MOSAIC II
info@mosaic2.org.uk
Tel: 01274 734561
Registered Charity: 1121430
info@mosaic2.org.uk
Tel: 01274 734561
Registered Charity: 1121430
This article was written for the Publication 'Protecting Children Update' which is used specifically for Education Staff holding Child Protection responsibilities:-
Mosaic II: Therapeutic service for parents and carers of sexually abused children.
Linda Colcough is the Director of Mosaic II, she describes the support Mosaic II offers to parents and carers.
Mosaic II is a support network for people whose lives have been affected by sexual abuse. It was established in 1995 by a mother who had discovered her child had been sexually abused. At that time she felt that there was nowhere to go to speak to anyone who had an understanding of what she was going through or the issues she had to deal with following the disclosure such as police interviews and social services involvement. As it was her husband who had sexually abused her child there were housing and financial problems as she could no longer afford to maintain mortgage payments. She had to deal with her other children’s responses to the allegations as well as trying to re-assure and support her child who had disclosed the abuse.
It was difficult to speak to anyone about this as it seemed that everyone had an opinion on what she should of done or asked questions about where she was when this was happening all of which added to her feelings of guilt, isolation, shock and devastation.
Over time as her family healed from this she set out to support others going through similar experiences. This mother started offering support to other mothers in the same position, initially from a small office and eventually Mosaic secured it’s own premises by applying for grants. Mosaic became recognised across West Yorkshire as a really valuable resource and social services would regularly refer parents and carers to Mosaic. Mosaic closed for two years when their funding ran out but is now back in business. Mosaic and now MosaicII shows what one dedicated person can do!
Mosaic believes that for a child to speak out about abuse takes a great deal of courage. Children have huge concerns such as: “Will anyone believe me?” “What will happen if I tell?” “What if I am taken into care?” In the majority of cases the experiences of people accessing Mosaic II services, it is someone known to the family who has sexually abused them. Sexual abuse can feel like a taboo subject something that happens to others something that is written about in the newspapers not something that happens in “normal” families.
Following the disclosure of sexual abuse the family is often thrown into a world they have no knowledge of such as interviews by the police and social services.
Coping with a flood of professionals is very hard for parents, especially if they have had no idea that the abuse had been happening. On top of this the family will have to manage the reaction of their extended family and this may mean experiencing further hurt and rejection. Children may lose contact with grandparents, aunts and uncles who may well be in a state of denial that sexual abuse could happen in their family.
Unfortunately family members may experience professionals that believe that a parent must have had some idea that the abuse is happening and therefore hold equal responsibility for not protecting their child. While it is true to say that some parents do know or have a very strong idea about the abuse many have had no idea and some that have known have felt powerless and or too scared to alert police or children’s social care.
Parents, carers and children need support from non-judgemental agencies and this is what Mosaic offers.
Survivors of sexual abuse access Mosaic II services as well as family members.
The criteria to access Mosaic II services is that you feel your life has been affected by sexual abuse.
Mosaic II offers a range of services including:
Telephone Support
Mosaic II provide a telephone helpline for clients. There are many clients who contact Mosaic II via the helpline for help and advice relating to practical issues surrounding their situations as well as emotional support. Mosaic II have good links with other agencies e.g. the police, local family law solicitors etc. which means they can offer information to clients which may assist them in dealing with their situation
Support Service
For those people who do not wish to, or are not ready to use the counselling service. Trained Support Workers provide non-judgemental support and friendship to people whose lives have been affected by sexual abuse. A support worker will also provide support for people in court if required.
Counselling Service
Mosaic II’s trained volunteers offer counselling sessions on a 1:1 basis to clients.
Support Groups
Mosaic II facilitate support groups in order to give clients opportunities to meet others in similar situations. Through participating in groups Mosaic II have found that clients gain in strength and confidence through their interactions with other group members and their sense of feeling isolated diminishes.
Complementary Therapies
Mosaic II offer a range of therapies including massage, acupuncture, reflexology, reiki etc Mosaic II are aware that these therapies are beneficial to clients suffering from stress and anxiety and also believe they can assist in helping clients to relax as it can be difficult to “switch off” when going through a traumatic experience
Physical Well Being
Mosaic II offer expert advice and guidance on exercise and dietary requirements for clients who wish to address their own physical well being. These sessions can be beneficial for clients suffering from depression, anxiety etc.
Mosaic II cover the Bradford and Airedale geographic area however we are working towards expanding throughout West Yorkshire. At present we are supporting approximately 200 clients. We try not to turn anyone away.
We take self referrals as well as referrals from professional agencies such as G.P’s Social Services, Police, Health Professionals etc. Once a referral is made to Mosaic II a client is invited to attend an initial assessment, this meeting is for us to gather some information and to share information with the client regarding the services on offer.
Following the initial assessment clients can expect to engage in a services at Mosaic within approximately one week. We have a no waiting list policy at Mosaic II as we feel that if a client requests support they need it as soon as possible. There are no time limits on any of the services on offer at Mosaic II. Clients are able to access one or all of the services. We believe Mosaic II offer a holistic approach to recovering from the horror of sexual abuse within a family.
One Mother’s Story
When my daughter disclosed to me about her abuse it was like an atom bomb going off. Afterwards I went into deep shock and I was like a zombie feeling all numb. It felt as if I had been betrayed.
My daughter was sixteen at the time she told me that her uncle, my sisters husband had been sexually abusing her between the age of seven and fourteen.
It was so difficult to take in that someone we had liked and trusted had done these terrible things to my child. I never noticed anything over the years. She did well at school and never showed any signs. After disclosure she became suicidal, cutting her arms and legs to ribbons, it was horrendous, the flash backs she had came with a vengeance, she had to be submitted to four psychiatric hospitals for a long time.
It took nearly a year for the case to come to court. I thought my daughter wouldn’t make it, but she got through, we all did, but it does something to you that will scare you for the rest of your lives. We will never trust anyone again.
The trial lasted five days, it was a terrible experience, we would never want to go through this again, but I think it helped my daughter to tell what crimes had been committed against her and most of all everyone believed her. He was found guilty on fifteen serious charges, he only admitted two minor charges. He was sentenced to just seven years of which he will do about three and a half years. Where is the justice? I think it will be a long time before we get our daughter back as we knew her, or maybe we never will.
Mosaic II: Therapeutic service for parents and carers of sexually abused children.
Linda Colcough is the Director of Mosaic II, she describes the support Mosaic II offers to parents and carers.
Mosaic II is a support network for people whose lives have been affected by sexual abuse. It was established in 1995 by a mother who had discovered her child had been sexually abused. At that time she felt that there was nowhere to go to speak to anyone who had an understanding of what she was going through or the issues she had to deal with following the disclosure such as police interviews and social services involvement. As it was her husband who had sexually abused her child there were housing and financial problems as she could no longer afford to maintain mortgage payments. She had to deal with her other children’s responses to the allegations as well as trying to re-assure and support her child who had disclosed the abuse.
It was difficult to speak to anyone about this as it seemed that everyone had an opinion on what she should of done or asked questions about where she was when this was happening all of which added to her feelings of guilt, isolation, shock and devastation.
Over time as her family healed from this she set out to support others going through similar experiences. This mother started offering support to other mothers in the same position, initially from a small office and eventually Mosaic secured it’s own premises by applying for grants. Mosaic became recognised across West Yorkshire as a really valuable resource and social services would regularly refer parents and carers to Mosaic. Mosaic closed for two years when their funding ran out but is now back in business. Mosaic and now MosaicII shows what one dedicated person can do!
Mosaic believes that for a child to speak out about abuse takes a great deal of courage. Children have huge concerns such as: “Will anyone believe me?” “What will happen if I tell?” “What if I am taken into care?” In the majority of cases the experiences of people accessing Mosaic II services, it is someone known to the family who has sexually abused them. Sexual abuse can feel like a taboo subject something that happens to others something that is written about in the newspapers not something that happens in “normal” families.
Following the disclosure of sexual abuse the family is often thrown into a world they have no knowledge of such as interviews by the police and social services.
Coping with a flood of professionals is very hard for parents, especially if they have had no idea that the abuse had been happening. On top of this the family will have to manage the reaction of their extended family and this may mean experiencing further hurt and rejection. Children may lose contact with grandparents, aunts and uncles who may well be in a state of denial that sexual abuse could happen in their family.
Unfortunately family members may experience professionals that believe that a parent must have had some idea that the abuse is happening and therefore hold equal responsibility for not protecting their child. While it is true to say that some parents do know or have a very strong idea about the abuse many have had no idea and some that have known have felt powerless and or too scared to alert police or children’s social care.
Parents, carers and children need support from non-judgemental agencies and this is what Mosaic offers.
Survivors of sexual abuse access Mosaic II services as well as family members.
The criteria to access Mosaic II services is that you feel your life has been affected by sexual abuse.
Mosaic II offers a range of services including:
Telephone Support
Mosaic II provide a telephone helpline for clients. There are many clients who contact Mosaic II via the helpline for help and advice relating to practical issues surrounding their situations as well as emotional support. Mosaic II have good links with other agencies e.g. the police, local family law solicitors etc. which means they can offer information to clients which may assist them in dealing with their situation
Support Service
For those people who do not wish to, or are not ready to use the counselling service. Trained Support Workers provide non-judgemental support and friendship to people whose lives have been affected by sexual abuse. A support worker will also provide support for people in court if required.
Counselling Service
Mosaic II’s trained volunteers offer counselling sessions on a 1:1 basis to clients.
Support Groups
Mosaic II facilitate support groups in order to give clients opportunities to meet others in similar situations. Through participating in groups Mosaic II have found that clients gain in strength and confidence through their interactions with other group members and their sense of feeling isolated diminishes.
Complementary Therapies
Mosaic II offer a range of therapies including massage, acupuncture, reflexology, reiki etc Mosaic II are aware that these therapies are beneficial to clients suffering from stress and anxiety and also believe they can assist in helping clients to relax as it can be difficult to “switch off” when going through a traumatic experience
Physical Well Being
Mosaic II offer expert advice and guidance on exercise and dietary requirements for clients who wish to address their own physical well being. These sessions can be beneficial for clients suffering from depression, anxiety etc.
Mosaic II cover the Bradford and Airedale geographic area however we are working towards expanding throughout West Yorkshire. At present we are supporting approximately 200 clients. We try not to turn anyone away.
We take self referrals as well as referrals from professional agencies such as G.P’s Social Services, Police, Health Professionals etc. Once a referral is made to Mosaic II a client is invited to attend an initial assessment, this meeting is for us to gather some information and to share information with the client regarding the services on offer.
Following the initial assessment clients can expect to engage in a services at Mosaic within approximately one week. We have a no waiting list policy at Mosaic II as we feel that if a client requests support they need it as soon as possible. There are no time limits on any of the services on offer at Mosaic II. Clients are able to access one or all of the services. We believe Mosaic II offer a holistic approach to recovering from the horror of sexual abuse within a family.
One Mother’s Story
When my daughter disclosed to me about her abuse it was like an atom bomb going off. Afterwards I went into deep shock and I was like a zombie feeling all numb. It felt as if I had been betrayed.
My daughter was sixteen at the time she told me that her uncle, my sisters husband had been sexually abusing her between the age of seven and fourteen.
It was so difficult to take in that someone we had liked and trusted had done these terrible things to my child. I never noticed anything over the years. She did well at school and never showed any signs. After disclosure she became suicidal, cutting her arms and legs to ribbons, it was horrendous, the flash backs she had came with a vengeance, she had to be submitted to four psychiatric hospitals for a long time.
It took nearly a year for the case to come to court. I thought my daughter wouldn’t make it, but she got through, we all did, but it does something to you that will scare you for the rest of your lives. We will never trust anyone again.
The trial lasted five days, it was a terrible experience, we would never want to go through this again, but I think it helped my daughter to tell what crimes had been committed against her and most of all everyone believed her. He was found guilty on fifteen serious charges, he only admitted two minor charges. He was sentenced to just seven years of which he will do about three and a half years. Where is the justice? I think it will be a long time before we get our daughter back as we knew her, or maybe we never will.
A Support Service For Families Whose Lives
Have Been Affected By Sexual Abuse
Have Been Affected By Sexual Abuse
MOSAIC II
