Nexus was pleased to welcome the Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, to our Belfast headquarters this week. The visit provided an opportunity to showcase our work supporting individuals and families impacted by sexual abuse and abusive relationships, and to discuss the future of our pioneering Crisis De-escalation Therapy Pilot.
During the visit, Minister Nesbitt met with Nexus CEO Joanne Barnes and members of our clinical team including Nexus counsellors. The Minister heard first-hand how early intervention and trauma-informed support are transforming outcomes for children, young people and adults in crisis.
A key focus of the visit was the Crisis De-escalation Therapy Pilot, which has attracted considerable interest for its innovative approach to early intervention. Developed to bridge a critical gap in services for people at the earliest stages of trauma following sexual violence, it has been designed to provide rapid emotional stabilisation. 102 individuals were supported through the project and all experienced measurable and sustained improvement in their emotional wellbeing. In addition, the pilot helped to reduce the burden on statutory mental health and GP services.
The Minister also heard about Nexus’ wider programme of early intervention and specialist support, including the Your CHOICE and Healing Pathways projects. Together with the Crisis De-escalation Pilot, these services demonstrate a scalable, cost-effective approach that can be embedded regionally through a stepped-care model, aligning with the priorities of the Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategy and addressing significant unmet need.
While the Crisis De-escalation Therapy Pilot is designed to support adults, children and young people are currently able to access dedicated early intervention through the Your CHOICE programme, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. However, this funding is due to end in January 2026, and at present no replacement funding has been secured.
This presents a significant gap in provision for children, young people and their parents and caregivers. Without sustained investment, there is a real risk that families impacted by childhood sexual abuse will lose access to the specialist, trauma-informed support that social workers and professionals rely on Nexus to provide in complex cases.
Commenting on the visit, Joanne Barnes, Nexus CEO, said:
“ It was a privilege to welcome Minister Nesbitt to Nexus and to share the impact of our work. The Crisis De-escalation service has demonstrated that timely, specialist support can make a profound difference. We are committed to working with the Department of Health and other partners to ensure this innovative model can be sustained and scaled, so no one must face the aftermath of sexual abuse or abusive relationships alone.
“The pilot has already shown measurable improvements in psychological wellbeing and stability for clients at a point of acute need. It is vital that we work together to enhance trauma-informed support for people across Northern Ireland, and to ensure these services are available when and where they are needed most.
“While we recognise the significant pressures on budgets and the challenging environment for funding, continued investment is essential to meet rising demand and to build a more resilient system of care. Without further funding, there is a very real risk of an imminent gap in provision, particularly for children and young people, whose recovery and safety depend on timely specialist support.’’
A highlight of the visit was hearing directly from Nexus counsellors, Susan Ellison and Stacey Hanburry who shared their experience delivering the service:
“When someone comes to us in crisis, often they are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. The De-escalation sessions create a space where people feel safe enough to begin to breathe again, to process the shock, and to start to believe that recovery is possible. It has been incredibly rewarding to see clients move from a place of panic and despair to feeling calmer, more in control and ready to slowly take the next step.” – Nexus Counsellor
The visit underscored the importance of a whole-society approach to addressing sexual abuse and abusive relationships, in line with the Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategy and Nexus’ vision of a society free from sexual violence.
Pictured from left to right: Joanne Barnes (Nexus CEO) and Minister Mike Nesbitt (Minister for Health, Northern Ireland)
