About our project
Pre-trial therapy is any therapy or support accessed when a report has been made to the police, while a case is under investigation and before it has gone to trial. Every person who reports a crime has the right to access it.
Where we began
In 2022, we were funded by the Home Office to research the barriers to pre-trial therapy for children and young people affected by sexual abuse. Our research report, Keeping Secrets, found that children, young people and adults were being told they could not access therapy while their cases were under investigation. In many services up and down the country, that is still the case.
The myths our research uncovered continue to cause real problems. Across statutory services, schools and voluntary organisations, there is still widespread confusion about what is and is not permitted pre-trial. Children, young people and adult survivors (of trauma) are still receiving mixed messages from different agencies, and that confusion costs people access to support they have every right to.
How the landscape has changed
Access to pre-trial support is not a risk to the criminal justice process. It is essential to it. Support and justice are not in opposition. They work together.
In 2022, a major shift in CPS guidance began to reflect that understanding. In 2026, the Victim Information Requests Code of Practice introduced much stronger protections for survivors, governing how records can be requested and shared.
Every survivor can now access any form of pre-trial support, with robust safeguards for their information.
What we do
Since our research was published, we have worked with the CPS, the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), the Ministry of Justice and NHS England to change practice nationally. We have trained over 3,000 practitioners across England and Wales, enabling approximately 100,000 survivors to access pre-trial support every year.
We set the national best practice standard for pre-trial therapy and support services in England and Wales, through research, training, accreditation, consultation and systems change programmes that build the knowledge, confidence and structures services need to deliver high-quality pre-trial support, whatever the offence type. We also work internationally as advisors and consultants to services and policymakers beyond England and Wales.
Our work is co-produced with survivors, practitioners, commissioners and policymakers. The Bluestar Project is a Community Interest Company (CIC), led by Directors Emma Harewood and Gemma Halliwell, and supported by a national team of trainers, practice advisors and a lived experience lead.