What is the Welsh Government's approach to ensuring that all child victims of sexual abuse have timely access to specialist and accredited therapeutic support without eligibility criteria, and what is the expected timeline for full implementation?
Welsh Government is committed to ensuring that victim-survivors of child sexual abuse are offered specialist therapeutic support at a time that is right for them.
Welsh Government commissioned the Child Sexual Abuse Centre of Expertise to map existing provision of non-specialist and specialist support in Wales for those affected by child sexual abuse. This information provides the foundation for the work that will be undertaken underneath the ten-year strategy for Preventing and Responding to Child Sexual Abuse.
The Welsh Government also continues to fund Traumatic Stress Wales, which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people of all ages living in Wales at risk of developing, or with, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD).
The NHS in Wales continues to work with the police and other partners to provide support as part of the Sexual Assault Referral Services, which includes access to counselling support.
Where needed, and if the young person has mental health symptoms, NHS mental health services can also provide support. We continue to improve and expand this support, for instance through our CAMHS schools in-reach services and our alternative to admission pilots.
Sexual Assault Referral Centres are provided in partnership between the NHS, Police and the Third Sector and we are committed to ensuring services are accessible, compassionate and person centred. Health boards continue to work closely with partners locally to provide these important services.
The partnership arrangements for delivering SARCs are currently transitioning from a Programme Board which was established to implement the agreed delivery model in Wales, to a longer-term arrangement. Longer terms arrangements will need to reflect the various responsibilities for health and policing for delivery, funding and meeting the necessary standards for SARCs.