Trusted Adults

MOPAC will shortly publish an Invitation to Quote (ITQ) for a pilot project designed to support young victims of crime in the community. There is a gap in the provision of support for young victims (and, by association, their families) who do not report to the police and they are, by definition, harder to reach.

• The majority of young victims of crime in London do not report their victimisation to the police and, therefore, they are not offered a consensual referral into official sources of support. • More can be done to support these "non-reporters" to cope and recover from their experience. • Research indicates most young people will have a 'trusted adult' in whom they confide and depend on for support - a parent/carer or youth worker for example. Conversations about the young person's experience of crime are happening all the time, but Trusted Adults do not necessarily have the skills, or support, to enable these conversations to be as effective as they could be. • Young non-reporting victims could be better supported to cope and recover, and may also self-refer to support services. Additionally, Trusted Adults themselves could be better supported to deal with the impact of the young person's victimisation.

The Trusted Adult idea seeks to improve on existing supportive relationships with young people in the community - whether through a personal or professional capacity. This type of support occurs countless times every day, but many of those providing the support are unlikely to be experts in victimisation or trauma-informed practice, or have access to the tools and techniques that can best support a young person suffering in the aftermath of a crime. Upskilling Trusted Adults will provide them with the resources to better support their young charges, and deal with any vicarious trauma they themselves may be experiencing.

Through the Trusted Adults pilot, adults who are the confidante of young victims of crime will have access to resources, and the knowledge of where to find them, which help young victims cope and recover from their experience, as well as resources to support the Trusted Adult in that venture.

There is a market engagement event where you can hear more about this opportunity on Thursday 19th January from 10:00 to 11:30. Please email [email protected] if you would like to attend.

Additional information: There is a market engagement event where you can hear more about this opportunity on Thursday 19th January from 10:00 to 11:30. Please email [email protected] if you would like to attend.

You may also contact: Amanda Fearing, Procurement Manager [email protected]