We work with young Londoners, providing dedicated support to those who are at risk of, or who have experienced, sexual violence or exploitation. We champion their voices and challenge negative stereotypes, to ensure they receive the best possible support.

For up to 2 years young Londoners will work with either Specialist or Expert Caseworkers who are experienced in dealing with issues such as sexual exploitation and abuse.

As part of their support, they will also have access to secondary workers who are in-house specialists and experts in areas such as Education, Training and Employment and Housing and Resettlement.

Safer London specialists and experts

Girls and Young women/Boys and Young Men (sexual exploitation)

We understand girls and young women, and boys and young men are impacted by sexual exploitation and abuse in different ways. Therefore, we have Specialist Caseworkers who work specifically with girls and young women, as well as those who works with young men and boys.

Wellbeing

Mental health is just as important as physical health. Our Specialist Wellbeing Caseworkers work alongside young Londoners and our team to make sure they can access the right support, at the right time. By providing advice and guidance, as well as working alongside other services, they ensure young Londoners’ emotional wellbeing is positive and healthy.

Education, training and employment

We work with young Londoners to seek opportunities to access stable educational and training. These opportunities can set them on a path to achieve their potential. Our Specialist Caseworker enables young Londoners to move onto the next steps in their lives by providing supporting young Londoners to find for jobs, training, education or distant learning opportunities, as well as volunteering opportunities.

Our offer of education, training in and employment support is only accessible for young Londoners who are already using our services and support and who are at risk of violence or exploitation.

Housing and resettlement

The area where a young Londoner lives greatly impacts on their safety. At Safer London we have Specialist Caseworkers who work alongside young Londoners, raising awareness of their housing options, assisting them with applications and supporting them in settling in once they have moved to a new area.

Safer London is not a Housing Provider. Our Specialist Caseworkers raise awareness of housing options available to young Londoners. They provide advice on how best to access housing, assist by referring them to housing providers and can speak on their behalf where otherwise their voices may not be heard.

Our offer of housing and resettlement support is only accessible for young Londoners who are already using our services and who are at risk of violence or exploitation.

Making a referral

We welcome referrals from all areas of the community whether directly from young Londoners, their families, friends or community groups, as well as professionals in statutory or non-statutory services.

When a young Londoner is referred into Safer London, our Front Door team screens and processes each referral. The team then allocates a dedicated Specialist or Expert Caseworker to a young Londoner, taking into consideration each child or young person’s individual circumstances and needs.

Referral Criteria

We can work with children and young Londoners living in any London borough, aged 11 to 18 (up to 25 for those with neurodiverse needs/conditions) who are, or have been, affected by child sexual exploitation or sexual abuse not perpetrated within the family context, including young Londoners who go missing from home or care.

Please note we can’t accept referrals where the concerns solely relate to domestic abuse/violence or accessing housing. For a referral to be accepted there must be concerns around violence, criminal exploitation or sexual exploitation. This doesn’t mean we can’t address the issues of DA/DV or housing where they are present for young Londoners, but the primary reason for referral must be youth violence, criminal or sexual exploitation.

If you or someone you know needs specific support around DA/DV or housing there are organisations you can contact including:

How to make a referral

Due to the volume of referrals we are currently receiving we are unable to accept new referrals into our one to one services for young Londoners affected by Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE).

This is being reviewed on a daily basis and we are going to start taking referrals again shortly. Thank you for your patience.

Frequently asked questions

What does the support look like?

Young Londoners referred to our services are allocated a dedicated Specialist or Expert Caseworker based on their individual circumstances and needs.

The Safer London Caseworker will work with them on a one-to-one basis and the intervention is tailored to meet the young Londoner’s needs. This includes support and guidance around safety awareness, improving health and emotional well-being, as well as improving relationships with peers and family dynamics. Sessions are delivered in a place that is safe for the young Londoner, whether this be at school or elsewhere in the community.

Young Londoners may also be allocated a secondary worker who specialises in any of the areas of emotional wellbeing, housing and resettlement, education, training and employment and harmful sexual behaviours.

Interventions can last anywhere up to 2 years dependent on the young Londoner’s needs. The length of the intervention is decided on a case-by-case basis and is reviewed regularly throughout the intervention.

What housing support does Safer London offer?

As an organisation Safer London is not a Housing Provider and we don’t have preferred access to any housing stock.

Our housing offer is that of support. We raise awareness of housing options available to young people in London and provide advice on how best to access that resource. We can advocate on behalf of the young Londoner, referring them to housing providers and speaking on their behalf.

In extreme circumstances where the risk of serious imminent harm is evident and verified, we will seek to assist the most vulnerable to find places of safety. However, it must be noted that decisions about who is deemed vulnerable and therefore in priority need is not determined by us but by the definitions contained within the Housing Act 1996 s189 and the interpretations of that made by Housing Needs departments.

I can’t access the referral form

Make sure you are using Google Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge when accessing the link. Other issues not allowing the form to open could include:

  • An unstable internet connection.
  • Firewall protection set up by your organisation – in this case please speak to your IT department/provider.
The referral form is asking me for a log in

If you are asked for a log in to access the form this is because you either have bookmarked the referral link or copied and pasted the link from your browser window.

Every time you wish to put in a new referral, you must do so by coming back to this page and clicking the link to the online form.

I am in the form, but I am unsure what information is required to complete it

Please check the ‘How to Make a Referral’ section on this page. If you need further assistance in completing the form please email our Front Door team referralandassessmentteam@saferlondon.org.uk at or call them on 0207 021 0301

The referral form won’t submit

If your form won’t submit it’s likely that your session has timed out. This can happen:

  • due to a loss of internet connection,
  • if you have had the form open for four hours and not submitted.

Unfortunately, the form doesn’t save information as you go. You will need to start the application again from the beginning.

I have made a referral but haven’t heard anything yet

We aim to get back to you within two working days of submitting a referral. If you haven’t heard from us and the timeframe has passed, please email the Front Door team referralandassessmentteam@saferlondon.org.uk.