Islington Survivors Trauma Service

Address

Service managers

4th Floor, West Wing

St Pancras Hospital

London, NW1 0PE

United Kingdom

Phone

0203 317 6820

Email

ists@candi.nhs.uk

Opening hours

Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm.

Please note, we are not a crisis service. If your are in crisis, please

Contact your local Crisis Team.
Go to any hospital A&E department or ask for an emergency appointment with your GP.
If you can’t get to A&E, call 999 and ask for an ambulance. Or ask someone to call 999 for you.
If you need to talk to someone but don’t want to go to A&E, call Samaritans 24/7 on 116 123.

Directions St Pancras Hospital is within walking distance from King's Cross St Pancras underground station (Metropolitan, Northern, Victoria, Hammersmith & City, Circle and Piccadilly line) and Mornington Crescent Underground Station (Northern Line - Charing Cross branch). The 214 and 46 buses also run from both stations to the main entrance of the site. How to refer

We accept both self-referrals and referrals by others, including professionals, friends or family. If you would like to contact us directly, please fill in the online ISTS referral form, phone us on 0203 317 6820 or send us an email on ists@candi.nhs.uk.

For professionals, please fill in the online ISTS referral form.

In addition to in person meetings, the ISTS continues to offer telephone and remote video consultations, where appropriate, to minimise the risk to our clients during face-to-face contact.

Attachments/Documents

What we do

We provide confidential psychological support for anyone who has been emotionally affected by experiences of abuse in Islington Children’s homes or while under the care of Islington Council between 1960 and 1995.

Age range treated AdultsWho is the service for?

We have expertise in working with traumatised individuals, in particular with survivors of childhood emotional, sexual or physical abuse and/or neglect. Our service is open to anyone who experienced abuse in children’s homes, boarding schools or care placements (including foster placements) commissioned or provided by Islington council between 1960 and 1995. We are unable to offer a service to those who experienced abuse solely outside of the care system, but please see this leaflet on further support offered by other organisations.

What to expect

Your first contact will usually be over the phone. We will then invite you to an initial meeting, where we can discuss your individual needs and jointly agree a treatment plan. This can sometimestake several meetings. Each meeting lasts between 1-1.5 hours and usually takes place at our clinic in St Pancras Hospital, if possible. We have also started offering remote video meetings, which do not require you to travel to St Pancras Hospital. See the trust website for further information on video consultations. The outcome of the meeting will determine what happens next. Common next steps include:

Trauma informed psychological support and therapy within ISTS.
Supporting you to access appropriate onward support, including to other mental health services or charities.
Agreement that no further support is needed now.

Service strengths

Evidence-based psychological treatment for PTSD, as recommended in the NICE Guidelines
Clinical staff are highly trained and very experienced with complex PTSD
Co-produced service with the Islington Survivor Network
Positive working relationship with the Islington Council Non-Recent Abuse Support Team

What are the next steps?

If you think this service might be helpful for you or someone you know, or you just want to find out more, you can contact us by phone on 0203 317 6820 or you can email us on ists@candi.nhs.uk.

If you call or email, please leave your name and number or how we might contact you. If you would prefer someone else to contact us on your behalf, then this is fine too. For example, your GP, a family member, the Islington Survivor Network or any other professional. We will aim to call you as soon as we can, within a maximum of two weeks but usually quicker.

Resources for Service Users

We have compiled a range of resources on coping with anxiety and PTSD symptoms, as well as an information leaflet on further support offered by independent organisations for survivors and their carers. Finally, the Traumatic Stress Clinic YouTube channel features further helpful video resources on coping with anxiety and PTSD.

Survivors may also at times struggle with drug and alcohol difficulties. This can interfere with feeling able to access appointments regularly or benefit fully from therapy. If you feel you need support with your substance use, please see below:

If you live in Islington, please see: Better Lives - Islington's Drug and Alcohol Service
If you do not live in Islington, you can find your local service here: Find support near you (talktofrank.com)

Non-Recent Child Abuse Support Payment Scheme

Islington Council has launched the Islington Support Payment Scheme, for people who experienced abuse while placed by the council in Islington's children's homes between 1966 and 1995. People affected can apply now for a support payment of £10,000. The Support Payment Scheme is open to applications until May 2024. For more information, see www.islingtonsupportpayment.co.uk.

If you help to make an application, or have questions about the Support Payment Scheme, call 020 7527 3254 or email supportpayment@islington.gov.uk.

For information on additional support available in Islington for survivors of non-recent child abuse, see www.islington.gov.uk/survivorsupport.