National Safeguarding Week, held between 12 and 16 November, will focus this year on raising awareness of the risk of exploitation.
Ceredigion County Council, working in partnership with agencies within the Mid & West Wales Safeguarding Board, will be providing opportunities for children and adults to receive information, advice and support on issues surrounding exploitation.
Exploitation can come in many forms; modern slavery, financial scams, cyber bullying and sexual exploitation. It can affect anyone; young or old.
Here is a summary of the events that will be held prior to and during National Safeguarding Week:
• As the run up to National Safeguarding Week coincides with ‘Let’s Talk about Money’ week, Flying Start and family centres will be holding sessions called ‘Money Trust – Talk, Learn, Do,’ to raise parents’ awareness of the importance of talking about money with children. Contact Flying Start on 01239 621687 to book a place at one of the sessions. The events will be held at;
- Llanarth Church Hall – 5 November at 12pm-2pm
- Penparcau Forum HWB - 7 November at 1:30-3:30pm
- Llandysul Family Centre – 8 November at 1pm-3pm
- Aberporth Village Hall – 14 November at 1-3pm
- Canolfan Enfys Teifi, Cardigan - 30 November 1pm-3pm
• Coleg Ceredigion will deliver tutorials across both campuses to students on the theme of Exploitation.
• On Tuesday, 13 November at 11am, a talk will be held in the Llandysul Family Centre by the Illegal Money Lending Unit about the pitfalls of Loan Sharks and how to spot them. The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) will deliver 1:1 session at Llandysul Family Centre between 9:30am to 12:30pm and at Llanarth Church Hall between 10:30am to 1:30pm. These sessions must be pre-booked. Contact Flying Start to book a session.
• On Wednesday 14 November at 1:30pm, the Illegal Money Lending Unit will be at Penparcau Family Centre to talk about the pitfalls of Loan Sharks and how to spot them.
• On Thursday, 15 November, Sêr Saff; the Ceredigion Junior Safeguarding Board will be promoting how young people can stay safe online by holding a ‘Safe’ event at Cwrt Mawr Hub, Aberystwyth University between 3:30 and 6pm. The event is being held in partnership with Widening Participation.
• On Thursday 15 November at 1pm, the Illegal Money Lending Unit will be at Canolfan Enfys Teifi talking about the pitfalls of Loan Sharks and how to spot them. CAB will deliver 1:1 session at 1pm-4pm. Contact Flying Start to book a session.
Councillor Gareth Lloyd, Cabinet Member for Public Protection Services highlighted the importance of raising awareness of this issue, “Exploitation is something that we are all vulnerable to being victims of as it can be carried out in unseen ways when we are our most vulnerable. National Safeguarding Week is an important campaign that raises awareness of the tell-tale signs around different types of exploitation such as child sexual exploitation, modern slavery, financial scams and criminal exploitation. If you have concerns of the safeguarding of either an adult or a child you know, it’s vital that you report these concerns to the Police and or Social Services. You can help stop the cycle of exploitation.”
For more information about National Safeguarding week, contact Nicky Sandford on 01545 570 881. If you have any concerns that someone is being exploited, contact the Police on 101 or the Council’s Social Services on 01545 574 000.
The Mid & West Wales Safeguarding Board is a multi-agency regional board who work together to keep children, young people and adults at risk in Mid and West Wales safe. Visit their website at www.cysur.wales.
02/11/2018