IMARA

Imara works provides an early intervention service to children, young people and safe family members in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, after a disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA). Referrals come direct from East Midlands Children and Young Persons Sexual Assault Service (EMCYPSAS) in order to reach children and families in a timely manner. Our mission statement is that victims and families recover and rebuild their lives after a disclosure of child sexual abuse and that recovery starts as soon as the disclosure is made, through our early intervention. The work focuses on supporting child victims who have experienced familial child sexual abuse; child on child abuse or abuse from adults in a position of trust, recognising that these categories of abuse carry a significant betrayal of trust, take place within an established relationship or are complex as they relate to children exhibiting sexualized behaviour. The service promotes joined-up thinking, supporting all safe family members to access the service as parents, siblings or victims, recognising the level of trauma that they are likely to be experiencing. We use a two strand approach with a team of creative arts therapists and a team of Children and Young Persons Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (CHISVA's) bringing therapeutic, legal and advocacy skills to the service and promoting communication and information sharing with the child’s network. Therapists provide both pre and post trial therapy interventions and all practitioners work closely with Police, CPS and Court officials to support the engagement of young people throughout the criminal justice process. Feedback from stakeholders confirms the high level of need of victims/survivors and the value placed on our specialist interventions to help reduce acute stress symptoms and enable individuals to get on with their day to day lives, despite the trauma they have experienced..