“The support funded by SOCAS significantly improved survivors’ quality of life, including improved mental health, physical health and improved social connections, allowing survivors to start feeling more in control of their lives and learning to navigate their trauma.”
These are the findings of an independent evaluation of the first three years of the Scottish Government Survivors of Childhood Abuse Support (SOCAS) fund (2020-2024) managed by Inspiring Scotland. Between January 2023 and April 2023, Rocket Science conducted an impact evaluation of the SOCAS fund, assessing progress and identifying areas for any future development.
The aim of the SOCAS fund is to improve wellbeing and resilience for survivors and ensure they have access to quality services across Scotland in a timely manner.
In the first three years, over 16,000 people affected by childhood abuse have been supported with counselling through the SOCAS funded projects with psychoeducational and practical support. Survivors were overwhelmingly positive about the impact of the support on their lives. It helped them understand and accept their trauma and supported them on their journey from a point of crisis to recovery and improved wellbeing.
The SOCAS fund has successfully supported 29 charities in providing trauma-informed service provision for survivors. This support has increased charities’ capacity to deliver services, and therefore, their ability to reach more survivors and support more survivors towards recovery. It concludes with recommendations on how charities, and funders, can continue to support survivors, highlighting gaps in provision and the evaluation will be used to support learning and practice during the last year of the fund and beyond. Recommendations include developing more specialist services for specific groups including men, LGBTQ+ people, and young people.
To read more about this work, and the impact on survivors, please access the full evaluation here (content warning*)
*Please be aware that this report includes content of a sensitive nature including real life descriptions of childhood abuse that readers may find challenging or distressing. Please practice self-care whilst and after reading.
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