When I was moved to a new placement in Hertfordshire, I went missing several times, usually going back to the area where I had lived before. I was moved because of worries about my safety and sexual exploitation, and I found it difficult to share details of my past experiences and personal life with professionals.
Getting Support
When I got in touch with the charity, I found the one-on-one chats supportive in making me feel safe enough to voice my feelings and hopes for the future. Over time, I became more confident in expressing my views and having them presented on my behalf to professionals.
One of the most important focuses was on what triggered my missing episodes. I realised that they were usually around holiday periods, where I didn’t have my normal routine or structure. Through the work I did with the charity, I was able to identify adults I felt safe with and why I felt safe with them, and recognise the importance of making safer choices that felt supportive and non-judgemental. We also discussed risks around child exploitation and how being away from safety can make me more vulnerable and put me in harm’s way. I found using real-life scenarios and stories about other people helpful in understanding what exploitation looked like and how easily it can happen.
We also talked a lot about things like choice, control, consent, boundaries, actions and consequences, healthy and unhealthy relationships, and how important it is to check in with safe adults. I really learnt a lot from talking about internet safety – it is important for me to be independent, but also to understand how I communicate with other people online.
On reflection, I feel safer, more settled, and able to recognise safer choices. I feel more confident in making good choices and that I was advocated for and heard, too.
Support is here for you
Whatever you’re going through, you don’t need to face it alone. Safecall can be there – to listen, and find a path forwards. Get in touch today.
