How we support you.
Letting the Future In.
(Aged 5–17).
Letting the Future In (LTFI) is a therapeutic programme developed by the NSPCC for children and young people aged 5–17 who have experienced sexual abuse, including online abuse.
Delivered by CRASAC practitioners with specialist LTFI training, within our specialist sexual violence service, it provides a safe, supportive space to explore feelings, build coping skills and move forward at their own pace.
What is Letting the Future In?
Experiencing sexual abuse can affect children and young people in many different ways. LTFI gives children and young people the time, space and support to explore how their experiences have affected them and develop ways of coping and moving forward.
The programme is child-centred, working with each child or young person at their own pace and adapting the approach to their individual needs. Children and young people may use talking, art, play, writing and storytelling to express their thoughts and feelings. They do not have to talk about what happened to them.
Parents and carers are an important part of the recovery process. LTFI helps parents and carers understand the impact of sexual abuse and develop their confidence and ability to support their child throughout the therapeutic process.
Who is LTFI for?
LTFI is for children and young people who:
are aged 5–17
have experienced sexual abuse, including abuse that happened online
are living in a safe and stable environment.
Children and young people with mild or moderate learning disabilities may be able to access LTFI up to the age of 19.
There are specific considerations around when a referral can be accepted, so if you are unsure whether LTFI is appropriate, please contact us to discuss this with our team.
What can LTFI help with?
LTFI helps children and young people make sense of their experiences and understand how sexual abuse may have affected their thoughts, feelings, relationships and everyday lives.
Through the programme, they can develop ways to manage difficult feelings, build on their strengths and develop coping strategies that work for them. The aim is to help children and young people feel more in control, strengthen their sense of confidence and support them to move forward.
Support for parents and carers
Parents and carers are an important part of a child's recovery.
LTFI includes support for parents and carers to help them understand the impact of sexual abuse and feel better able to support their child.
You will have opportunities to talk with a practitioner about your own experiences and about how you can support your child. Joint sessions may also be offered where these would be helpful.
What happens in LTFI?
LTFI usually begins with a small number of sessions to help the practitioner get to know the child or young person and understand what support they may need.
LTFI is delivered by CRASAC practitioners who are specially trained in the programme and work within our specialist sexual violence service. This means children and young people are supported by practitioners with expertise in the impact of sexual abuse and the needs of survivors.
If LTFI is considered appropriate, the child or young person will receive regular therapeutic sessions with their practitioner.
Sessions may include:
talking and exploring feelings
art and creative activities
play and storytelling
developing ways to cope with difficult feelings
exploring strengths, relationships and what might help them move forward.
The work is designed to help children and young people explore the impact of sexual abuse without having to relive or describe the experience in detail.
What about brothers and sisters?
Sexual abuse can affect the whole family, and parents, carers and siblings can all have an important role in a child or young person’s recovery. LTFI recognises the wider family context and considers how best to support those around the child alongside their individual therapeutic work.
Where appropriate, siblings may also be offered support, usually with a different practitioner, so that their own experiences and needs can be explored in a safe and supportive space.
How long does support last?
The length of support depends on the needs of the child or young person and their family.
LTFI typically involves regular sessions over several months, with progress reviewed along the way.
The aim is to provide enough time and space for children and young people to work through the impact of their experiences and develop ways to move forward.
A safe and confidential space.
We want children and young people to feel safe, listened to and respected.
Information shared in sessions is treated confidentially. There are circumstances where information may need to be shared to help keep a child or another person safe. This will be explained clearly to children, young people and their parents or carers as part of the service.
Children and young people can also ask about the information we hold about them and their rights in relation to their information.
Information for children and young people.
If you're a child or young person receiving LTFI, you can find out more about what your sessions might be like in the NSPCC's guide.
Information for parents and carers.
If your child is receiving LTFI, this guide explains what you can expect from the service and how you can support your child.
Information for professionals.
If you're a professional considering a referral, our guide explains who LTFI is for, how the service works and what you can expect.
If you're unsure whether LTFI is appropriate for a child or young person you're supporting, please contact us to discuss the referral.
Developed by the NSPCC. Delivered by CRASAC.
Letting the Future In was developed and tested by the NSPCC and is delivered at CRASAC by practitioners who have undertaken specialist LTFI training.
As a specialist sexual violence service, CRASAC brings extensive experience of supporting children, young people and families affected by sexual violence and abuse. LTFI is delivered within this wider specialist setting, alongside our commitment to providing safe, trauma-informed and survivor-centred support.
The programme has an established evidence base and has been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in its guidance on child abuse and neglect.
Talk to us.
If you'd like to find out whether Letting the Future In could be right for a child or young person, we're here to help.
You can contact us to discuss the service or make a referral.