Catholic Children's Society (Shrewsbury Diocese)

WHAT WE DO We provide post adoption support, grief education for children who have suffered loss, family support to help families with complex issues and positive parenting to ensure children reach and fulfil their potential. You can click on the sidebars to find out more information about the work of the society or contact us here or telephone 0151 652 1281. We provide a range of services to children and families.
Halton Children & Young People's Plan 2009	This is Anna's story: Anna is a Mum with 3 children all under 8 years old. Concerns were raised about the quality and consistency of care that the children were receiving. Anna's children live in a home where conditions were hazardous to their welfare and safety. The doors were hanging off. The home stank of faeces and urine. There were not enough beds for the children to sleep in. Anna's children didn't have age appropriate toys, games, activities which could stimulate and assist them in their enjoyment and development. Anna's children were reported to stay up into the early hours and arrive at school having had no breakfast. School also reported that the children came to school in dirty clothing and dirty underwear. How do you help Anna and her children? CCS works in partnership with other voluntary agencies and the local authority to offer a range of intensive family support to children who are experiencing neglect. The aim is to ensure that the children are safer in their parents care and that parenting capacity is improved and maintained so that positive outcomes are achieved. We helped by working with Anna to build her sense of self esteem and to build on her strengths to support her to address the areas of concern- as a result significant improvements have been made. Home conditions have been addressed- Anna's children now all have beds and toys to play with. Anna's children go to school regularly and punctually. The school say that the children have more confidence, are happier and want to learn. Anna has attended a parenting course and now finds it much easier to manage the children- as a result Anna is more confident and now there is a sense that they are a family again.
This is Carrie's story: Carrie is 13 years old she lives in a house with her Mum and a man who isn't her Dad. The man beats and hits Carrie and Carrie's Mum. Carrie is quiet and withdrawn she has learnt to fade into the background. The man that was violent left her Mum recently but Carrie is still worried he might come back. Carrie's Mum is trying to re-build her life so she has gone on a parenting course and Carrie has been referred to us. We listened to Carrie and through art and drawings- Carrie started to explore her feelings and for the first time found the words to tell us what had been happening. Carrie is very brave she has been able to talk about the abuse she has suffered and through talking with us she is now able to draw a picture about how she now feels. She wrote she felt- "proud, happy, calmer, loved, excited, more able to cope, confident."
	We are very privileged to work with Anna and Carrie and all the families and children.