Today (Wednesday 4 December) NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless joined ChildLine founder and TV presenter Esther Rantzen CBE to celebrate the official launch of the NSPCC’s new service centre in Prestatyn.
The centre will deliver a range of services that will focus on safeguarding vulnerable children and young people in the North Wales area – including children under one, looked after children and children who have suffered sexual or domestic abuse – and will make a real difference to their lives. The centre offers a wide range of facilities to help children feel at ease, in a safe, colourful and comfortable environment. As well as providing fully equipped and confidential counselling rooms, the centre is also the home of a large ChildLine base.
NSPCC Prestatyn Service Manager, Sue Walls, said: “The NSPCC has operated services in North Wales for over thirty years and we’re very pleased to be able to continue that commitment. The organisation makes a huge difference to the lives of children in North Wales and the UK. The service centre will help us to expand our work and pioneer new approaches to address the child protection problems facing local children and deliver services that will help create a safer future for our children.”
During the event, young people from the NSPCC Wales participation group joined NSPCC staff, supporters and other delegates in creating a ‘Helping Hands’ canvas to commemorate the day.
During her visit, Esther took time out to thank volunteers and staff personally for helping the service to be there for children and young people, and called for more local people to consider volunteering.
Esther said: “Volunteering for ChildLine is a wonderful experience – yes, some of the calls are painful to listen to, but we always provide children and young people with hope, and with support. And of course we provide the training and expertise they need, all they need to bring is the desire to listen to children and help them. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful ChildLine volunteers working at our Prestatyn base because without our volunteers the service could not continue. ChildLine is a vital life line for thousands of children and young people who desperately need support and advice with problems they dare not share with anyone else. ”
The services being delivered from the Prestatyn Service Centre are:
- Caring Dads – this aims to protect children through working with fathers who are violent to their partners. It helps these fathers to stop their abuse, recognise the impact their behaviour has on their children and improve their parenting.
- Face to Face – provides a new way to give children in care the help they need through ChildLine and face-to-face counseling.
- Preventing non-accidental head injuries in babies – this aims to educate parents about the dangers of shaking and the injuries this may cause, and provides strategies to help them to cope with crying and stress.
- Domestic Abuse: Recovering Together – this is a group work programme aimed at helping children and their mothers to recover from the impact of domestic abuse and rebuild and strengthen their relationship.
- Family Smiles – providing support to children aged between 8 and 14 who have at least one parent living with a mental health problem.
- ChildLine – the UK’s free, confidential helpline dedicated to children and young people. Whenever children need us, ChildLine will be there for them.
- ChildLine Schools Service – aims to visit every primary school in North Wales to talk to children about abuse, how to protect themselves and where to get help if they need it.
The NSPCC relies on the generosity of members of the public and business supporters in North Wales for the majority of its income, without which it could not operate the vital services being delivered from the Prestatyn Service Centre.
Support the NSPCC in North Wales
If you would be interested in supporting the NSPCC in North Wales, please contact 0844 892 0275 or email [email protected]
To donate towards the NSPCC’s work in North Wales, https://donate.nspcc.org.uk/
