A children’s charity has received nearly £50,000 to provide 500 counselling sessions to London’s young crime victims.
City Bridge Trust, the City of London Corporation’s charitable funder, awarded the funding to Embrace Child Victims of Crime (Embrace CVoC), after increasing demand for its services since 2017.
Last year, Embrace CVoC saw requests for help surge by 16%, delivering support to 251 children aged 12-18 years old. The charity, which provides practical, emotional and financial support, says over half were young victims of domestic abuse, had been bereaved as a result of domestic homicide, or were suffering from sexual abuse.
Embrace’s CVoC specialist support team also gives access to wellbeing services including family breaks.
Dhruv Patel, chairman of the City of London Corporation’s City Bridge Trust Committee, said: “Violent crime statistics in the Capital right now, particularly among young people, are very concerning. And the increase in demand for these services echoes the problem.
“These counselling services play a vital role in helping young people look to a better future, and positively move forward with their lives.
“We are working together to make sure these sessions are readily available, and I’m proud that our funding is changing lives.”
Anne Campbell, chief executive of the charity, added: “This funding will help us to support even more children and families impacted by serious crime across the Capital, providing vital interventions to help them recover, brightening their lives and their life prospects.
“These are often the most vulnerable children and from low income households who, otherwise, wouldn’t have been able to access help.”
