Delivering circles of support and accountability to protect communities from sexual harm and sexual reoffending

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Circles South West’s Innovative Programmes for Young People and Families

Circles South West is making significant strides in addressing problematic and harmful sexual behaviour among young people through a range of innovative programmes that complement Young People’s Circles of Support and Accountability. These 121 programmes provide psycho-educational support and intervention, ensuring a safer community and better outcomes for young people.

Inform Young People (IYP)

The Inform Young People (IYP) programme targets young people aged 13-21 who have encountered trouble with school or the police due to technology-assisted harmful sexual behaviour (TA-HSB). Owned and licensed by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, and delivered by Circles South West, this programme offers up to 10 hours of intervention across 8 sessions. Professional facilitators work one-on-one with participants to educate and guide them towards positive behavioural changes.

Circles Light Intervention Programme (CLIP)

Recognizing a gap in services for children and young people aged 10-20 with low-level harmful sexual behaviour, Circles South West developed the Circles Light Intervention Programme (CLIP). This programme, also spanning 10 hours over 8 sessions, provides tailored psycho-educational support to those unsuitable for the IYP programme. It aims to address and mitigate problematic sexual behaviour through professional facilitation.

Bail Support Service for Young People (BSS)

The Bail Support Service (BSS) offers bespoke support for young people aged 10-17 who are on bail for sexual offences. This service focuses on wellbeing, attitudes, values, and positive relationships, providing a ‘holding place’ for positive change. The BSS includes an assessment based on the Good Lives Model, leading to a personalized support package. Like the other programmes, it involves up to 10 hours of intervention delivered by professional facilitators.

Educational Workshops

Circles South West also conducts Educational Workshops in schools and youth groups, primarily focusing on ‘Consent and the Law’. These workshops aim to educate young people about legal and ethical aspects of consent, promoting a culture of respect and understanding. Additionally, they offer ‘Train the Trainer’ packages for teachers and youth workers to further disseminate this crucial information.

Support for Families

Understanding the broader impact of harmful sexual behaviour, Circles South West extends its services to the families of those affected.

The Breaking the Cycle (BtC) programme supports non-offending partners of men who have sexually harmed children, aiming to improve outcomes for both women and children Breaking The Cycle Explained – Circles South West (circles-southwest.org.uk).

Similarly, the Inform programme Inform for families of people who have offended online | The Lucy Faithfull Foundation provides education and support for the adult family and friends of individuals involved in online sexual offending.

For more information or to discuss a referral, please contact Circles South West at info@circlessw.org.uk

Visit our website at www.circles-southwest.org.uk and follow us on social media @CirclesSW.

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