Learning about the Lighthouse
- Helen Beckett(PI),
- Claire Soares(Research Fellow/PDRA)
Project: Research
Project status
Finished
Description
This project, Learning about the Lighthouse, was commissioned as part of the wider evaluation of the Lighthouse (London’s Child House), a multidisciplinary service designed to support children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse. The study, undertaken by the Safer Young Lives Research Centre at the University of Bedfordshire, aimed to centre the perspectives of young service users and ensure their experiences directly inform service development and wider policy learning.
The research had three interrelated aims: (1) to explore young people’s views on their experiences of engaging with the Lighthouse, including what worked well and what could be improved; (2) to consider how the Lighthouse model might be perceived by young people without direct experience of the service; and (3) to contribute to the evidence base underpinning the development and evaluation of Child House models in England and internationally.
Data were generated through in-depth individual interviews with 11 young people aged 15–18 who had engaged with the Lighthouse. The study design prioritised participant wellbeing, choice, and control, with interviews focused on experiences of the service rather than requiring discussion of abuse itself. The research also incorporated consultation with a Young Researchers’ Advisory Panel (YRAP) to contextualise and extend emerging findings.
Analytical approaches combined thematic coding with a strong emphasis on preserving young people’s voices, with findings presented through a framework of shared themes alongside verbatim contributions. While the sample was relatively small and not fully representative, participants’ accounts provided rich, in-depth insights into how integrated, child-centred service models are experienced in practice.
The project contributes to a growing evidence base on Child House approaches, offering both practice-relevant insights for service development and broader conceptual learning about how services can better respond to the needs, preferences, and lived realities of young people following sexual abuse.
The research had three interrelated aims: (1) to explore young people’s views on their experiences of engaging with the Lighthouse, including what worked well and what could be improved; (2) to consider how the Lighthouse model might be perceived by young people without direct experience of the service; and (3) to contribute to the evidence base underpinning the development and evaluation of Child House models in England and internationally.
Data were generated through in-depth individual interviews with 11 young people aged 15–18 who had engaged with the Lighthouse. The study design prioritised participant wellbeing, choice, and control, with interviews focused on experiences of the service rather than requiring discussion of abuse itself. The research also incorporated consultation with a Young Researchers’ Advisory Panel (YRAP) to contextualise and extend emerging findings.
Analytical approaches combined thematic coding with a strong emphasis on preserving young people’s voices, with findings presented through a framework of shared themes alongside verbatim contributions. While the sample was relatively small and not fully representative, participants’ accounts provided rich, in-depth insights into how integrated, child-centred service models are experienced in practice.
The project contributes to a growing evidence base on Child House approaches, offering both practice-relevant insights for service development and broader conceptual learning about how services can better respond to the needs, preferences, and lived realities of young people following sexual abuse.
Project Information
Project Type
ResearchProject Managed By
Time Period
01/07/2020 – 30/04/2021Status
FinishedKey Findings
Young people’s accounts of the Lighthouse were overwhelmingly positive. All participants described meaningful benefits arising from their engagement with the service, often rating it highly and recommending it to others.
While participants did identify areas for improvement, these did not detract from their overall positive experiences and instead highlighted opportunities for further development.
Key Features of Effective Support
Five interrelated features of the Lighthouse approach underpinned positive experiences:
1. Integrated, “all under one roof” provision
Young people consistently highlighted the value of accessing multiple services (therapeutic, health, advocacy, and criminal justice support) in one location. This reduced practical burdens (e.g. travel, coordinating appointments) and minimised the need to repeatedly recount traumatic experiences.
The integrated model also fostered a sense of safety, continuity, and coordinated care.
2. Child- and youth-centred practice
Participants experienced the Lighthouse as fundamentally centred on their needs, preferences, and wellbeing. This included both service delivery and the physical environment, which were perceived as intentionally designed to support young people.
3. A welcoming and caring environment
Young people described feeling genuinely cared for by staff across all roles. Interactions were characterised by warmth, authenticity, and attentiveness, contributing to a sense of safety and belonging often contrasted with experiences in other services.
4. Holistic and individualised support
Support extended beyond addressing abuse-related needs, encompassing broader aspects of young people’s lives such as education, health, family relationships, and emotional wellbeing. Participants valued the flexibility to shape support according to their own priorities.
5. Flexibility and continuity
The Lighthouse model was perceived as flexible in pacing, content, and duration of engagement. Young people emphasised the importance of being able to proceed at their own pace, maintain support beyond age thresholds where appropriate, and re-engage when needed.
Outcomes for Young People
Participants reported a wide range of positive impacts, including:
Increased confidence and self-understanding
Validation of their experiences
Development of coping strategies
Improved emotional wellbeing
Enhanced capacity to navigate future challenges
Many described the service as supporting both immediate recovery and longer-term resilience.
Value of Specific Service Elements
Young people highlighted several specific components as particularly beneficial:
Therapeutic support: valued for relational depth, choice, and flexibility
Health provision: appreciated for accessibility and integration with other support
Advocacy: important for navigating services and criminal justice processes
Criminal justice support: reduced anxiety and improved understanding of processes
Participation opportunities: enhanced feelings of value, agency, and contribution
Physical environment: contributed significantly to comfort, safety, and engagement
Areas for Improvement
Participants identified several areas for development:
Communication: clearer explanations of processes, roles, and service structure
Information sharing: greater transparency around confidentiality and data sharing within an integrated model
Awareness: limited public knowledge of the Lighthouse and its distinctiveness
Accessibility: challenges related to travel, location, and reach of the service
These issues were seen as refinements rather than fundamental challenges to the model.
Conclusion
Findings suggest that the Lighthouse model delivers a highly valued form of integrated, child-centred support. Its core strengths lie in the combination of relational practice, holistic care, and coordinated service delivery. While improvements are needed—particularly in communication and transparency—the evidence indicates that the model offers significant benefits and has strong potential for wider application within responses to child sexual abuse.
While participants did identify areas for improvement, these did not detract from their overall positive experiences and instead highlighted opportunities for further development.
Key Features of Effective Support
Five interrelated features of the Lighthouse approach underpinned positive experiences:
1. Integrated, “all under one roof” provision
Young people consistently highlighted the value of accessing multiple services (therapeutic, health, advocacy, and criminal justice support) in one location. This reduced practical burdens (e.g. travel, coordinating appointments) and minimised the need to repeatedly recount traumatic experiences.
The integrated model also fostered a sense of safety, continuity, and coordinated care.
2. Child- and youth-centred practice
Participants experienced the Lighthouse as fundamentally centred on their needs, preferences, and wellbeing. This included both service delivery and the physical environment, which were perceived as intentionally designed to support young people.
3. A welcoming and caring environment
Young people described feeling genuinely cared for by staff across all roles. Interactions were characterised by warmth, authenticity, and attentiveness, contributing to a sense of safety and belonging often contrasted with experiences in other services.
4. Holistic and individualised support
Support extended beyond addressing abuse-related needs, encompassing broader aspects of young people’s lives such as education, health, family relationships, and emotional wellbeing. Participants valued the flexibility to shape support according to their own priorities.
5. Flexibility and continuity
The Lighthouse model was perceived as flexible in pacing, content, and duration of engagement. Young people emphasised the importance of being able to proceed at their own pace, maintain support beyond age thresholds where appropriate, and re-engage when needed.
Outcomes for Young People
Participants reported a wide range of positive impacts, including:
Increased confidence and self-understanding
Validation of their experiences
Development of coping strategies
Improved emotional wellbeing
Enhanced capacity to navigate future challenges
Many described the service as supporting both immediate recovery and longer-term resilience.
Value of Specific Service Elements
Young people highlighted several specific components as particularly beneficial:
Therapeutic support: valued for relational depth, choice, and flexibility
Health provision: appreciated for accessibility and integration with other support
Advocacy: important for navigating services and criminal justice processes
Criminal justice support: reduced anxiety and improved understanding of processes
Participation opportunities: enhanced feelings of value, agency, and contribution
Physical environment: contributed significantly to comfort, safety, and engagement
Areas for Improvement
Participants identified several areas for development:
Communication: clearer explanations of processes, roles, and service structure
Information sharing: greater transparency around confidentiality and data sharing within an integrated model
Awareness: limited public knowledge of the Lighthouse and its distinctiveness
Accessibility: challenges related to travel, location, and reach of the service
These issues were seen as refinements rather than fundamental challenges to the model.
Conclusion
Findings suggest that the Lighthouse model delivers a highly valued form of integrated, child-centred support. Its core strengths lie in the combination of relational practice, holistic care, and coordinated service delivery. While improvements are needed—particularly in communication and transparency—the evidence indicates that the model offers significant benefits and has strong potential for wider application within responses to child sexual abuse.
Funding Details
lighthouse projectAward
FundersAmounts
The Mayor's Office for Policing And Crime
41504 GBPDocuments and links
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 3 Good Health and Well
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities