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Getting Help

ADULTS

Advocacy Service - Independent Sexual Violence Advisor

If you have reported or told someone about being raped or sexually abused, it is very likely you will have a lot of questions about what happens next.
An Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) can help you look at what’s best for you and help support you through the next steps.

 

ISVA’s are independent and confidential and can help talk you through the investigations and criminal justice processes.

An ISVA can help by:

  • Making sure your views, opinions, wishes and needs are understood, respected and listened too.
  • Answer any questions, worries or concerns you have and helping you understand the criminal justice system. From the police investigation, CPS decision making and what to expect if your case goes to court. 

 

Whether rape or sexual abuse happened recently or a long time ago, our ISVA’s can help support through that process. 

Counselling

ARCH Teesside provide free specialist trauma -informed one-to-one counselling to women, men and children (over the age of 14) who have experienced rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse and other types of sexual violence.

Counselling gives you a safe, confidential space to talk about your feelings and concerns and help you explore how you might have been affected by your experiences. A counsellor can help you understand and deal with upsetting feelings, issues, and problems.

We offer face-to-face, online and telephone counselling.

This could include:

  • Understanding your feelings.
  • Coping with strong or upsetting feelings.
  • Dealing with or reducing the number of flashbacks, nightmares or intrusive thoughts.
  • Reducing shame and self-blame and improving your self-esteem. 

All our counsellors have training in sexual violence and the impact of trauma. Your counsellor will always be guided by you, and you can take it at your pace and work with you to understand what you want to get out of counselling.

Please be aware that there may be a waiting list for counselling.

 

 

 

Pre-Trial Therapy

We provide specialist counselling support to anyone currently engaged in the Criminal Justice System (CJS). ARCH recognises that this can be a challenging time and works with a Pre-Trial Therapy protocol, ensuring counsellors work safely to support clients without influencing the criminal justice process or outcome of a case.

 

Our LESA Service is for anyone who may be struggling with everyday issues as a result of trying to make sense of what has happened. This could be needing some extra support with paying bills, applying for welfare benefits, or managing any housing issues. You could need help with returning to work, education or any other social opportunities. Our LESA can support with any practical or emotional support issues so you can focus on other area. The LESA service is by internal referral only.

LESA Service

Life Enhancement Skills Advisor

Supporters

At ARCH, we recognise that sexual violence and abuse can impact friends and family members of victims and survivors. That is why we also offer counselling to supporters and caregivers to help provide support and tools to help. 

If you want to talk to us about support for adults’ survivors of sexual violence, you can call us on 01642 822331 or you can use our online referral form.

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Children’s Advocacy Service
(Independent Sexual Violence Advisor)

We understand that for children and young people who have made a disclosure, that it can be hard to talk about things that have hurt or upset you and you might not know what to say.


Our ISVAs are specially trained to listen and support you. We make sure your voice is heard and we will never ask you to talk about anything that you don’t want to.

An ISVA can support you by listening to you and helping you make decisions about what to do next and help make informed choices about the criminal justice process.

 

An ISVA can help by:

 

  • Explaining what will happen if you have reported to police.
  • Speaking to the people who are important to you, such as friends or family so that they can support you in the best way possible.
  • Talking to school or college on your behalf if required.

The service is private and confidential, which means that what you say stays between you and ARCH. The only time we will say something is if we think that you or someone else is in danger of being seriously hurt.

If you want to talk to you us about the children and young people’s services, you, or a trusted adult or professional can call us on 01642 822331. Alternatively, you can use our online referral form.

Play Therapy

Our children and young person counsellors are here to support you by providing a safe and confidential space for you to explore any thoughts and feelings you may have around what has happened. We work in a person-centred approach which means we will never ask details or make you talk about anything you do not feel comfortable talking about, the sessions are led by you and what you wish to bring to them.

Sessions can take place in school, at our main office, or via online or telephone depending on age and appropriateness. By building up a trusting therapeutic relationship with the child or young person, counselling sessions can provide a place for learning positive ways of coping with trauma, improving self-awareness and decision making and help develop better support networks and relationships.

 

Using non-directive play we can help a child or young person to make sense of the trauma they have experienced, this includes role-play, creative work and board games along side talking therapy depending on the age of the child. By supporting from the child perspective, we are able to work towards a better understanding of their issues and processing skills, emotional expression and perceptions of relationships.

The Light Project

The Light Project has been developed to support parents and caregivers at what is a difficult time. To give them support, coping mechanisms and education around sexual violence and the impact it has on a family. The Light project offers a mix of therapeutic support delivered through one to one and group work.

Topics covered within the group are: 

  • Trauma and the brain
  • Self-care
  • Consent
  • Changes in your child/young person
  • Coping mechanisms
  • Healthy relationships
  • Perpetrators

CONTACT US

For help and advice, please fill in the form below and we will come back to you as soon as possible.

Self Referral Terms

Please read the following information before completing  this referral:

  • ARCH Teesside are a victim focused organisation and as such we do not accept referrals for anyone who is subject (the suspect) to an ongoing police investigation for sexual, domestic, or violent offences, or for anyone who may pose a risk of harm to others.
  • ARCH Teesside Counselling Service provides therapeutic support for anyone in Middlesbrough, Stockton and Hartlepool who has experienced rape or any form of sexual abuse at any time in their lives and is struggling to cope with their feelings and emotions in relation to these experiences.
  • We also offer support to Men and Boys from Redcar and Cleveland. We work in partnership to support the needs of children and young people.
  • Therapy can be hard work and extremely challenging, especially in the early days. We are unable provide emergency crisis support or work with complex or severe mental health issues. For anyone who is struggling with issues relating to substance misuse, other services should also be considered. 

I confirm that the person being referred does not pose a risk of harm to others, and is not known to Police regarding violent or sexual offences.

By ticking this box, I / the person being referred agree for checks to be made regarding their risk status.

ARCH Teesside reserve the right to refuse referrals and the provision of services. All relevant risk and need information should be sent with the referral, contact 01642 822335 for more information. This referral cannot be submitted unless the above information is confirmed.

Professional Referral Terms

Please read the following information before continuing with this referral:

  • ARCH Teesside are a victim focused organisation and as such we do not accept referrals for anyone who is subject (the suspect) to an ongoing police investigation for sexual, domestic, or violent offences, or for anyone who may pose a risk of harm to others.
  • ARCH Teesside Counselling Service provides therapeutic support for anyone in Middlesbrough, Stockton and Hartlepool who has experienced rape or any form of sexual abuse at any time in their lives and is struggling to cope with their feelings and emotions in relation to these experiences.
  • We also offer support to Men and Boys from Redcar and Cleveland. We work in partnership to support the needs of children and young people.
  • Therapy can be hard work and extremely challenging, especially in the early days. It is therefore important that you consider the appropriateness of ARCH for the client’s needs before making a referral.
  • For example, we are unable provide emergency crisis support or work with complex or severe mental health issues. Please speak to our referrals team on (01642) 822335 to discuss needs and appropriateness if you are unsure.
  • In the best interests of the person being referred, consideration should be given to specialist services for anyone who is struggling with issues relating to substance misuse.

I confirm that the person being referred does not pose a risk of harm to others, and is not known to Police regarding violent or sexual offences.

By ticking this box, I / the person being referred agree for checks to be made regarding their risk status.

ARCH Teesside reserve the right to refuse referrals and the provision of services. All relevant risk and need information should be sent with the referral, contact 01642 822335 for more information. This referral cannot be submitted unless the above information is confirmed.