Children affected by the Manchester Arena terrorist bombing are being urged to share their experiences of the support they have received since the atrocity.
The findings from an easy-to-complete online survey aim to identify what help will be beneficial young survivors of similar incidents in the future. It forms part of a ground-breaking project, titled Bee The Difference - a collaboration between nine young survivors from the 2017 attack, the National Emergencies Trust and researchers from Lancaster University.
Lead researcher Dr Cath Hill, a lecturer at the university and also co-founder of the Manchester Survivors Choir, which is made up of attack survivors, said: "I know through my experience with the choir that young people affected by the Manchester attack have sought support in a range of places, their GP, counsellors, teachers, social groups and social media.
"Some of this was incredibly helpful, some of it missed the mark completely, while some measures taken inadvertently introduced more trauma. Five years on it's time to start to talk about this and make sure young people who experience similar events in the future get the best possible care."
News of the project follows renewed calls for the creation of a 'survivors' charter' - a guarantee of mental health and financial support for those simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Survivors Against Terror, a group set up by people injured or bereaved by terrorism, includes Figen Murray, whose son Martyn Hett died alongside 21 others in the suicide bombing at the venue following an Ariana Grande concert. The group published what it called the first comparative analysis of the support available to victims of terror around the world.
In it they said many countries were doing better than the UK in key areas of survivor support - and claimed many survivors are left struggling with their mental health or financial problems without the support they deserve.
Powerful testimonies included in the published report include that of a mum who told how her then 10-year-old son has matured to understand what happened to him on that dreadful day and the 'realities of terrorism'. She said: "The support he received within the first year, post-attack was based around play and his understanding of the world as a younger child, but adolescence has brought new challenges, and requires a different approach."
Ellie Taylor, 20, who was 15 when she was caught up in the attack, said: "Bee The Difference is a chance to take something that changed our lives completely in a negative way and turn it into something positive for the future. The questionnaire isn't invasive.
"It's not about your personal story and what you went through. It's just a few questions to find out what worked mentally for you, and what didn't help, so we can find out what needs to happen in the future."
Fellow project designer, Ava Turner, 16, who was 10 when she was traumatised by the events at the Arena, said: "This project is about saying our opinions are valid. They are extremely valid and they do need to be brought up at some point. They can’t be hidden forever."
The chief executive of the disaster response charity National Emergencies Trust, Mhairi Sharp, said: "Only those who have lived through an act of terror can truly understand the needs of those affected, which is why this project gives a vital voice to young Manchester survivors.
"The findings will inform the way our charity gives financial gifts to those affected by terror attacks. But we hope it will also provide insights to enable all areas of society to provide the best possible support to children and young people who are affected by terrorism in future."
Later this year the anonymised survey findings will be shared with various organisations including government, healthcare and education providers and other civic and charitable bodies. The nine young researchers who helped design the study have created a YouTube video to raise awareness including singing their own arrangement of Beyonce’s Listen.
The survey is open to anyone aged under 18 at the time whose lives were affected including those impacted by what happened to a loved one or friend, as well as those who were present at the Arena when the attack happened.
Salman Abedi, 22, detonated a device in a rucksack as crowds left an Ariana Grande concert at the Arena in May, 2017. The attack claimed 22 lives and 63 people were also seriously injured, with 111 hospitalised. His brother Hashem Abedi, 24, was jailed for life for the 22 murders by assisting the bomb plot.
Further details of the survey, which closes on October 17, are available from www.nationalemergenciestrust.org.uk/beethedifference
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