Sophie is a survivor activist, writer, founder and managing director of The Flying Child: a nonprofit organisation leading conversations about Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) through survivor-led training,campaigning, and support. “Society’s Shame, not Mine”. The core aim of The Flying Child is to normalise speaking about CSA. The Flying Child Project brings lived experience into the heart of professional settings, providing training in Education, Social Work and Healthcare. Sophie’s work aims to challenge the societal culture of silence around CSA. She has a particular interest in the non-pathologisation of trauma, and advocates for appropriate specialist therapy and support.
With first-hand experience in a system that was unable to support her with childhood trauma, her story was covered by Radio 4 in the Lights Out documentary “The Last Taboo”
She works with various research projects across Dentistry, Mental Health and Maternity, aiming to improve survivor access – and is co-developing The Skylark Project: a pathway of care in the NHS, specifically for survivors of sexual violence, conceptualised by a collaboration between Sophie and Dr. Charlotte Small, co-lead of the Herefordshire Pain Management Service and clinical lead of the Wye Valley Trust Preoperative Assessment Service.
Sophie is a guest speaker, publishes on The Flying Child blog, and her writing, poetry and art has been featured in the work of Epione, Drop the Disorder and The Survivorzine. Most
recently, she was shortlisted for the Criminal Justice Alliance Awards 2022 Saskia Jones Award for Victims Services.
Sophie therapy memoir, The Flying Child – A Cautionary Fairytale for Adults, co-authored by Patricia Walsh, will be published in 2024 by ZunTold.
She is a mother of four children and in her spare time, likes to crochet.
This event will be recorded for delegates who can’t make it live.
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