Teachers and professionals
Any professional can contact Victim Support for advice and support on how to help children affected by crime.
In some areas of the country we have specialist caseworkers and volunteers who can work directly with children and offer support to help them think through their choices, safety plan, develop coping strategies, and cope and recover from their experiences. If we feel that there is another agency better placed to work with the child then we will always help you to access these services.
Creating safe environments
Young people want schools and children’s organisations to create safe environments which help them to talk about and report crime, and access support. This would involve:
- staff training on recognising the signs of victimisation, dealing with incidents and keeping young people safe
- ensuring workers are available to talk to children on a regular basis
- discussions focusing on raising awareness around issues such as bullying, hate crime and gangs
- awareness-raising activities such as poster campaigns or inviting specialists into the school or organisation to talk to children
- setting up recognised reporting procedures, so that children know who to report to and which worker takes the lead; it would also mean keeping a log of all incidents, and making sure that interventions are well managed.
Safety planning
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Resources to help you support children affected by crime.
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Working with young victims of crime
How to spot warning signs and advice on talking to children.