Evidence and evaluation
Evidence base for Speak out Stay safe
Facing stressful life experiences at a young age can have a long-term impact on a child’s wellbeing, with effects lasting into adulthood (Public Health Wales, 2016). It’s vital that adults know how to spot the signs that a child is being abused and provide appropriate support, but we also need to help children speak out about anything that’s making them uncomfortable. This will help make sure the abuse ends sooner and children can access the right support to help them get back on track.
However research tells us it can take children years to tell someone about experiencing abuse and neglect, if they disclose at all (Allnock and Miller, 2013).
One of the reasons for this is that children lack knowledge and understanding about abuse and neglect. Many children do not recognise their experiences as abusive (McElearney et al, 2011), or do not have the language to disclose the abuse (Alaggia et al, 2017).
School-based education programmes about specific forms of abuse have been found to improve children’s knowledge and understanding up to six months later (Fellmeth et al, 2013; Walsh et al, 2015). Research has also identified increased rates of disclosures about sexual abuse and bullying following school-based education programmes (Finkelhor et al, 2014; Walsh et al, 2015).
Evaluation of Speak out Stay safe
We commissioned an independent evaluation to examine the impact the Speak out Stay Safe programme has on children's understanding of abuse and harm and their help-seeking behaviour.
The research confirmed that there is a need for the programme, that it has multiple benefits for children, and that children and school staff viewed it as important and relevant.
> Read the final report
References
Alaggia, R., Collin-Vézina, D. and Lateef, R (2017) Facilitators and barriers to child sexual abuse (CSA) disclosures: a research update (2000–2016). Trauma, violence and abuse, 20 (2): 1-24.
Allnock, D. and Miller, P (2013) No one noticed, no one heard: a study of disclosures of childhood abuse. London: NSPCC.
Fellmeth, G. L. T. et al (2013) Educational and skills-based interventions for preventing relationship and dating violence in adolescents and young adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. (6).
Finkelhor, D. et al (2014) Youth exposure to violence prevention programs in a national sample. Child Abuse and Neglect, 38 (4): 677-686.
McElearney, A. et al (2011) Keeping safe: establishing the need to teach “keeping safe” messages in primary schools in Northern Ireland: what do children currently know and understand? London: NSPCC.
Public Health Wales (2016) Adverse Childhood Experiences and their impact on health-harming behaviours in the Welsh adult population: alcohol use, drug use, violence, sexual behaviour, incarceration, smoking and poor diet (PDF). Cardiff: Public Health Wales.
Walsh, K. et al (2015) School-based education programmes for the prevention of child sexual abuse. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. (4).
