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Issue:- 25 July  2012

ChildLine Urges Children to Speak Up on Physical Abuse

CHILDLINE is launching a major campaign to encourage children to speak out about physical abuse as new figures show a link to self-harm and truancy.

The national children's charity has launched a powerful viral this week starring child actor Sammy Williams (Wild Bill) and Neil Maskell (Football Factory) as his father, to help young people recognise the signs of abuse, understand that it's not their fault and to seek help sooner.

The issue of physical abuse remains a priority for ChildLine. In 2011/12, almost one in 10 counselling interactions was regarding physical abuse (almost 28,000).

Last year (2011/12) the ChildLine base in Liverpool had 1,071 counselling interactions with a child or young person' who spoke about physical abuse. Of those, 345 described the abuse as hitting and 166 as hitting with an object.

In cases reported to ChildLine nationally during this period, the perpetrator was equally as likely to be the child's mother (32%) as it was the father (31%). A further one in 10 reported that both parents had physically abused them.

The vast majority of young people contacting ChildLine about physical abuse were aged between 12 and 15 however, alarmingly 24% were under the age of 11 and a few were as young as 5 years old. At the Liverpool base 128 children and young people making contact were 11 years and under.

A teenager contacting a counsellor at the Liverpool base said:- "My father is physically abusing me. I have spoken to the Police and social services are involved. I am finding difficult to cope with this. I have started to self harm now and feel like I have no support."

Another young person who contacted the Liverpool base said:- "My dad is violent towards me and it's getting worse and worse. I have been looking for a job but have not been able to find anything. I want a job so I can move out."

And new figures from a ChildLine self-selecting survey of 1,730 children and young people found that over 1,300 had suffered some level of abuse. Half of those who had suffered abuse said it had caused them to self-harm with over a quarter confessed to skipping school as a result of being abused. Children reported that they were being punched, kicked or having their hair pulled.

Pete, who was physically abused when he was younger, said:- "Over the years, my mum kicked and beat me, throttled me, threw me down the stairs and pushed me into a scolding hot bath. But even though she could be really nasty, she could be loving too. It was just that you'd never know when she was going to flip. For a long time, I accepted what was going on at home as normal. But no child should have to live in fear or on edge in their own home – that's the place they should feel safest."

ChildLine President Esther Rantzen says:- "It is devastating that so many vulnerable children are being seriously physically hurt, so often by the people closest to them, in their own homes where they should be safe but all too often they feel unable to speak to anybody about it. The suffering they endure in their young lives, often maps out their future. It is absolutely vital that children know there is always somebody they can trust at ChildLine, who will listen to them in complete confidence, comfort and protect them."

Christine Mellor, ChildLine area manager for ChildLine in Liverpool added:- "We know that physical abuse has a hugely detrimental effect on children's behaviour and education. Children and young people often express their feelings by causing harm to themselves or others. We also know that a child's normal development can be damaged by witnessing or experiencing physical or emotional abuse at a young age. Seeking help as soon as possible can reduce the long term damage of physical abuse."

TV celebrity, Childline counsellor and key spokesperson, Anna Williamson is also supporting this campaign. "I listen to just a few of the young people who contact ChildLine every day in their hundreds and I know from first hand experience how essential it is to raise awareness of issues such as physical abuse. Every young person is entitled to a voice and to be listened to in confidence. I'm so proud to support ChildLine in this campaign both as a ChildLine Ambassador and as a volunteer counsellor."

To view the film, please go to ChildLine's website  or their YouTube channel:- youtube.com/childline.

WITNESS APPEAL - THEFT OF TOOLS FROM SHED - SOUTHPORT

MERSEYSIDE Police are investigating the theft of gardening machinery and tools, that were stolen from a shed in Southport. Officers from the force were called to the equipment shed at Hesketh Park following the offence, which happened between 5pm on 21 June 2012 and 7am on 22 June 2012, when offenders forced the lock and stole a number of items.

The items stolen include:-

Stihl machinery
Backpack blower, serial number TLG 6542
Brushcutter fs, serial number TLG 6461
Brushcutter fs, serial number TLG 6734
Hedgecutter, serial number TLG 4640
Handheld blower, serial number TLG 7235

PC Andy Billingsley said:- "We are appealing to anyone with any information in connection to the incident to come forward. We are particularly keen to hear from those who may have seen anyone in the area acting suspiciously around the time of the incident or in the days prior to the offence in case they have any information that could help the investigation. We would also like to hear from anyone who may have been sold any of these items; the serial numbers are stamped onto the machinery so they should be quite distinctive."

Anyone with any information is asked to call Merseyside Police on:- 0151 777 3441 or on:- 0151 777 3442.  Alternatively, call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on:- 0800 555 111.

Funding for armed services projects

APPLICATIONS are being invited for funding to develop projects in Liverpool which help people connected with the military.  It follows the signing of a Community Covenant in the city earlier this year (20120, which committed the local military and civilian authorities to working together more closely in support of serving personnel, ex-service and their families.

It means the city can now bid for funding from a £30 million Ministry of Defence fund which has been set up to:-

Encourage local communities to support the Armed Forces community in their area

Nurture public understanding and awareness among the public of issues affecting the Armed Forces

Encourage activities which help integrate the Armed Forces community into local life

Encourage the Armed Forces Community to help and support the wider community, whether through participation in events and joint projects, or other forms of engagement

Applications can be submitted from any part of the community, such as volunteer groups, charities, schools and the city council for amounts ranging from £100 to £250,000.

Examples of successful schemes elsewhere in the country include military tournaments, activities and play areas which benefit the children of service personnel.

Councillor Roz Gladden, cabinet member for social care, said:- "Liverpool has a proud tradition of supporting our Armed Forces, and this is a great scheme which will enable us to run projects to help families and veterans. Both Liverpool and Merseyside are one of the UK's main recruitment areas for service personnel, which makes it so important that we have projects for supporting our Armed Forces community and their families.  Servicemen and women sacrifice valuable time with their loved ones to serve for their country, often moving from place to place at short notice. It is vitally important we do all we can to show we value their important contribution to keeping us safe, and support them when they return home to the community."

Funding cannot be used for a number of things, such as topping up existing grants, monuments or memorials, or statutory functions.

Applications have to demonstrate value for money and those with match funding are looked upon more favourably.

Councillor Peter Mitchell, Armed Forces champion on the city council, said:- "Liverpool has always been a hugely supportive and service-friendly city and I look forward to us getting some good quality applications for money from this fund. They will help promote a better understanding and awareness of the issues that affect the Service community, creating even stronger enduring bonds."

Applications for the first round of bidding for Liverpool can be made visiting:- liverpool.gov.uk, searching for community grants and filling in an application form which must be submitted by 3 August 2012.

Each application will be reviewed by a Community Covenant funding panel consisting of representatives of the Armed Forces and the city council before being endorsed and submitted to the Ministry of Defence.

STATEMENT FOLLOWING ANDREW FLOOD SENTENCING

MERSEYSIDE Police have confirm that 43 year old Andrew Flood, on 23 July 2012, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to the murders of 78 year old Margaret Biddolph and 88 year old Anne Leyland in Southport in February 2012. Mr Flood also pleaded guilty to robbery in connection with an incident in Jane's Brook Road in February 2012. Senior Investigating Officer in the case DCI Neil Clark said:- "While this sentence will not bring Mrs Leyland or Mrs Biddolph back I hope it will bring some comfort to their families who have spent the last 5 months trying to deal with these tragedies. The families of Mrs Leyland and Mrs Biddolph have both suffered enormously and I hope that with today's sentencing they can finally feel some sense of solace. We mustn't forget the bravery of Mrs Suckley who was also subjected to a terrifying ordeal in her own home by Flood that still effects her to this day. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the investigation team and the Crown Prosecution Service for their hard work in bringing Andrew Flood to justice." In a family statement to the media, Anne Pearson, Mrs Biddolph's daughter, said:- "Our mother was a lovely caring person who always thought of others before herself. Her tragic death has devastated us as a family and she is greatly missed by all those who knew her. We would like to thank our family and friends for their continued support throughout this very emotional and traumatic time. Today's sentencing sees justice done in the eyes of the law, but it will never bring our mother back to us. Her death is something we will never fully recover from."

JUVENILE CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER

MERSEYSIDE Police have confirm that a 16 year old boy from Walton in north Liverpool has been charged in connection with the assault and robbery of a 16 year old boy in Coronation Road, Crosby on 16 July 2012. The 16 year old, who cannot be legally named due to his age, will appeared before South Sefton Magistrates Court in Bootle on Saturday, 21 July 2012 charged with attempted murder and robbery. A 2nd 16 year old boy, this time from Kirby, who was also arrested in connection with the assault, which has left 16 year old Marcos Ringle in a critical condition in hospital with serious head injuries, has since been released on police bail pending further enquiries. A 3rd male, aged 22, also from Walton, was also also arrested and has since been detained under the Mental Health Act.

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