Derbyshire’s specialist child exploitation charity, Safe and Sound, has launched a ‘warm welcome’ support programme for the families they support in the city, thanks to Government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) administered through Derby City Council and Derby Communication Action.
The long-established charity will provide hot meals, energy and food vouchers, family activities as well as support and advice sessions every Friday until the end of March between 11am and 5pm.
The warm welcome sessions will be hosted by leading apprenticeships provider EMA Training in Siddals Road, Derby, as part of their commitment to supporting the well-being of local communities in the city and beyond.
The initiative has been funded through Derby’s Winter Asset Grant which aims to invest up to £300,000 across the city to support community assets within localities to support householders facing financial hardship. Although all the families supported by Safe and Sound across the city will be welcome to attend, the charity estimates that around 20 adults and children will attend a week to have a warm drink and meal.
Safe and Sound CEO Tracy Harrison explained: “Having initially specialised in supporting children and young people who are victims of or at risk of child exploitation, we now support the wider family including parents and siblings whose lives are also impacted by this
trauma.
“Although any child is at risk of these heinous crimes – financial hardship can make them more vulnerable to grooming and particularly sexual and criminal exploitation. We have therefore focused on doing all we can to ease the emotional, practical and financial pressures that our families face.”
“Our role is to engage, advocate and support families to work with other agencies more effectively and help them all to positively move forward with their lives.”
Mrs Harrison continued: “The sessions will give our families a welcome break to have a hot meal together, speak directly to our team about further support they need and enjoy activities together which are often a welcome break from the traumas and pressures they face.
“Being part of the city’s Warm Welcome network will enable us to relieve some of the financial hardship facing the families we work with by ensuring their homes are warmer and they have nutritious food to enjoy at the sessions and at home.”
“Many of our young people and their families have really valued support from the Government’s HAF project during school holidays in the past two years and I know that they will benefit from this support.”
Tracey Mosley is CEO of EMA Training which has been recognised as ‘Good’ by Ofsted and won the Small Business of the Year award at the East Midlands Chamber Derbyshire business awards last year.
She said: “Positive collaborations are an important part of the work we do to support young people and adults into apprenticeships to meet businesses’ growth plans. I am therefore delighted to be working with Safe and Sound to host these warm welcome sessions.
“Our central location close to the bus station and carparking makes these sessions easily accessible for families across the city and I hope many will feel encouraged to find out more about apprenticeship and training opportunities available whilst they are here.”
For more information about the work of Safe and Sound and how to support them, please visit www.safeandsoundgroup.org.uk.
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