Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner Jason Ablewhite has praised the services delivered by Embrace to young people across the county.
His comments came during a BBC Look East news feature which focused on the positive impact the charity’s Time4U talking therapy has had on more than 400 young victims of sexual and domestic violence.
Speaking on air on Monday, Mr Ablewhite described Embrace as an “fantastic charity, providing counselling and practical support” to some of the most vulnerable in Cambridgeshire.
Funding from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and a unique partnership with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Rape Crisis, means Embrace can offer its fullest services to children in the county.
The PCC pledged to find funding to continue the service when Home Office (Violence Against Women and Girls) funding expires in two years.
Through Time4U, children suffering trauma and in need of talking therapy are matched with one of Embrace’s hundreds of specialist associate counsellors.
In addition, Embrace has successfully trialled a ‘wrap-around’ approach for families, aiding a child’s recovery by offering free counselling to parents using supervised, trainee counsellors.
Last summer, one group of young people also benefitted from Embrace’s first equine assisted therapy programme which this summer is being rolled out to Bedfordshire.
Embrace Chief Executive Anne Campbell said: “Support from a very forward-thinking Police and Crime Commissioner, together with strong links with local partners in the public and voluntary sector, means we have been able to offer children and families in Cambridgeshire our fullest range of support – counselling, practical help and access to positive experiences.
“Tracking their progress has shown that they leave our programme feeling safer, more confident, self-aware and positive. It shows a reduction in feelings of self-harm and of perpetrating behaviour.
“We look forward to building upon our success here and using this as a blueprint to be able to offer this in many more places across the UK.”
The BBC Look East, west transmission, news broadcast also featured a case study from Embrace. ‘Jane’, not her real name, talked about the positive changes brought about when her two teenage daughters – both impacted by sexual violence in different ways – were able to access specialist counselling.
To find out more about Time4U talking therapy please click here
