11-year-old Lacey* was referred to one of our services when her school reported her behaviour toward her peers was inappropriate – and that she could be vulnerable to sexual abuse.
We discovered Lacey’s father was violent towards her mum, often in a sexual manner – Lacey was growing up surrounded by abuse.
Because she went through all of this at a very young age, Lacey struggled to understand what she had experienced – something compounded by the fact that she has autism.
In our sessions, we used games and music to help Lacey to express how she was feeling and help her come to terms with what had happened.
Lacey is far less traumatised by her experiences thanks to our sessions. She built up a positive relationship with us and made big steps forwards.
Andrea
Barnardo’s Project Worker
Over time, Lacey learned how to build healthier relationships, which has made her more confident in herself and less vulnerable to abuse. We also helped Lacey and her mum mend their relationship, which was damaged by the abuse.
When Lacey was ready to spend less time with us, we organised a special treat for her. She decided she’d love a tea party with her mum and all the staff at the service. She even made a cake and brought in cards – it was such a special day!
Lacey has made fantastic progress. And thanks to your belief in children, we can now be a safety net for Lacey throughout her childhood.
Help young people like Lacey
*Names and some identifying details have been changed and models used to protect the privacy of the children we help.