The Children's Society and Barnardo's have come together in partnership in order extend the CARE service and provide support for the parents and carers affected by child exploitation throughout Essex.

We recognise that parents and carers are experts by experience but often feel blame and helplessness. We also acknowledge that the having a child/ children who are being or are at risk of being exploited can be isolating and life changing for the whole family.

CARE's aim is to provide individual, independent, blame-free and non-judgmental support to parents/ carers and families with a view to helping them to further develop their understanding of what is happening, together with offering support with proactive measures that aim to help their child break free of exploitative relationships.

The service offers:

Telephone support and advice to parents/ carers Face to face support and advice to parents/ carers Advice regarding your rights as parents and guidance regarding how to work with statutory agencies such as social care and police Facilitating peer support groups, where similarly affected parents can come together Advice and support with disruption techniques

Telephone Support:

We offer extended flexible times where you can also contact a CARE Family Support Practitioner on 07960585043. This telephone line will be available from 9am until 7pm Monday to Friday and telephone appointments outside of these hours can be arranged upon request to accommodate working/ other family commitments.

Face to Face Support:

We understand that it is sometimes better to attach a name to a person, so face to face support is available.

This can be arranged in advance so that it can be carried out at a location of your choice, somewhere you feel most relaxed and comfortable. For example, you may prefer to chat in your home or somewhere neutral like a coffee shop or café.

Advice on parents' rights:

Advice regarding parental rights includes support with how to work together successfully and ensure you are getting the best service from Statutory Agencies.

Peer Support Groups/ Peer Mentoring:

We believe that peer support is a highly valuable resource; it provides a platform for parents and carers who have had/ are having similar experiences to come together over a cuppa and a biscuit to, relax, de-programme, take part in workshops and share useful information to support one another and feel less isolated and alone.