During all school holidays, the drop-in is closed.  This is an opportunity for the whole group to get together and go out on an outing. 

Outings are arranged for the families using the service.  This is for the non-abusing parents and children, which is the child or children who has been abused, as well as the non-abused siblings who can sometimes get forgotten and may well have issues of their own to deal with.   Although outings are held in public places,  only Step Up members and their family are invited to come.  We do not allow children to bring friends with them.

The primary aim of the outings is to reduce the feelings of isolation that can be felt by children who have been sexually abused.  Our experience tells us that most children believe that they are the only person that this has happened to.  It can be very healing for them to meet others in the same situation.  It can also be very helpful for parents to see other children - some of whom are at the beginning of their journey of recovery, some are in the middle of the trauma and others who may be coming out the other side.

The outings are usually ice-skating, bowling or swimming and then out for a burger or pizza afterwards.  Although everybody in the group has experience in some way of sexual abuse, this is not usually discussed by the children in an open forum such as an outing.  However, they all know that they have a shared reason for being a Step Up member.