Children in care are overrepresented among victims of sexual abuse (Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse 2019). This report aims to explore the reasons why sexual abuse support services find it more difficult to engage with children in the care system who have been sexually abuse. Download and read full report.
Read more June 11th, 2021
When you go through a traumatic experience, it is common to struggle with falling asleep at night. You may be experiencing flashbacks ( a vivid experience in which you relive some aspects of the traumatic event or feel as if it is happening right now), or high levels of anxiety (having an increased heart rate, feeling […]
Read more March 19th, 2021
When a child or young person discloses sexual abuse, the response they receive can have a great impact on their ability ability to seek further help and recover from the trauma. We have put together some suggestions on how to manage a disclosure, to focus on providing immediate support and comfort and to assist in […]
Read more March 4th, 2021
The underwear rule is easily remembered using the PANTS acronym. Teaching your child the underwear rule can help keep them safe, remind them that their body should be respected, as well as reassure them that speaking up when something is not right, is the right thing to do. Visit the NSPCC website here for more […]
Read more February 25th, 2021
We understand that the run up to Christmas, although exciting in many ways, can also increase anxiety and distress levels in young children who’ve experienced trauma. This is because the nature of the season is centred around families which can bring emotions associated with familial trauma and loss to the surface. Stories that children know, […]
Read more December 4th, 2020
For children and young people who have experienced the trauma of sexual abuse, it is common to struggle with anxiety, flashbacks and panic attacks, as well as difficulty sleeping or poor quality of sleep, for example due to recurring nightmares. Sleep deprivation can have a serious impact on emotional, physical and mental health and can […]
Read more November 16th, 2020
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Imara has been adapting its services to continue to meet the needs of our young people and their families in line with government, work from home and social distancing guidelines. This report offers unique documentation and insight around the impact of the pandemic on the CHISVA service. It […]
Read more November 12th, 2020
Imara regularly hosts students for placements, internships and volunteering opportunities. Ellen, a former placement student shares her placement experience at Imara How did you find out about Imara? After studying in Nottingham for the previous three years, I knew that I wanted to volunteer my time at a Nottinghamshire based organisation whilst I undertook my […]
Read more October 27th, 2020
In 2020, we successfully launched our first mentoring programme and already have a 15 fantastic partnerships developing. We are already seeing the positive impact this is having on young people and the mentors, so we want to expand this opportunity to more of our young service users. Supporting young people: The young person will have […]
Read more September 21st, 2020
The legal process is tough on all claimants, but particularly those who have experienced traumatic crimes such as child sexual abuse. These cases suffer significantly due to regular delays to the legal process. For Imara service users, it takes on average 215 days between the date of disclosure and the first day of the criminal […]
Read more July 17th, 2020