Study finds a third of young arena attack survivors lack professional support

A study has found that nearly a third of young arena attack survivors haven’t received any professional support.

Hundreds of young people were left physically and mentally injured as a result of the bombing in May 2017 — which killed 22 people.

They were out enjoying an evening at the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena on the night of May 22nd, six years ago, when Salman Abedi detonated a suicide bomb as it was coming to an end.

An online survey by Lancaster University and National Emergencies Trust (NET), in August 2022, found that professional support for victims in the aftermath was limited.

The study, of 236 young people affected by the atrocity, found that 29% had not had any psychological help, despite most feeling damaged by the blast.

The vast majority of respondents said they needed support but 70% had no professional help within the first month, and nearly one in three had nothing in the first year that followed.

The study comes after the government is set to publish a draft ‘survivor’s charter’ in the next coming weeks which is said to guarantee key rights for survivors of terror attacks, and will include a timeline for mental health support for victims.

Three-quarters of the 236 young people involved in the report said they had been psychologically damaged by the blast, while nearly one in five had been injured or had friends or family members injured. About 4% had lost a relative or friend.

The study, called Bee the Difference, was led by the National Emergencies Trust and researchers at Lancaster University. It calls for public bodies to ensure early support is visible and the onus is not on victims to find it, and that specialised trauma help is available wherever they are based.

The report urges professionals to understand that recovery can take time – one in four of the young people surveyed are still receiving psychological support — and that victims should be able to choose the right help for themselves.

The research was led by Dr Cath Hill, who also survived the attack. She said the findings showed that the ‘simple act of validating young people’s views can make a huge difference to their wellbeing, which was something all those in positions of care ‘could be more mindful of should the worst happen again’.

She continued: “Equally, introducing the option of an official survivor status for children’s school or college records could prevent them from having to relive their trauma time and again.” 

Mhairi Sharp, Chief Executive of the National Emergencies Trust, said the report exposed a ‘a glaring gap’ in the understanding of how disasters affected children and young people.

“We can raise awareness with our partners so that there is less onus on future survivors to seek out support [and] also offer funding to those who would like to set up peer support groups,” she said.

A Home Office representative said there was ‘practical and emotional support available to anyone impacted by terrorism, including a 24/7 support line, mental health assessments and referrals, and long-term peer support’.

They said the government had ‘worked to strengthen the support available to victims of terrorism, but we know there is still more to do’.

Adding: “The Home Office Victims of Terrorism Unit is currently conducting an internal review into the support package provided to victims of terrorism, to better address their needs following a terrorist attack.”