By Chris Small, Digital Access Project Lead

ACTS FAST is once again accepting client referrals for specialist support services. As many of you know, like much of the sexual violence sector nationally, they faced a challenging period that required us to temporarily halt client work in June due to a funding crisis.

Thanks to new funding, they have successfully reopened doors to client referrals this month. While there are some changes to the service scope, they are committed to providing essential, trauma-informed support to those who need it most.

Currently supporting

ACTS FAST is now offering services to parents and carers who live in the South West of England (including Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset, and Gloucestershire).

They support:

• The non-abusing parents and carers of children under 18 who have been sexually abused.

• Those parenting children under 18 with a partner who has been arrested for online child sexual abuse offences.

The core offering is the 10-week Trauma Support Programme, delivered one-to-one, online, or over the phone. This focused programme provides a crucial space for parents/carers to discuss their experiences, receive psychoeducation, and focus on their own wellbeing, drawing on the team’s specialist knowledge.

How to make a referral

• You can refer a client directly, or pass on ACTS FAST’s details so they can contact them when they are ready. support@actsfast.org.uk | 01202 797 217

• Current wait times for the programme are approximately 4 weeks.

Working towards statutory support

ACTS FAST is a member of a national consortium of charities, including We Stand, the Ivison Trust, and Restitute. Facilitated by the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse, they are working collaboratively to strengthen support for parents across the UK.

Their shared goal is to make support for parents a statutory right, ensuring every family affected by child sexual abuse can access the help they need to support themselves, their children, and lessen the impact within our communities. They are working to secure funding to expand services to cover those no longer included in this latest funding.