Sexual abuse charity Nexus says free specialist adult counselling service set to end

A Northern Ireland sexual abuse charity has announced that its free specialist adult counselling service is to end on March 31.

Nexus says it has been advised by the Department of Health that there are no plans to replace the existing contract for the service.

In a statement, the charity said: "As of 29 February, the charity has stopped taking referrals, as the first move to wind down the Department of Health-funded service.

"The charity has contacted over 800 people on its waiting list, and almost 300 clients currently in counselling to notify them.

"Nexus has made a commitment to ensure all clients currently in receipt of individual counselling or group support will complete their therapeutic journey, even if this goes beyond the end of March."

Nexus CEO Joanne Barnes said "it is extremely disappointing that this specialist service is coming to an end and that there is no direct replacement planned". She added: “For now, our main focus is on continuing to support those who are already receiving counselling and ensuring that they can complete their therapeutic journey and recovery. We want to stress that their service will not be impacted. “However, we are very concerned for the 800 individuals currently on our waiting list who, regrettably, may not be able to benefit from the specialist support they require. “It’s especially worrying when we know that many of our service users will have waited until, what they felt was, the right time, to take that initial brave step to seek support.

"This could be extremely detrimental to their mental health, and many of our clients have told us how the service has quite literally saved their life.”

The charity said it has been advised by the Department of Health that support for those impacted by sexual abuse would be offered via GP referral to general mental health services, but said that these continuity arrangements are "unsatisfactory".

Nexus said it has contacted the Health Minister, the First and Deputy First Minister as the lead department on the Violence against Women and Girls Framework, and other elected representatives, including members of the Health Committee to share the charity’s concerns for the future of the service.

Joanne Barnes added: "This decision contradicts recent commitments to a Women’s Health Action Plan, the revised Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategy 2023-2030 and the 7 year Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategic Framework. These are key policy positions which we would hope might inform the continuity of this specialist provision.

“People impacted by sexual abuse deserve better.

“We will continue to work with Health Minister Swann and elected representatives to find a resolution to allow appropriate continuity of this specialist service, at least until a new contract is specified and procured.

“This service must not come to an abrupt end on 31 March 2024.”

The Department of Health has been contacted for comment.

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