person's recovery and wellbeing. However, we recognise that some young people would like to access support on their own. For this reason, young people aged 16 or over can self-refer if they do not wish for their family to be involved in the work.
• A bespoke support plan created collaboratively between the family and social worker. This helps us to identify the aims of our work and what areas a child or family would like support with.
• Holding support for families on our waiting list. We know that waiting for a service to begin can be frustrating, so we aim to have regular contact with those who have been referred to us and provide advice and resources where possible.
• A support group for parents and carers whose children have experienced sexual abuse. Our 8-week programme covers a variety of topics to help parents and carers understand abuse and trauma, and how they can support their children and look after themselves.
• Advice and signposting to other appropriate specialist services. This may be alongside support the PSA service provides, after our support ends, or a recommendation where it is decided that we are not the right service for the family at the time of referral.
• Consultations to professionals who are working with, or may work with, families where sexual abuse is a concern. We provide specialist advice to help professionals to feel confident in supporting those who have been affected by sexual abuse. This can be general advice, or advice for a specific case.

Our workers carry out an initial assessment to gather as much information of the family’s current situation as possible. We may also speak to other professionals involved with the family. This helps us to gain a better understanding of the family, their day-to-day life, the issues with which they are struggling, and how we can help. We then create a support plan where we agree on one or two therapeutic goals – these are the aims of the work, and reflect priorities highlighted by the child and family as areas that they want to change or improve. We involve parents/carers in the work wherever possible to help us to achieve these aims.

We recognise that recovery can be a lifelong journey. We can offer more than one episode of care and we accept re-referrals for families that we have previously worked with.

Complete a referral online