When you get here
We will have arranged for you to come and visit us at a convenient time for you, usually in the next 5 days and sometimes on the same day that you call us if we think that we need to see you urgently. If you have a friend, relative or any trusted person you would like to bring with you for support, that’s fine. We understand that this situation can be difficult and upsetting, so many young people like to bring someone with them who helps them feel safe and calm.
Your wellbeing is the most important thing to us, which is why we will arrange for you to come to one of our centres so we can support you as soon as possible.
What happens when I first arrive?
When you arrive, we will make sure that one of our specially trained members of staff is there to greet you. This person is called a Specialist Nurse and they are there to help you through every step of your visit to our centre. They will listen to your concerns, talk to you, let you know your options and make sure that you get the help and support you need while you are with us. They are also there to make sure that everything is in place for us to keep giving you the help and support you need after this first visit.
They will be very experienced helping people who have had similar experiences as you. They are there to be patient and listen to all your concerns, even if you are upset, angry or confused by what has happened. These things can be difficult to process, and that’s completely understandable.
What happens next?
After hearing all your concerns, you will meet our staff, the crisis support worker or specialist nurse and the doctor, they will discuss your concerns and you can talk together about what will happen next. In some cases, if you agree, we will arrange a medical and examination for you, even if your incident was more than 10 days ago. The most important reason we do this is to make sure you are in good health by checking you for any injuries and making sure you are OK. But this is also important for finding any evidence that might be helpful to the police in any investigation into your abuse. We are experienced in giving these examinations to children and young people. We will go at your pace and talk you through each step to help you feel comfortable. If you want to know more about the medical examination, please click the box below, and we will answer in more detail and concerns or worries you might have.
Your Specialist Nurse will have listened to all your concerns and will also help you get access to a range of help and support options while you are at the centre and after you leave. If more than 10 days have passed, we can offer sexual health screenings or pregnancy testing if these are concerns of yours.
Most importantly, you can discuss getting therapeutic support with workers who are experienced at helping to give children and young people who have had similar experiences the support they need to deal with the emotional effects that sexual abuse can have. They will help you to understand how you are feeling and cope with these emotions, for as long as they feel you need their support.
To learn about our full range of follow-up care that we provide after you leave, please click below to see how we can help you in the future.
Information for Children Under 13
We’ve written a guide for children under the age of 13 which explains what happens when you come to the centre.
The guide is available as a PDF, so you can view it on your computer or print a copy.