Healthcare professionals - supporting children and young people who may have experienced child sexual abuse: clinical pathway

5 Aims of the clinical pathway

This section outlines the healthcare response that should be provided for a child or young person following disclosure of sexual abuse or where, through other interactions, there are concerns that sexual abuse has occurred. The steps should be taken in collaboration with partner agencies to ensure a holistic pathway of care which supports the health, wellbeing and recovery of the child or young person and their non-abusing parent/carer(s). Health services providing clinical care for children and young people who may have suffered sexual abuse should:

• Work in partnership across agencies with a shared commitment to the best interests of the child or young person. This includes listening to and taking them seriously
• Be focused on the reduction of further harm and promotion of the recovery of the child or young person and non-abusing parent/carer(s), whether or not there is an ongoing criminal justice process
• Provide appropriate and timely access to holistic health care, emotional, mental health and social support
• Balance confidentiality with the need to share information to safeguard the child or young person, or other children and young people at risk of harm
• Promote health, wellbeing and recovery, and maintain a focus on safeguarding
• Offer a holistic and trauma-informed approach to therapeutic support (further information about the principles of trauma-informed care is available in section 3.3)
• Ensure that the examination meets the forensic standards (HIS) required to support any future criminal justice process including the requirement that facilities used for forensic medical examination are appropriately maintained and comply with forensic decontamination processes and procedures
• Work to ensure that all children and young people who may have suffered sexual abuse are provided with the minimum standard of care outlined in this pathway