Assessments, intervention and consultancy

We provide expert assessments and intervention for:

children who have displayed harmful sexual behaviour
adults who have, or who are alleged to have, committed a sexual offence against a child
protective adults, including parents and carers

We also provide consultancy to support any professional or organisations working with individuals and families affected by child sexual abuse or harmful sexual behaviour.

Download our Clinical services brochure that outlines our services.

Expert practitioners

Our practitioners are experts in the field of child sexual abuse who come from a variety of professional backgrounds including social care, probation and psychology. They have extensive skills and expertise working with child sexual abuse and harmful sexual behaviour. We work with children, adults and families from a wide range of backgrounds, with complex and multi-faceted needs, taking a therapeutic, trauma-informed approach.

Making a referral

For more information on our services and fees or to make a referral please contact our referrals manager on 01527 591 922 or lffreferrals@lucyfaithfull.org.uk

We can help:

local authority decision-making, including about safety planning, placement planning or family reunification
family court proceedings, including care proceedings or adoption hearings
assessment and intervention of individuals, to manage and reduce risk of sexual harm
protective parenting assessments and interventions with parents and carers
therapeutic work with children, young people, adults or whole families

We accept referrals from any professional, including children’s services, adult’s services, education and health care. We also accept referrals from individuals.

We accept referrals from the family court arena and are approved by the Legal Aid Agency to provide expert witness testimony.

Our work with adults

Assessments

We provide specialist assessments with individuals where there are concerns regarding child sexual abuse.

This includes:

assessments of adults who have offended, or have allegations made against them.
protective parenting assessments of non-offending partners.
dual assessments with partners around risk of sexual harm to children, and ability to protect children from sexual harm.
assessments of parents/carers where there are harmful sexual behaviour concerns by young people within the family.
we can also work jointly with our young people’s specialist practitioners to provide assessments including whole families where appropriate.

Feedback

“I cannot thank you enough for your time, help and support and to find someone who really understands what went on my life. Thank you once again.”

Interventions

In addition to our specialist assessments, we undertake interventions with individuals or couples where there are child sexual abuse concerns. This may include bespoke interventions with those who have perpetrated harm (or are alleged to have) and work with non-offending partners, parents/carers. We have a protective parenting intervention course that aims to improve parents’ ability to protect their children from sexual harm. The protective parenting intervention provides educational input and support to increase awareness of child sexual abuse, develop an understanding of how to protect children from sexual harm and can include the development of a family safety plan. Our protective parenting interventions can typically be undertaken over the course of 6 – 8 sessions, though they are tailored to the needs of the individual client or couple. To discuss any interventions you require, please do get in touch. We understand that each situation is unique and we are happy to discuss how we may be of help.

Feedback

“We were really impressed with the practitioner’s knowledge and experiences. Her understanding of the situation made her input really helpful.”

“I had a general understanding of CSA but this has clarified so much. Every aspect of the intervention included useful information and something that I can use now and in the future as my child is growing. I feel now more confident in knowing signs to look for in CSA as well as knowing that I can really do things now to help prevent issues occurring in the future. "

Case consultancy

Our specialist staff can provide expert child protection and safeguarding advice and consultancy to statutory and voluntary organisations.

Through our case consultancy service, we assist clients to work through complex issues and develop clear and effective action plans for clients. We can help you take a fresh look at a case or concerns, discuss key themes, provide input around formulation, risk management and safety planning, and sign post to further supports or interventions.

Organisational consultancy

We have a proven track record of assisting a range of organisations to improve their services or respond to challenges at an organisational level.

We can provide clinical supervision to staff groups who need support in working with clients where there are sexual abuse concerns; support to organisations to develop positive safeguarding cultures and review policies and procedures; action plans to achieve positive change at an organisational level; and assistance to respond to public concerns about child sexual abuse and exploitation within organisational settings.

Our work with children and young people

Assessments

We complete comprehensive assessments with children, young people and their families, where there have been concerns regarding harmful sexual behaviour. During a typical assessment, a practitioner will meet with the professional network and complete individual assessment sessions with the child or young person, parents or carers.

The assessment report will provide a formulation, to support understanding of the child or young person’s presentation, behaviour and needs, as well as providing analysis of the risk of ongoing harmful sexual behaviour. We use the AIM3 or AIM Under 12 assessment tool where appropriate to contribute to our holistic assessment. We will make recommendations for next steps for the young person and their family to enable them to move forward towards a more positive future.

There may be occasions where we would recommend a separate assessment is also completed to determine the parent or carer’s capacity to protect the child(ren) in their care.

Feedback

“The report is well written and has been really helpful further identifying and evidencing the risk.”

“The report will be extremely helpful in future care planning.”

Interventions

Our interventions are bespoke, designed to respond to and support the child or young person’s individual needs. Some areas that could be explored within an intervention include:

formulation work and use of the Good Lives Model to support the child or young person’s understanding of their behaviour, its function and how they can safely and appropriately meet their needs
educational work about sex, consent, safe and unsafe touch and appropriate boundaries
supporting the development of problem solving and coping skills, emotional regulation and healthy relationships
promoting safe online use and developing understanding of the impact of pornography
family work to promote positive communication and safety planning
reunification work to support the young person to make amends and the family to move on

Feedback

“I enjoy our conversations, it’s not been difficult, it’s more like spewing it out helps rather than trying to focus on individual things in my head.”

Case consultancy

Our case formulation consultancy offers professionals an opportunity to discuss complex cases with one of our expert practitioners. We will provide a written formulation, including an analysis of the child’s presentation, the behaviour of concern, any risk and protective factors, recommendations and implications for safety planning.  

Our one-off or ongoing clinical supervision provides professionals with clinical guidance and oversight, support to problem-solve challenges as they arise and opportunities to reflect and consider new approaches to working with children and families. Our practitioners will provide resources and make recommendations around how to support families to move forward safely.   

Our consultancy for carers is designed for foster or residential carers looking after a child who has displayed harmful sexual behaviour. Carers will be supported to develop their understanding of the behaviour of concern and the context in which it takes place, to consider possible responses, safety plan, and set solution-focused goals. The practitioner will offer carers emotional support and a reflective space to explore challenges and develop resilience, as well as equipping them with tools to respond to concerning sexual behaviour. 

We can also provide bespoke consultation.

Contact us

For more information, advice and fees, contact the Referrals Manager:

01527 591922

lffreferrals@lucyfaithfull.org.uk

Training

Find out more and book onto our child sexual abuse and exploitation training. The various courses are delivered by experienced practitioners and tailor-made to meet your needs.

Learn More

Consultancy

Find out about our expert child protection and safeguarding advice and consultancy, suitable to any organisation including statutory, voluntary and commercial companies.

Learn More