North Wales ‘Unites To Tackle Child Sexual Abuse’

On Thursday, 11 December, north Wales agencies with responsibility for protecting children will gather at the Conwy Business Centre in Llandudno Junction for a major conference that aims to share good practice and encourage effective joint working to tackle the scourge of child sexual abuse and exploitation.

The event – which will bring together professionals from local councils, the health board, police, probation service, the emergency services and the voluntary sector – will feature a series of workshops and presentations from speaker’s representing Barnardo’s, the NSPCC, the North Wales Probation Service and North Wales Police’s Amethyst Sexual Abuse Referral Centre.

Jenny Williams Chair of the North Wales Regional Safeguarding Children Board said:

“As a Board we are committed to working together across the agencies to tackle child abuse whenever and wherever it occurs.

“Significant progress has been made over recent years to put in place a North Wales-wide structure to ensure effective joined-up working between all the agencies and departments with responsibility for preventing child sexual abuse, fighting abuse where it occurs and supporting abuse victims.

“Unfortunately child sex abuse is a crime that can blight the lives of children in every part of North Wales. As a result, it is a vitally important that child protection professionals from across our region can come together at conferences like this to share information and to learn about the latest initiatives, strategies and best practice from across North Wales and nationally to combat this terrible crime and support its young victims.

“This latest event will provide an opportunity to focus on the hard work that is already goes on behind the scenes, to learn about new ways of helping and supporting children whose suffering can go unrecognised, or which may not be given the priority it demands and to build upon a highly successful domestic violence conference that the Board hosted back in the spring.”

If you or somebody you know is affected by child sexual abuse, or if you are concerned that a child you know may be affected, contact:

Gwynedd Council Referral Team 01758 704455
Anglesey Council Referral Team 01248 752222
Conwy Council Referral Team 01492 575111
Denbighshire Council Referral Team 01824 712900
Flintshire Council Referral Team 01357 701000
Wrexham Council Referral Team 01278 292039
NSPCC 0808 800500
for confidential help and support.