Peterborough children's charity supports record number of youngsters

The charity has supported thousands of children in the past 12 months

“We know many families we support are living on the breadline. Before we can help families heal the trauma they are experiencing in more and more cases we need to help them meet their most basic needs”

A Peterborough charity has helped more youngsters than ever before, offering support to more than 5,000 children in the past year.

From April 2022 to April 2023 Embrace Child Victims of Crime supported 5,435 children, young people and families to recover from the devastating trauma caused by crime.

This is an increase of 1,697 children young people and their families - 45 per cent more than the previous year.

The charity, which is based at Thorpe Wood in Peterborough, also provided 6,237 services to those families – an increase of almost 50 per cent on the previous year.

Chief Executive of Embrace Child Victims of Crime Anne Campbell said: “Despite the very difficult financial climate, which has left many charities fighting for survival or sadly closing, and despite receiving no direct funding from the Government, Embrace has continued to thrive and grow and we are helping more families than ever before.

“This year we have provided more emotional support, parental support, advice and counselling and more cost of living support including clothing and food vouchers, school uniform, mobile phones and tablet devices than in any previous year. We know many families we support are living on the breadline. Before we can help families heal the trauma they are experiencing in more and more cases we need to help them meet their most basic needs of making sure they can provide food for their families, clothes and keep a roof over their heads.

“We know what we provide is merely a drop in the ocean compared to the huge demand out there. Every day we speak to families who’ve often been struggling for months to get the help they so desperately need.”Almost four out of 10 young people supported in the past year have been affected by domestic abuse and two out of 10 were affected by sexual abuse or sexual assault. The charity also supported families affected by homicide, harassment, assault, neglect and abuse, and child sexual exploitation and cyber crime.

For more information visit www.embracecvoc.org.uk