When Sarah Hiner's family faced the trauma of sexual abuse, she searched desperately for help. "What we needed was some specialist help, but it was not available," she said.

Faced with waiting lists that were so long that they were closed to newcomers, she would have welcomed immediate assistance.

Now she has trained as a counsellor and has set up her own business, Mind Over Matter, to help others in the same situation.

A school secretary, she had spent several years doing part-time counselling at Bullingdon Prison and for the telephone helpline ChildLine, which receives more than 4,000 calls every day from children all over Britain, and has played a big role in helping youngsters who have been abused.

Every year, more than 8,000 children call ChildLine about sexual abuse, but lack of funds means that only 1,800 of them will get through to counsellors for comfort, advice and protection.

Ms Hiner said: "I have always done counselling alongside my other jobs, but the rough time we had as a family was the impetus for me to centre on it and do it full-time."

She believes help for those who have been sexually abused should be provided by the state, but knows from experience that free counselling is very difficult to access.

The Ark in Kidlington, run by children's charity NCH, is well known for specialising in sexual abuse, but when Ms Hiner's family crisis blew up, its waiting list was closed.

She said: "I found it very difficult to get help and guidance for my family as a whole, or for my individual children.

"The few organisations that can help are very over-stretched and lacking in money.

"When we needed them, the waiting lists were full and closed.

"Apart from the Ark, the only other formal help is the Highfield adolescent unit, at the Warneford Hospital, Headington, but that also has a long waiting list. It is very good - if you can get in. It was very difficult at the time.

"There were a lot of occasions when we needed help now, not later. We were floundering in the early stages and that was when we needed help - just a one-off session would have been better than nothing.

"I would like to feel that I could be there at that stage, and offer a few pointers to families about how to cope."

Mind Over Matter offers counselling for children of all ages, in groups or for individuals. As well as abuse, she has trained to offer help with bullying and harassment, friendships and self-confidence, grief and bereavement, and family therapy.

Ms Hiner said: "I started with a counselling course and then went on to do the various specialisms, while I was working part-time."

Her job as a school secretary had involved her in many informal counselling situations and she realised there was a gap to be filled.

She explained: "I came into contact with a lot of parents and young children, and knew all their problems and circumstances. Having a young family, I had spent a lot of time in contact with young people."

Ms Hiner built up a list of private clients through word of mouth, both teenagers and adults, and is now offering a service to schools called The Place to Go' - an informal drop-in centre where staff, pupils or families can talk in confidence.

She said: "It could be run during the school day - maybe at break or lunch break - or after school, but it wouldn't be an official school activity and would be run independently.

"I have circulated all the state and independent schools in Oxford, Headington and Kidlington and some have expressed an interest.

"I feel it ties in with all the Government programmes on health because it increases pupils' emotional well-being."

Contact: Mind Over Matter 01865 768631