NSPCC and Child Friendly Leeds: Working Together

NSPCC and Child Friendly Leeds: Working Together

The NSPCC’s work across Yorkshire, the North East and Humberside - campaigning, work with children and families, the school service, fundraising events, and Childline - are all run from our hub in Leeds.

One of the most important partners groups we work closely with is Child Friendly Leeds, and the mutual support between our teams has led to hugely positive work across the city.

What impact has the partnership had?

• Through our partnership with Child Friendly Leeds (CFL), we have been able to build relationships and start conversations across the city to establish vital services to help families affected by domestic abuse, child sexual abuse and parents-to-be experiencing anxiety or low mood.
• Thanks to introductions and networking led by CFL, the NSPCC has been able to train 16 of Leeds City Council’s therapeutic social workers to support children across the city who have experienced sexual abuse and help them rebuild their lives.
• CFL chair the steering group which is designing an online safety campaign targeted at children of primary school age. Run by the NSPCC with partners in the city, they also gave a keynote address at the conference launching the campaign. Together, we are working to ensure children in schools across the city are provided with free, vital and engaging safeguarding messages which can help keep them safe online, and 2,600 have now seen the campaign’s theatre-in-education piece and workshop supported by funding from the mayor’s office.
• By championing our Pregnancy in Mind service at local Baby Week events and an online conference, we have been able to support parents-to-be across the city who may be experiencing anxiety and depression in pregnancy.
• We were delighted to talk about what we do at NSPCC and Childline at one of CFL’s ambassador events, joining the panel to discuss out partnership and how working together can really help make Leeds a safer and happier city for children to grow up in.
• We were also hugely grateful for their support in attending a fascinating panel discussion at Channel 4’s headquarters in Leeds. The panel saw a survivor of child sexual abuse discuss her experiences with our Assistant Director Debra Radford and Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime Alison Lowe OBE, while considering how services across the region can help children in similar positions.
• Thanks to Leeds City College, another CFL ambassador, a series of bright, engaging murals were created at the NSPCC hub to make young people feel more comfortable. Also, through their connections with the PSHE team and youth service we have been able to share details of support and key safeguarding resources available to children and professionals across the city.
• Looking ahead, we are excited to host SEND support drop-in events at our city centre hub for parents of children with special educational needs to help them connect to essential support across the city.

We are so grateful to everyone at Child Friendly Leeds for all their support, and look forward to continuing our partnership. Raising awareness of our services, schools offer, campaigns and Childline can contribute to achieving the 12 wishes of Child Friendly Leeds and help keep children and young people across the city safer.