Offences against Children: Victim Support Schemes
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the provision of long-term (a) mental health and (b) trauma-informed support for (i) adult survivors of child sexual abuse and (ii) adult survivors of child sexual abuse who disclose as an adult.
Answered by Dr Zubir Ahmed
Protecting and supporting child and adult victims and survivors of sexual abuse is a core priority for NHS England, delivered through a network of 48 specialist sexual assault referral centres across the country.
NHS England has established local pathfinder projects for enhanced trauma-informed mental health support for sexual abuse victims and survivors with the most complex needs. There is now dedicated enhanced mental health support in five of the seven commissioning regions.
NHS England is currently working in partnership with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the National Network of Designated Healthcare Professionals to refresh the paediatric elements of the current specification that sets out what care should be provided to survivors, alongside a parallel review of the adult specification. This will ensure both pathways deliver consistent, high-quality support and equitable access to services for all survivors, regardless of age.
Furthermore, NHS Talking Therapies offer psychological and talking therapies approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, such as counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy, for adults in England with mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Individuals experiencing these conditions, including victims of sexual violence and rape, can access these therapies via their general practitioner, or by self-referring to their local NHS Talking Therapies service. Details on how to do so are available at the following link:
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