Local services
We provide therapeutic services to help children move on from abuse, as well as supporting parents and families in caring for their children
We work directly with children and families in our regional hubs across the UK and Channel Islands. We also partner with other organisations to help them deliver tried and tested tools and interventions in their local area.
Working with families
Pregnancy in Mind is a preventative mental health service that helps support expectant parents who have or are at risk of mild to moderate anxiety or depression.
It uses a range of approaches including mindfulness, active relaxation and peer support. The service consists of 8 weekly group work sessions that are usually delivered virtually but can be delivered face-to-face in some instances.
Who is it for?
Expectant parents in the 12th-26th week of pregnancy (middle trimester) who have or are at risk of having anxiety or depression.
Where is Pregnancy in Mind available?
Belfast; Cardiff; Foyle; Leeds; Liverpool; Nottingham; Swindon.
Get in touch with one of these teams
Overcoming abuse
Letting the Future In is a service for children who’ve experienced sexual abuse.
It helps children rebuild their lives so they can overcome the past and look forward to the future. It’s a therapeutic service which allows children to express themselves through play. They can work safely through past experiences and start to move on.
We also work with parents or carers, to help the whole family.
Who is it for?
Children aged 4-17 who’ve been sexually abused can be referred to this service.
Referrals can also be made for children and young people with mild or moderate learning disabilities up until the age of 19.
Where is Letting the Future In available?
Belfast; Camden; Cardiff; Foyle; Jersey; Leeds; Liverpool; Plymouth; Swindon.
Get in touch with one of these teams
Being made to go to court can be very scary for a child. Our Young Witness Service supports young people who have to attend court as a witness.
The service can reduce the stress they experience, prevent further trauma and help them give the best evidence they can.
Watch the video above to find out more about how the service works, and how it helps young people avoid more stress.
Who is it for?
We provide support in Northern Ireland for young prosecution witnesses (under 18), in all types of criminal cases, as well as their parents or carers.
The Lighthouse provides support to children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse to help them recover.
An advocate works with children and their families to access the services and support they need, when they need them. This includes working with doctors, nurses, play therapists, police, psychiatrists, and therapy workers. These specialists are all based in the same building, so children and young people don’t have to keep telling their story again and again.
Find out more on The Lighthouse website.
Who is it for?
Children and young people in Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington. The service is also for adults with learning disabilities aged 18-25.
Where is The Lighthouse available?
Camden.
Around 1 in 5 children have been exposed to domestic abuse. Exposure to domestic abuse is child abuse, and it can have a significant impact on a child’s development, health and wellbeing.
We developed DART (a group work programme) to help children cope with the effects of domestic abuse.
Our programme allows children and mothers to talk openly, learn to communicate about what’s happened and rebuild their relationship. The service provides an opportunity to meet with and learn from others who’ve lived through similar experiences.
To find out if DART is delivered in your area please email DARTenquiries@nspcc.org.uk.
"We had to watch videos of people like arguing and talk about it. I thought that was quite good because you get to tell the truth to everybody [about what had happened at home]. [It was] a little bit hard but I felt quite good about myself because I let it all out. [Before DART] I kept it to myself . . . All the bad things were in my brain and now it’s turned good. "
Boy aged 8 who attended DART
Preventing sexual abuse
The National Clinical Assessment and Treatment Service (also called NCATS) works with children and young people at risk of harming other children sexually.
We run this service because children and young people with harmful sexual behaviour harm themselves and others. Those who develop harmful sexual behaviour have usually experienced abuse and neglect themselves.
Depending on the results of the assessment, we might recommend treatment or care that works with the young person on their own, or with the family.
Who is it for?
Children and young people up to the age of 21 can be referred to NCATS for reasons such as:
- they have a history of harmful sexual behaviour
- they have convictions of sexual offences.
Treatment is tailored to the child, so the length of time we work with them depends on their needs.
Where is NCATS available?
NCATS is based in Camden, north London, but is available nationwide. Get in touch to find out more by calling 020 3772 9905 or emailing NCATS@nspcc.org.uk.
Local service spotlight: The Lighthouse
Getting the right support when a child has been abused is so important. But after sexual abuse, children and their families often struggle to navigate health and social care, therapeutic services, police, and often, the criminal justice process by themselves.
That’s why we’re proud to have helped launch The Lighthouse, the UK's first Child House. It's the first centre in the UK to bring multiple agencies together under one roof to provide a child-friendly, multidisciplinary service for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation. Based in Camden, it serves the London boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington.
The Lighthouse is delivered by University College London Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) in partnership with the NSPCC and the Metropolitan Police. As part of The Lighthouse’s therapeutic services, the NSPCC offers our Letting the Future In intervention.
"The Lighthouse has been a little bit of refuge."
Parent in London
When a child has experienced sexual abuse, they and their family are often left to navigate finding the right support for their child alone. From health care professionals, social workers, therapists and the police – this frequently means the child has to re-tell and re-live their experience with each agency or professional, risking being re-traumatised by the process.
The Lighthouse is based on the international Child House (Barnahus) model, established in Reykjavik in 1998. This model is child-centred, allowing medical and sexual health professionals, counsellors, therapists, and the police to work together under one roof – guiding children, young people and their families through their journey of recovery, helping them access the support they need at every step, including the court process.
"I only have to tell the story once."
Child using The Lighthouse in London
In London, where The Lighthouse is based, research has identified a “significant unmet need” for emotional and health support for children who have experienced sexual abuse1. Those who do sometimes have to wait months to receive therapy and the support they need. One study found that 8 in 10 adolescents who experienced sexual abuse had mental health problems 4-5 months after the assault2. That is why it is so important children get the help they need when they need it.
In 2019/20, The Lighthouse received 321 referrals, meaning approximately 1 in 2 children in North Central London who reported sexual offences were referred there for support.3 The Lighthouse team were able to accept 258 of those referrals, supporting children and families through this difficult time.
The team regularly ask children and their parents what they like about the service centre. Children felt that at The Lighthouse:
- their views were taken seriously
- they were listened to
- the practitioners were easy to talk to
- The Lighthouse teams were working together to support them.
"I like the way I can talk and be advised and listened to. I can also talk about what I’d like to talk about."
Child using The Lighthouse in London
The majority of parents and guardians that fedback to us felt the services they received were good, and felt supported by The Lighthouse.
"I don’t know how my family would have got through this trauma without this service. Truly amazing."
Parent in London
The Mayor of London’s Office for Policing and Crime is evaluating the Lighthouse and has published 3 reports to date, with a final report due in Summer 2021.
- The Lighthouse: London's Child House - Initial Evaluation Report
- The Lighthouse: 9-month interim evaluation report
- The Lighthouse: 2-year interim evaluation report
We believe every child should have the support they need after facing sexual abuse. Being a partner in The Lighthouse has shown us the difference a Child House can make for young people who've experienced abuse and we're pleased that funding for The Lighthouse in London has been extended to March 2022.
"Think it’s a great service dedicated to young people and their families. Should have more around the UK"
Parent in London
Given the success of The Lighthouse in London, we’ll advocate nationally for the benefits of this model and campaign to have new sites funded and built across the UK.
With support from government and commissioners, we can make the Child Houses model an integral part of the support and services available to children who’ve experienced abuse.
Thanks to the Home Office, The Mayor of London’s Office for Policing and Crime, NHS England, the Department for Education, charity partner Morgan Stanley (who raised over £1.5m) this multi-agency project was brought to life. The generous funding the project received helped to refurbish and transform the NSPCC’s service centre in North London.
£25 could help pay for toys for children to use during therapeutic sessions to help explain how they’re feeling. Over 80% of our income comes from those who choose to give to us.4
Hear from some of the people we've helped
"I like the way I can talk and be advised and listened to. I can also talk about what I’d like to talk about."
Child using The Lighthouse in London
"Relaxed and calming place with understanding people very keen to help and reassure."
Parent in London
"Even though my situation may have made my mother sad, now I can tell her anything and you brought us closer together."
Child using The Lighthouse in London
"A welcoming friendly environment with a family feel rather than a stuffy office."
Parent in London
"In the Lighthouse they made me feel comfortable and made me feel open about my opinions."
Parent in London
