Barnardos is to launch a new charity partnership to support vulnerable children and young people who are at risk due to COVID-19.

The partnership will be funded using £7 million of the emergency charity sector money allocated to the Department of Education.

See, Hear, Respond will launch on the 15 June and will offer tailored support to children and families to help reduce levels of harm.

This will be achieved using online and digital support, face-to-face interventions using social distancing measures and PPE, and wider targeted work with children who will need help reintegrating back into school.

Barnardos will be seeking expressions of interest from potential partners in the coming weeks.

See, Hear, Respond will provide support online to children and families who are struggling, street-based youth work to identify and support children at risk of harm outside of the home, including exploitation, and help vulnerable children to successfully reintegrate back into school or college if they have not been attending during the pandemic.

The programme will focus on finding and reaching out to children around the country who are experiencing negative impacts on their health and wellbeing, as well as those at risk of harm.

This funding will provide:

• Access to an online support package to children and families ensuring they have readily available, accessible and interactive information;
• Online and telephone referral service by trained professionals who can source further help and support from charity workers within the partnership;
• Online counselling or therapy for those experiencing high levels of anxiety, trauma or other mental health issues that can be safely addressed through digital means;
• Youth interventions and face-to-face crisis support, particularly for those at risk of or experiencing various forms of exploitation, including criminal exploitation

By supporting local authorities, schools, police forces, healthcare professionals and other vital services, See, Hear, Respond will focus on supporting children experiencing potentially disastrous impacts on their health and well-being, and those at risk of harm.

The initiative is open to all children where there are concerns for their safety and wellbeing and who are not being seen by statutory agencies. In particular we will be focused on the following groups:

• Under 5s, with a focus on under 2s
• Those with SEND who have other associated harms such as exploitation
• Children out of the home at risk of criminal and sexual exploitation – working in outreach detached settings
• BAME children – offering culturally sensitive and responsive services to reach families and communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19
• Young carers

From June 15th, See, Hear, Respond will be available online and over the phone and will see the partnership of charities providing:​​​​

• Access to digital support packages and information that is accessible and interactive;
• Local telephone helplines that will assess callers’ needs to find further help and support from charity workers, or other services in operation;
• Online counselling or therapy for those going through high levels of anxiety, trauma or other mental health issues that can be safely addressed through digital means;
• Detached youth interventions and face-to-face crisis support, especially for those either at risk of, or experiencing, exploitation;
• Identification of children who would most benefit from extra support to make sure they can reintegrate into school in September.