Victim Support's Adult survivors of child sexual abuse project: an evaluation of a co-created service delivery model

Abstract

Victim Support (VS), in partnership with the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), was successful in obtaining funding from the Child Abuse Inquiry Fund to develop a strengthened service response to adult survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA). The original aim of this work, as cited by Victim Support, was to: Create a robust and evidenced model for wrap-around support, based on existing proven frameworks, academic review and input from other expert services and survivors of CSA. The model that was developed, and which constitutes the subject of this report, is known as the Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (or See website for details of funding pots: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/child-sexual-abuse-inquiry-2m-funding-boost-for-victims ASCSA, for short) project. The project was informed by an evidence review carried out by the University of Bedfordshire prior to the start of the project. It was then fully developed through a process of ‘co-creation’, involving Victim Support staff and adult survivors of CSA (hereafter referred to as ‘consultants’. The University of Bedfordshire has evaluated the experiences of co-creation and this report presents these findings and recommendations for future service development using a co-creation model.