Friday 1 July 2022
Embrace Child Victims of Crime will be providing support for more young crime victims in Cambridgeshire thanks to £205,000 funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner.
From Today (Friday 1 July 2022), Embrace Child Victims of Crime will take over the running of the Cambridgeshire Specialist Young Victims and Witness Support Service to provide emotional and practical support to young crime victims aged up to 18 (or up to 24 with additional needs) and their families to help them recover from the effects of being witnesses or victims of crime.
The team also provides an advocacy service for young crime victims and their families to help them access support from other organisations, charities and agencies where appropriate.
Anne Campbell, Chief Executive of Embrace Child Victims of Crime, said: “We believe all crime survivors have a right to receive the support they need to overcome their trauma, rebuild their confidence and self esteem and fulfil their full potential.
“We prioritise the needs of young people and tailor our services to meet their individual circumstances to ensure they receive the right support at the right time.
We provide face-to-face, telephone and online counselling and emotional support as well as practical help to overcome disadvantage and poverty. We listen to each child’s experiences and give them the support they need to heal.
We are delighted to have won the contract to provide services for young crime victims and their families in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough over the next three years. This funding, from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Darryl Preston will enable us to support more young people to recover from the effects of crime across Cambridgeshire.”
Police and Crime Commissioner, Darryl Preston added: “Ensuring young victims and witnesses of crime can access the support they need, and in a way that they want, was our aim when we designed this new service. A total of 175 young people helped us shape the model of support now available.
“The journey of support can be a long one and this new service means young people can start and end that journey with Embrace CVOC. The charity were already delivering therapeutic support and will now extend that offer to emotional and practical help as part of a tailored package of help for each victim or witness.”
Families in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who have been affected by crime can refer themselves for support via the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Victim and Witness Hub on 0800 781 6818.
For more information about Embrace Child Victims of Crime please visit www.embracecvoc.org.uk or call the helpline on 0345 60 999 60 from Monday to Friday between 10am and 4pm.
