Better protection from sexual abuse for Lincolnshire children

Local organisations are being provided with new tools to tackle child sexual abuse and support those affected.

The Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children’s Partnership (LSCP) has been working with the Centre of Expertise for Child Sexual Abuse to develop new resources and guidance for local organisations to help them better protect Lincolnshire children from sexual harm.

The new materials will be launched tomorrow (Wednesday, November 2) at an event at Hemswell Court. They include new guides on communicating with children and working effectively with non-abusing parents, as well as a template to help professionals identify the emotional, behavioural and physical indicators of abuse sooner.

Chris Cook, independent chairman of the LSCP, said: “Research suggests around 1 in 20 children in the UK have been sexually abused, underlining the challenge partners face in keeping young people safe. Identifying and reducing the impact of sexual abuse is a priority for the LSCP, and we want to ensure all children and young people that are being, or have been, abused get the support and protection they need.

“Over the last few years, there have been a number of inquiries across the country into non-recent abuse, and it is important that everyone involved in child protection learns from these experiences. The new resources that have been developed will help local organisations to spot the early signs of abuse and to respond with courage and confidence.”

The event will also feature guest speakers from the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse and The Reign Collective, a training organisation run by survivors of child sexual exploitation and abuse.