Back to main websiteChild Sexual Abuse Toolkit
Welcome to Wakefield Safeguarding Children Partnership’s (WSCP) CSA Toolkit. We have created this online resource for all practitioners who work or volunteer with children and families to use to help identify, understand and respond to Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) at the earliest opportunity. This toolkit will give Wakefield’s practitioners the confidence to be able to work with children and their families by offering the right support at the right time, enhancing effective local practice and preventing long term trauma and its associated risks .
Breaking the silence on Sexual Abuse
1 in 20 children experience sexual abuse.
And for these children, and the adults who are worried it’s happening, speaking out can be incredibly difficult. It means, right now, there’s a silence around sexual abuse.
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Who is it for? Being professionally curious is the first step to responding to CSA and is vital when safeguarding children and their families. The toolkit will help practitioners to early identify victims and provide an insight in how to respond with a supportive and relational approach.Protecting victims of sexual abuse at the earliest oportunity should be at the forefront of your work and the toolkit will help guide you along the way.
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Communication Relationships significantly influence both our physical and mental health and are the cornerstone to safeguarding children. Strong and positive relationships with family, friends, and the broader community contribute to the well-being and protection of children.How we listen to a child and respond to disclosures can significantly impact the child in their next steps, reducing trauma and preventing further harm is essential.
Building trust with children, using age-appropriate language, and creating safe spaces where children feel heard and believed is vital. Here you will find guidance on how to sensitively approach difficult conversations and respond to disclosures with care and clarity.
Effective communication includes using body language and behaviour and an identifier, hearing the voice of a child and reducing the impact of adverse childhood expereinces, trauma and the risks of mental ill health.
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Supporting Non Abusive Parents When a parent learns their child has been sexually abused, their world changes. Practitioners can find ways to support non-abusive parents or carers through trauma-informed approaches, using tools to help them process their own emotions, maintain protective relationships with their child, and engage with safeguarding processes constructively.links to USB lage / HSB panel etc
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Reducing the impact of CSA The effects of any type of CSA are devastating to both the child and family. Early identification and intervention are essential in supporting the child and family through the process and supporting the child after disclosure to enable them to process and heal.The toolkit gives guidance on how to support a child aftera disclosure and what behaviours to expect such as retreating or disassociation.
The potential impact on intrafamilial harm can be complicated and difficult to navigate for both the victim and their family – preventing further abuse to child or other children from family perpatrators is essential when managing risk, creating a safety plan and preventing future abuse.
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Provide a clear pathway for practitioners Knowing what to do next is vital. The toolkit helps practitioners understand the referral routes, multi-agency responsibilities, and legal frameworks that underpin effective safeguarding. It provides clarity on how to escalate concerns, access specialist services, and ensure timely, coordinated responses. -
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Understanding CSA perpatrators Understanding perpatroator behaviour helps to prevent further harm. The toolkit explores the motivations, tactics, and patterns of CSA perpetrators, both within and outside the family. It equips practitioners to recognise grooming behaviours, challenge myths, and assess risk more effectively.
Learn how confirmaiton bias can impact effective responses and other barriers, such as maintaining effective relationships with the family you are working with, as well as knowing your rights and responsibilities as a practitioner.
Quick links to guide the practitioner
below you will find a list of quick links to help you identify and respond to CSA
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CSA Assessment form / screening tool Exisits? or C C Of E -
CSA training To develop -
Procedures & policy WYConsortium -
Effective Language Guidance doc -
Voice of the child assessment guidance -
1MG to CSA bite sized learning -
Refelctive practise Professional wellbeing
