The Full Story
22 July 2025
In March 2025, the SBNI launched, in partnership with the NSPCC Northern Ireland, a powerful new awareness raising initiative titled “The Full Story”, developed to support children and young people at risk of sexual exploitation and to encourage those affected to seek immediate, confidential support through Childline.
To complement the launch, a series of workshops were delivered across all five Health and Social Care Trusts (HSCTs), engaging key safeguarding practitioners and SBNI member and partner agencies including representatives from:
- School Nurses and Education
- Further Education College support teams
- Youth and Community workers
- PCSP representatives
- Psychologists
Presentations were co-delivered in partnership with the PSNI, Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Leads from the HSCTs areas and NSPCC staff. The workshops were designed to raise awareness of CSE and importantly, empower professionals with meaningful, practical resources to use in their daily work to recognise and respond to concerns.
Short Film
A key component of the initiative was a short film based on real Childline calls, portraying the story of 15- year-old ‘Leah’, who is manipulated into exploitation by her older brother, illustrating the subtle, coercive nature of this abuse and the reality that many children do not realise they are being exploited.
Promotional Materials
Promotional materials are designed to help both professionals and young people understand what CSE is, recognise the signs of what healthy relationships, look like, and know how to seek help when needed. Resources can be accessed below:
- Poster
- Wallet Card - Under 12
- Wallet Card - Over 12
- Training Materials
Support for Professionals
The seminars also reinforced the importance of Childline as a safe, confidential space for children to talk. Professionals are empowered to use the materials to support young people in recognising abuse and accessing help.