This campaign has now closed
CSV Volunteers in Child Protection is a ground breaking project involving volunteers working with families where one or more children are on the at risk register for abuse or neglect.
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The pilot projects in Bromley and Sunderland were the subject of formal research commissioned by CSV and carried out by Dr Jane Tunstill (Emeritus Professor of Social Work, Royal Holloway and Visiting Professor at the Social Care Workforce Research Unit, Kings College, London). The evidence from these pilots confirms that volunteers form an important link with families, particularly when the turnover of Social Work staff can be high. Volunteers have been instrumental in supporting neglectful families come off the at risk register and remain off the register. Experience in Bromley suggests keeping a child off the register and having that same child in school, attending health appointments and being happy can save in the region of £40,000 per child. The research is linked closely to the Every Child Matters Agenda and proves that volunteers can have a real role in supporting the cutting edge work of local authorities. The model has enormous potential to support public services, give children a voice, support families and draw citizens inrto supporting people in their own community. £250,000 would enable us to establish four more projects, helping to improve the lives of children and their families across the nation.