Engaging young people with special educational needs in conversations about child sexual abuse: Experiences and perspectives from theatre-in-education actor-facilitators.

BACKGROUND

Young people with special educational needs, such as those with intellectual disability, autism and/or ADHD, are more vulnerable to sexual abuse than their typically developing peers. Raising awareness of child sexual abuse (CSA) through school-based educational programs supports young people in identifying and disclosing potential abuse, and provides opportunities for critical reflection on unhealthy and problematic gender-based attitudes and views.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to qualitatively explore the experiences and perspectives of actor-facilitators around delivering a theatre-in-education program that is centered on a storyline of a teenage girl being groomed and sexually exploited by an adult male, and seeks to raise awareness of CSA among young people with special educational needs.

PARTICIPANTS AND

SETTING

Eight actor-facilitators employed by a TIE company in the UK took part in the study.

METHOD: The study adopted a qualitative design, using semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Two themes were identified: (1) Creating a safe space to talk about CSA, and (2) Navigating the system: Managing personal and contextual challenges when having conversations about CSA.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest that supporting young people with special educational needs to talk about CSA may depend on adults' ability to build epistemic trust through a mentalizing stance, and attuned, transparent, and emotionally-aware practice, highlighting the value of relational skills and reflective confidence in facilitating conversations around this complex and sensitive issue. Implications for future research, policy, and practice are provided.