FAMILY SECRETS
psychological and mental health needs of young people. I was acutely aware that we needed to look at how best to develop the family and children
side of our services."
Peter Davey, a trustee and former chair of Strutton, adds: "Over
half our tenants now are families with children. No one had asked these
people themselves what help they needed."
The two organisations recruited and interviewed 30 children or young people
aged five to 18 who either had HIV themselves or in the family, and 35
adults who were parents or caregivers.
"Protecting the interests of the children was paramount throughout
the project," emphasises Neale Thomas. "We only interviewed
those who either knew that they were HIV positive or were conscious that
there was HIV or an unnamed serious illness in the family." The interviews
were conducted in such a way as to cause the minimum disturbance to home
life and to protect people's identities and confidentiality.
HIV: the secret illness
The report revealed that the children were often protected by their families
and not encouraged to speak about their situation, or were afraid to talk
for fear of being bullied or victimised. HIV is still considered very
much a secret illness.
NCB researcher Elizabeth Lewis, who conducted the interviews, says: "It
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degree of stigma and secrecy that sets HIV apart from other chronic
