Doubts raised over Health filling gap if NSPCC goes
Wednesday 28th October 2009, 2:29PM GMT.
THE chairman of Guernsey’s closure-threatened NSPCC branch has raised doubts that Health and Social Services will be able to pick up all the pieces.
The department has pledged to try to fill the gap in services after the charity’s national office announced it planned to close the local operation in March.
But National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Guernsey branch chairman Peter Daniels (pictured) has warned of a severe loss to the community if the centre did close.
‘Although it is encouraging that the department has said it would try to help, I do have concerns that it would be able to fulfil the whole role, given the resource constraints.’
The NSPCC wants to close the Guernsey branch and concentrate on more-populated areas in the UK. Earlier this week, Health said it might be able to provide the services lost by any closure with money set aside to develop a further service agreement with the NSPCC.
Mr Daniels said he understood why the proposal had been made but he was worried about local children currently receiving treatment at the centre.
‘I am really concerned on two fronts,’ he said, ‘for users no longer having access to the services and what will happen to them and also for [NSPCC children’s services manager for the Bailiwick] Mick Dunbar and his team, who stand to lose their jobs. There is a real demand for the services here.’
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it is an absolute disgrace that there has not been one single comment on this page against the closure of the NSPCC Centre. Is this because the mindset is that there is no abuse of children in the island and therefore the island does not need the NSPCC. The centre is a very important drop in centre for all parents regardless of background, class, race, religion or gender. It offers an extremely valuable first point of contact for children who have been abused offering a counselling service and hand of help in extreme desperate times. Parents are also offered support when there is no where or no one they can turn too.
It seems there are those who can just stand back and abandon those poor children in the Bailiwick who suffer appalling abuse at the hands of parents, relatives, friends & strangers. Perhaps finally the time as come where we can all put our hands up and admit that we live in an island where we are becoming so wrapped up in greed, money, selfishness and ”it does not impact on me so why should I care’ culture and admit that the Bailiwicks finally become the very typical English town with its way of life’ that so many have strived for and has finally taken over and further silenced the voice of the abused child in the Bailiwick. What a sad indictment on those in the Bailiwick who stand back and do nothing and who should hang their heads in shame…To these people I say. ”I hope you have a Happy Christmas.” because of you there are children in the Bailiwick who most most certainly will not.
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Pete
I would like to respond to a couple of your points.
I agree that many islanders have a “it couldn’t happen here” mentality. Others simply play the ostrich and pretend it’s not happening. Not everyone though – many of us are well aware of the level of social poverty on this island.
On this occasion however I think your anger would be better directed at the NSPCC.
Although I accept that is their decision and their perogative, the NSPCC have evidently decided at a regional level that Guernsey no longer fits into their strategy.
Considering that decision was made in the UK, I don’t think that the people of Guernsey can be held responsible for it, or accused of abandoning children. It was the NSPCC’s decision to close the centre, not the people of Guernsey. It was their decision to give approx 6 months (possibly even less) notice of closure, leving the HSSD to pick up the pieces. If anyone has “abandoned” the island’s children on this occasion it is the NSPCC, especially considering the views of their local director which seem to have been ignored at a higer level.
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Pete you’re post is a disgrace Paul well said
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Hi John – I can’t agree with you that Pete’s post was a disgrace. He evidently cares about what happens to vulnerable people – something that is highly commendable; he also makes a valid point that many people either don’t believe abuse happens here, or don’t want to believe it.
I just thought his evident (and perhaps justifiable) anger at the proposed closure of the facility was misdirected.
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Paul, I take on board your comments. I am not so much angry but more alarmed that the welfare of children are deemed unimportant in the island. Of course I understand that the NSPCC closing the Gsy branch is a result of the economic downturn. But, this charity is a charity of hope for thousands of children and we do not have the ability here in the island to take on the high levels of child abuse in the island. We have an appalling culture and mentality over here of ‘sweeping social issues under the carpet’ to protect the sacred cow Finance and those with money and power who are paedophiles. We have paedophile rings over here and we attract child abusers from outside because of the lax police checks and no deterrent of a sex offenders register the abuse of children can continue freely. Child abuse is not just a ‘working class’ decease, it spans across the social classes and it is those with money who are well connected in the island who do not get prosecuted for abusing children. Whilst poverty breeds many social ills in the family, we are told we have no poverty in the island so this cancels out this particular social group and clearly directs the finger of abuse at middle and upper class members of our community. We can spend £500,000 on a felix symbol in Delancy and £250,000 on offices in Brussels and millions on consultants but can not spread the cost with the NSPCC in keeping open the centre for the sake of the children in the island. What about the landlord who owns the building which houses the centre surely they can reduce the rent. I have no faith whatsoever in HSSD taking over the massive workload when the NSPCC centre closes because they do not have the budget, resources or expertise which is the key to ensuring a young life is brought back from the darkness despair of abuse to at least live with hope and some sort of normality in their life.
John: You are entitled to your opinion I may not agree with it but I respect it.
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I found it a surprise. Is it a funding issue?
Still, any government should have a strategy in place and not rely on these bodies for our social needs.
Roger Perrot believes his society would be run by rich philanthropists funding voluntary and charity orgs to pick up the pieces.
This shows quite clearly how devoid of intelligence his proposal is.
We may have low taxes, but we’ve not got much else that matters.
Not even a good finance reputation.
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Arnald – reading the previous articles it was a strategic decision by the NSPCC to focus on areas of higher population density. I would assume that funding also came into the equation though.
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I think it has something to do the the UK government, if you are a resident in the UK making a donation to a charity the government will give tax relief. Can you imagine what would happen to the NSPCC if it lost this support. How do we know that because we are not going along with the UK governments requests to change our whole tax structure, that they are putting pressure on the NSPCC to pull out? Just thought Id put that out there.
We have one drop in, to service 65,000 islanders. We all have contributed on the island to the NSPCC in one way or another,does this mean that they will no longer be asking for charitable contributions from the public of Guernsey? I wonder how much money we contribute to the charity in the islands, it would be interesting to know.
And what happens to the qualified staff that work in this building. Its a real shame. Maybe before pulling out of Guernsey they should look to moving to smaller less costly sites.
What happens to the children who are receiving treatment from the NSPCC, you cant just close the doors on these children and families.
Its awful to lose such a great service, I only hope in their wisdom that they change their minds.
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The NSPCC have nationally decided to refocus their efforts and their strategy. This is both strategically and financially driven. However, locally the NSPCC has been amazingly well supportd over the years with six figure legacies being left to them and I am sure that this will have a negative affect from loyal supporters here. I would have hoped for better genuine consultation and dialogue.
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Caz makes a good point, will the NSPCC still seek support from islanders? According to Pete, six figure legacies have been given to the charity from people here.
Perhaps that’s part of the answer. The current staff set up a local charity. Divert donations to the NSPCC to this charity which will run the centre using funds donated by local people. Perhaps the States will make up any shortfall meaning that they don’t have to pick up the pieces of the closure?
Thoughts Pete?
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