Award-winning children and young people’s service relaunched to reach seldom-heard communities | Latest news

A vital sexual assault service serving the east midlands  is reaching out to seldom-heard communities to improve support for children and young people from diverse backgrounds.

The award-winning East Midlands Children and Young People’s Sexual Assault Service (EMCYPSAS) at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH), or Coral Cove as it is known to service users, delivers 24/7 advice, care and support to thousands of children and young people for the whole of the east midlands, from Skegness to Derby. 

In recent years, the service has had improvements to ensure it meets the needs of its patients, including a new dedicated video interview suite, improvements to ensure it is forensically secure and increased clinical recruitment into roles such as forensic nursing, some of which has been funded by Nottingham Hospitals Charity and Nottinghamshire Police. The team is now reaching out to seldom-heard communities to increase awareness of the service and support for those from diverse backgrounds.

Jess Phillips, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, attended NUH to relaunch the service. She said: “Child sexual abuse causes lifelong trauma. It is so important that services like Coral Cove are supporting survivors with specialised, 24/7 help.

“The work I have seen in Nottingham today has reminded me of why I went into public service: to help victims and survivors first and foremost. This government is committed to funding nationally accessible services to support victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. Holistic, victim-centred therapeutic support can make an enormous difference in these brave children’s lives, as we’ve seen here today at Coral Cove.”

Within the facility they offer forensic examinations alongside medical treatment, such as emergency contraception, hepatitis B vaccinations and HIV medication. The service also offers therapy referrals, showers, food and someone to talk to in a safe and child-friendly environment.

Hannah Gaughan, Coral Cove manager, said: “Children often come to us feeling very confused and frightened, but at Coral Cove they will be believed and supported, we can help to give back some of the control that they may feel they have lost. 

“Since opening in 2018, we have seen that, overall, those being referred to us don’t fully represent the diversity of the people who live in the east midlands. To tackle that we want to work with communities, through education, community groups and more, to encourage reporting and increase accessibility for all young people in the area.”

Last year, the team won the partnership award at NUH’s People First Awards, where they were recognised for operating “seamlessly, providing a 24/7/365-day service to support children and young people who have experienced sexual assault.”

In feedback from hundreds of patients and families, the service is described as supportive, compassionate, calming and comforting. His Honour Judge Straw, who recently managed a case where a child victim had used the service, recognised the ‘tremendous work’ of the team. 

He said: “I do not think enough is said about the enormous contribution the team at Queen's make to the criminal and family justice systems. The report in this case helped prevent a young child having to experience the trauma of giving evidence with all the ongoing issues that invariably generates.” 

Tracy Pilcher, Chief Nurse at Nottingham University Hospital’s NHS Trust, said “This service is a critical resource for children and young people, not only in Nottingham but across the wider region. The recent enhancements, combined with the exceptional expertise of our dedicated staff, significantly strengthen the support available to young victims of sexual assault. 

“We are immensely proud to deliver such a vital service within our Trust, and we remain committed to ensuring that every young person receives the compassionate, specialist care they deserve.”

Reflecting on the improvements made in the service to support patients, Cath Hadfield, NHS England’s Assistant Director of Health and Justice Commissioning in the East Midlands said: “Every child or young person who comes to the service at Coral Cove can be assured of sensitive and professional care from NHS medical staff. Whether or not they choose to involve the police, a young person will be treated with dignity in surroundings that are now much improved.”

Part of the renovations of the service space were funded by Nottingham Hospitals Charity. Nigel Gregory, Chief Executive of the charity, said: "No child or young person should have to face needing to use a service like this - but if they do, it's important for us to help make the surroundings as child-friendly and welcoming as possible. Thanks to our donors, we were able to fund over £500,000 towards this facility when it first opened, and now a further £14,732 towards calming artwork and glazed privacy windows. We are thankful to be able to help make Coral Cove a less daunting and more comforting space for the vulnerable children and young people who come through its doors."