Young Londoners affected by Sexual Violence
Safer London is closed over the festive season.
We will be closed from 24th December to 2nd January. During this period, our referral form will remain open, but we will not process any referrals until after 2nd January.
If you have safeguarding concerns about someone you have already referred, please be aware that we will not be able to process referrals until after 2nd January. If your concerns are urgent, please seek support from alternative services during this time.
If you are a young Londoner or a parent/carer looking to refer yourself or your family to our services, we recommend waiting until the new year to do so. In the meantime, if you need support, there are other services and resources available to assist you.
Our team of Sexual Violence Caseworkers specialise in providing assessment and trauma-informed support to young Londoners who have experienced sexual assault and violence.
With a focus on those at high risk of serious harm, our caseworkers offer comprehensive, long-term assistance to those affected.
For up to two years young Londoners will work with a dedciated Caseworker who is experienced in working alongside children and young people affected by sexual violence and assault.
Collaborating closely with young Londoners, our caseworkers help victims/survivors to overcome the trauma they've experienced, as well support them to access further support and specialist services when needed. Additionally, they work within professional networks to advocate for the rights and protection of young Londoners, including supporting young Londoners in court proceedings.
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 the young Londoner, taking into consideration their individual circumstances and needs.
Referral Criteria
We can work with young Londoners living in any London borough aged 11 to 24 (up to 25 for those with neurodiverse needs/conditions) who have been a victim of sexual violence or assault (recent or historic). If the young Londoner has an active or upcoming court case this must be indicated on the referral form for them to access the required support.
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:
- National Domestic Abuse helpline: 0808 2000 247
- Women’s Aid: http://www.womensaid.org.uk
- Shelter: shelter.org.uk
How to make a referral
Before making a referral, please ensure that the young Londoner has given consent to share their information with us.
When making a referral it is important you complete each section of the form with as much detailed information as possible. This will allow us to effectively process the referral and get the young Londoner the support they need.
Once you have submitted your referral, we will confirm receipt within 2 day working days. In this we will also include any requests for additional information, this may also include a request for any documents that may be needed to support the referral. Although we do understand sometimes this isn’t possible, we do politely ask you respond to any requests within five working days, as this significantly speeds up the process of allocating a Caseworker to the young Londoner.
To make a referral for a young Londoner please complete the online form.
Once a referral is received the Front Door team will contact the young Londoner to confirm they happy to access Safer London’s services and support.
As our services are voluntary, we ask that an agreement to access services declaration is completed. This is so the young Londoner understands the nature of the intervention, and that they are happy to go ahead with the support. The agreement to access services declaration is completed with support of the young Londoner’s Caseworker in their first session.
If you have any queries please email us at Referrals@saferlondon.org.uk
Make a referral
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My support worker made me feel courageous and unstoppable.
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.
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.