Twelve-year-old Paul experienced a traumatic assault that was filmed and shared online. Already struggling with anxiety, ADHD, and self-esteem, the impact was severe. His mum said, “It felt like his light had gone out.” He’d lost over two stone and was overwhelmed by increasing vocal and motor tics. At school, he relied on constant messaging to his mum for reassurance — more than 20 times a day.
SAFE! stepped in with tailored, therapeutic support. To build trust, the Project Worker invited Paul to create a “personal shield” exploring his family, friends, and passions. Karate stood out — he was just two belts from black, and it became a symbol of his resilience. He shared a desire to manage anger, especially in arguments at home.
Using Protective Behaviours and psycho-social education, sessions helped Paul reflect on his experiences. He explored the difference between controlled conflict in Karate and street violence. He broke down his thoughts, feelings, and behaviours around the assault, eventually sharing that his mum had been in hospital at the time — adding to his distress.
Grounding exercises helped Paul return to class calmly. He opened up about using messaging as a distraction and fearfully hiding the real reason from his mum. The Project Worker encouraged him to speak to trusted adults and try positive self-talk.
In their final session, Paul identified his feelings toward those involved and expressed what he’d want to say. Reflecting on his growth, he shared: “It helped get my feelings out.” His school noted the change too: “Paul is calmer and more reflective — he talks things through.”
When 11-year-old Elana was referred to SAFE!, she was struggling with fear, sleeplessness, and a deep uncertainty about her relationship with her father. She had witnessed domestic abuse at home over several years, and found it difficult to express her feelings or make sense of what had happened.
At the time, her father was being held on remand while awaiting sentencing. A Children’s Independent Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocate (ChIDSVA) was assigned to support Elana through this complex and emotional process. Meeting her at home, the ChIDSVA explained courtroom procedures and possible sentencing outcomes in a way Elana could understand.
Support was extended to Elana’s mother too, ensuring she had access to services to help her through the lengthy delays leading up to the sentencing, which ultimately resulted in a custodial sentence two months later than expected.
After the sentencing, the ChIDSVA provided emotional support sessions, helping Elana begin to process her experiences and understand common trauma responses in children who witness domestic abuse. While she was still trying to understand why the abuse had occurred, Elana was invited to join the DAY Programme — a multimedia group course exploring healthy vs unhealthy relationships.
With careful preparation and encouragement, Elana attended all sessions and engaged well. She especially valued meeting other young people with similar experiences. By the end of the programme, she had developed greater confidence in recognising domestic abuse, understanding healthy boundaries, and making sense of her father’s actions.
While her journey is ongoing, Elana is already in a better place emotionally. She’s shown strong engagement, self-awareness, and now knows what to look for in a healthy relationship.
When 10-year-old Daniel was referred to the Building Respectful Families (BRF) programme, his behaviour at home was escalating — violent outbursts were impacting his mum, stepdad, and younger siblings. Daniel had witnessed domestic abuse from his biological father at a young age, and his relationship with him remained difficult. The family dynamic was complex: Daniel’s mum was raising four younger children, some with additional needs, while managing her own post-natal depression.
A BRF practitioner began one-to-one sessions with Daniel in school, alongside whole-family work at home. Over eight individual sessions and two joint ones, the practitioner helped Daniel explore his feelings using creative tools like a worry monster, feelings jar, and i-messaging. They discussed Early Warning Signs and introduced the abuse and respect wheels to develop awareness of healthy behaviours and boundaries.
Support was also provided to mum and stepdad, focusing on safety planning, trauma-informed communication, and understanding brain responses in children experiencing fear or stress. Through restorative dialogue, the family began to reconnect. One breakthrough came when Daniel expressed feeling responsible for his siblings’ health issues — something he had never voiced before. His mum responded with a heartfelt letter sharing her pride and unconditional love, helping to rebuild trust.
Work with the family continues post-intervention to help embed new strategies and strengthen communication. The Early Help worker who referred them shared powerful feedback:
“The family reported a huge turnaround in the last four weeks with no violence in the home. Mum was upbeat and thankful for the support provided.”
Nine-year-old Liberty was referred to SAFE! after witnessing her father’s physical, verbal, and emotional abuse toward her mother. Initially supported through the SASH service, she received six one-to-one sessions with a Project Worker. Liberty was experiencing stress, anxiety, and difficulty managing her emotions and friendships — feeling isolated from her peers and unsure how to express herself.
As a PAACE group was launching in Buckinghamshire, it was felt Liberty could benefit from spending time with others who had experienced something similar. The Groupwork Coordinator spoke with her and her mum to explain the group process and explore any concerns.
At first, Liberty used humour as a protective shield, deflecting conversations about her feelings. This made it hard to connect with others. But as she saw her peers engage with the activities and share openly, she began to let down her guard. Gradually, Liberty opened up about her experience and its impact — eventually stepping into a leadership role in the group and helping others feel safe to share.
To build on her progress, she received two follow-up one-to-one sessions to explore emotional regulation strategies in more depth. These were shared with her mum too, along with advice on applying them at home.
During the Easter half-term, Liberty attended a SAFE! activity day, where she again took on a supportive role with peers — making sure everyone felt included and engaged. She later shared that she felt less angry and sad, and her mum reported noticeable improvements in her behaviour at school.
Liberty continues to stay in touch with SAFE! and will be invited to future groupwork events where she can keep building resilience through shared understanding.
“I liked that I was able to talk about my feelings.” — Liberty
Aisha, age 14, was referred to SAFE! after two incidents of harassment by older males and a sexual assault by a peer. She was deeply affected, fearful for her safety, and unwilling to leave the house without her parents. Socialising stopped, and she was completing school online.
She began working with a specialist DA/SV Project Worker for 12 one-to-one sessions. At first, Aisha needed her mum present due to high anxiety. In her initial session, she bravely shared the heartbreak of being dismissed after disclosing the assault — first to a mental health support worker, whose support was withdrawn, then through CAMHS, which diagnosed anxiety and depression but offered no follow-up. That was when she was referred to SAFE!.
The Project Worker explained what the sessions could offer and adapted the approach to meet Aisha’s needs. Gradually, Aisha became more comfortable and began attending alone — a huge milestone for her. Together they created a safety plan and set small, manageable goals to help her move toward independence and reconnect with peers.
To continue supporting her growth, Aisha met with a counsellor who built on her previous work. One theme they explored was the “two sides of her brain”: one urging her to stay safe at home, the other longing to socialise again. They used practical exercises, like a pros-and-cons list to help Aisha prepare for college open days. She successfully attended two, and while it felt overwhelming, she was proud of herself for showing resilience.
Toward the end of support, Aisha had attended two cinema trips with friends and chosen a college to attend. She explored the “stories we tell ourselves,” challenging negative inner narratives and recognising her achievements. Her wellbeing scores improved, and her mum shared how wonderful it was to see Aisha enjoying life again.
“Sessions helped me see the positive and helped me feel like I can speak freely.” — Aisha