Care Services for Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
The long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse are now better understood, and need sensitive long-term care responses. Not all survivors need, or wish, medical intervention and many seek counselling and support services offered by voluntary sector organisations which are better able to handle disclosure issues. We need to listen and learn from survivors on what works best for them, and to better integrate services in partnership.
The Scottish Executive is taking action to improve the care and treatment of survivors of sexual abuse. We issued Beyond Trauma: Mental Health Care Needs of Women Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse research report to NHS Boards and local authorities in February 2002, inviting these agencies to respond to these findings. A Short-Life Working Group was established to consider and report to Ministers on how to improve care responses for survivors. Their report was submitted on 28 July and considered by officials. Ministers have now agreed a range of proposals including:
- £2million funding for a Survivors' Fund to kick-start the development of better local services;
- Appointing a lead professional to assist in the implementation of the National Strategy;
- Creation of a reference group to include adult survivors and members of the Cross Party Group on Childhood Sexual Abuse. This Group has now met and are discussing the way forward;
- Establishing a survivors' network to give survivors a say in how services can be improved;
- Publishing a paper highlighting mainstream Scottish Executive initiatives already benefiting survivors;
- Scoping what Community Health Partnerships and managed Clinical Network structures could offer given that survivors are not yet aware of the potential benefits these could bring;
- Commissioning NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to undertake self-help training and public awareness-raising;
- Calling for bids for demonstration projects to be met from Survivors' Fund.