Support services and agencies for children
There are also more specialist services that can provide help and support such as the Primary Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service which schools can refer into or other services such as the 'FACEIT' team or Youth mentoring and counselling.
Bounce Back
BB4K’s is a therapeutic group for children from 6 – 10 years of age, who have experienced living within a family where Domestic Abuse has occurred. This often leads to behavioural issues and or physical, emotional and academic delay in the children.
If you want to know more details or find out where courses are running contact Karen Homans on karen.homans@pactcharity.org
SAFE! Oxfordshire's project for supporting young people who have been victims of crime.
Young people are more likely than adults to have crimes committed against them. Most young people most will experience being the victim of a crime at least once before they grow up, and some will be regularly victimised. If you are working with young people it is likely that someone in your care will be coping with this experience, which may or may not have been shared with an adult or reported to the police. Most young people recover well unless it is a very serious incident, but a small number do less well, and they may not have the coping strategies, support from family and friends or resilience to bounce back. These young people are a concern, and the experience of victimisation undermines all the 5 strands of ECM. It is well established that an early experience of victimisation increases the likelihood of later offending, so it makes perfect sense to offer timely support to young victims. You may be the adult most likely to notice that something isn't right, and best placed to provide support.
Oxfordshire's young victims of crime project, SAFE! has just published a guidance document called Are You Okay?, full of information, advice and ideas for practitioners on how to support young victims, and also Why Me?, a book of photocopiable resources with ideas for how to help young people recover from their experience. If you would like a free copy of either book, please let us know the SAFE! project also offers individual support to young victims from a team of specialist Project Workers, and if you would like more information about this service and a referral pack, please email me at: peter.wallis@oxfordshire.gov.uk or phone, Pete Wallis, 01865 202218. Finally, this project, currently based at Trax but soon to become a charity in it's own right relies entirely on voluntary donations. Whilst we don't make a charge for the books or the intervention, if you have any ideas for fundraising (perhaps through an activity with your youth group for example) do let us know!
Helplines and websites
Childline (For Children only) – 0800 1111
Free helpline for children and young people in the UK.
Website: www.childline.org.uk
NSPCC Helpline - 0808 800 5000
Asian child protection helpline - 0800 096 7719 - Free confidential service for anyone concerend about childrne at risk from harm, offering counselling, information and advice. The service can also conect vulnerable young people, particulary runaways to services that can help.
Bengali speaking advisor - 0800 096 7714
Guajarati speaking advisor - 0800 096 7715
Hindi speaking advisor - 0800 096 7716
Pujabi speaking advisor - 0800 096 7718
Urdu speaking advisor - 0800 096 7718.
Website: www.nspcc.org.uk
Women's Aid have created this space to help children and young people to understand domestic abuse, and how to take positive action if it's happening to you.
Website: www.thehideout.org.uk
Crossing Bridges is a safe and friendly place where you can get professional help on a range of issues, from legal advice and police support to health and benefits advice.
Website: www.crossingbridges.co.uk
Spired.com - Oxfordshire website for young people
Young People Sexual and Domestic Violence Project - 020 7874 5485 - Can provide therapeutic Services to children and young people with learning difficulties who have experienced sexual or domestic abuse.
Forcedmarriage.net - This website provides advice, information and essential contacts to help people out of or to avoid a forced marriage.
Children and Families Assessment Teams
Central - 01865 323048
South - 01865 897983
North - 01865 816670
Supporting disadvantaged and socially isolated families
http://www.family-action.org.uk
The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Contains resources that can help people affected by mental illness.
Improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people and empowering their parents and carers
Offering information and advice to young people to help them you need to make the decisions and choices in their life.
Oxfordshire family information service
Providing information and support for children, young people and families in Oxfordshire
Website: www.oxonfis.org.uk
Parentline Plus is a national charity that works for, and with, parents.
Website: www.parentlineplus.org.uk
Free, confidential information and publications on issues surrounding lone parents.
Website: www.loneparenthelpline.info
Resources
Support advice for children and young people
Risk assessment
Safety planning and protective behaviours
Help lines
- National helpline
(24 hrs)
0808 2000 247 - Oxfordshire domestic abuse helpline
0800 731 0055 - Police
(non emergency)
101 - Victim support
0845 450 3883 - Kiran Asian
women’s aid
0208 558 1986 - Men's advice line
0808 801 0327 - Broken Rainbow
(LGBT)
020 8539 9507 - Elder abuse
0808 808 8141 - Childline
0800 1111
