Girls in care are easy prey for unscrupulous men

Girls who are looked after in care are incredibly vulnerable. The facts are bleak:

• 60% of girls in care have contemplated suicide; 40% made at least one attempt
• Girls in care are twice as likely to be cautioned or convicted as other girls
• 25% of all girls leaving care are pregnant or already mothers

With no family network to support them and with cripplingly low-self-esteem, they are easy prey for unscrupulous men. The majority of girls in care have suffered violence or abuse; they think it's normal and they deserve it.

Doncaster is a city blighted by very high levels of children in care: 72 children in 1,000 compared to the national average of 54/ 1,000. Our Powerpuff project for girls in care in Doncaster urgently needs your support. Our Local Authority funding has been cut and we need to raise £60,000 to run this life-changing project. The girls in Doncaster badly need our help, support and protection right now. Please help us today. For some girls, the Powerpuff project was the closest they ever had to a real, caring family.

Read more about how you donation can help. Can you become a Platform 51 Friend and sponsor a girl?  

Your generosity will changes lives right now. Take it from Emily*, aged 13:

"I went into care when I was 4. My mum was a prostitute. I can remember men coming to the house. I had not met any of my family since I left and I felt sad and upset about it. I am really glad I went to the Powerpuff Girls project because I always have someone to talk to. Now I am going to try harder at everything. I love going to Platform 51 we do loads of great stuff. Once we went to London ... and it was the best day of my life."

Please give as much as you can.

*Not her real name.

Changes will affect the most vulnerable warns 15 organisations.

Press release

Fifteen organisations including Platform 51 have today joined forces and written a letter to the Minister of State for Pensions, Steve Webb MP expressing deep concern about DWP proposals to abolish parts of the Social Fund.

The Social Fund provides an extremely important safety net to many of the most vulnerable people in our society say the Chartered Institute of Housing, Citizens Advice, Community Links, CPAG, Crisis, Family Action, Gingerbread, Homeless Link,  National Housing Federation, Platform 51, RNIB, Shelter, St Mungo's, Toynbee Hall  and the TUC. They warn that proposed changes to abolish Community Care Grants and most aspects of Crisis Loans, and to transfer administration to local authorities from 2013 when Universal Credit is introduced, could result in a drastic and wide scale reduction of vital support to those most in need.

The letter to the Minister highlights the huge scale of need for these payments. While there were 640,000 applications for a Community Care Grant, and 3.65 million applications for a Crisis Loan in 2009/10, evidence given to the Public Accounts Committee last year showed that on average, only 32 per cent of "legitimate demand" for Community Care Grants was met.*

While the letter recognises that there is a need to review how these payments are administered, the charities express deep concern at the lack of analysis by the DWP into the needs and circumstances of the people who rely on Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans, and the lack of details on how the proposals will work. The charities also express concern at the decision to move administration to local authorities at a time when their budgets are being cut.

The charities are asking for the opportunity to meet with the Minister, as well as urging him to provide further evidence and a clear business case to explain and justify the withdrawal of such an essential part of the welfare system, and to explain how the proposals would meet the needs of the most vulnerable to ensure an effective safety net is maintained.

-ends-

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmpubacc/573/573.pdf , page 10

For more information contact:

laura.burnell@citizensadvice.org.uk

Tel: 0207 833 7085

Our out-of-hours contact number: 0845 0990107

Notes to editors:

1.    The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of local bureaux, all of which are independent charities, and national charity Citizens Advice. Together we help people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more information in England and Wales see www.citizensadvice.org.uk

2.    The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality. For online advice and information see www.adviceguide.org.uk 

3.    Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2.1 million clients on 7.1 million problems from April 2009 to March 2010, an 18% increase on the previous year. For full 2009/2010 service statistics see: http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/index/pressoffice/press_index/press_20100517.htm

4.    Out of 22 national charities, the Citizens Advice service is ranked by the general public as being the most helpful, approachable, professional, informative, effective / cost effective, reputable and accountable. (nfpSynergy's Brand Attributes survey, May 2010).

5.    Most Citizens Advice service staff are trained volunteers, working at around 3,300 service outlets across England and Wales.

Child poverty strategy for Wales published

Platform 51 Cymru welcomes the publication of the Assembly's Child Poverty Strategy for Wales. Linda Pritchard, Welsh Policy Officer at Platform 51 Cymru, said: "We are pleased that the Assembly is committed to eradicating child poverty and welcome the Strategy's acknowledgement of the link between women's poverty and child poverty."

In our consultation response to the draft Child Poverty Strategy we said we welcomed many of the actions listed in the Strategy, but believed these will be improved and become more effective if a gendered approach is adopted so that women, and their children, will be supported out of poverty.

More not in employment, education or training

The Government has released the latest figures for young peole not in education, employment or training.

Rebecca Gill, director of policy at Platform 51, said:

"The current rise in youth unemployment and the number of 16- to 24-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training, so-called 'NEET', is very worrying. It will disproportionately affect girls who are more likely to be without work or not in education, and who tend to be employed in services seeing the greatest cuts.

"We welcome the government's commitment to provide 75,000 additional apprenticeships to try and address the current crisis. Almost one million young people now face the prospect of no education or employment, and with almost 20% of 16- to 24- year-old girls without work or not in education or training, we are very concerned that the most disadvantaged girls and women are likely to be left behind.

"Many of the girls we work with are forced out of education and training by systems that don't meet their needs. They tell us that single-sex environments and flexible timetables are crucial in helping them fulfil their potential. We call on the government to review the services for women aged 16 to 24 and unlock women's talents which could benefit the UK economy by up to £23 billion every year."

Helping gypsy girls stay healthy

Platform 51 Cymru has just started working with girls from the gypsy and traveller communities in the Llanelli area. The programme, especially created for the gypsy girls, is called Positive pathways and consists of group sessions and workshops which teach girls to useful life skills.

For the first few weeks of Positive pathways the girls have been learning about healthy living. Local experts have given advice and demonstrations on a holistic approach to health including exercise and relaxation. As the programme continues the girls will learn about how to prepare and eat healthy food, how to manage and cook on a budget and the benefits exercise to improve health. 

Helen Williams, Platform 51 Cymru's programme manager said: "Loads of gypsy and traveller women have come to our centre in Llanelli.  We give them a chance to take part, have their say and make decisions about what they do. Since Positive pathways started, just a few weeks ago, we have already seen the girls become more enthusiastic and confident."

Helen continues: "Girls from gypsy and traveller communities often drop out of the mainstream school system early for a variety of reasons and can miss out badly. The idea behind Positive pathways is to get girls from the gypsy communities taking part in an alternative that reduces isolation, promotes healthy living and teaches useful things, like how to get the services that they are entitled to."

Kim Williams, the Carmarthenshire county support officer, has introduced Platform 51 staff to the local Irish gypsy and traveller community on the official site at Pen y Bryn. In the next few weeks Platform 51 will also start work with the gypsy and traveller mothers of children at Bynea school. Platform 51 plans to teach practical, money-saving skills and give the opportunity to be creative.

Positive pathways is funded for three years by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Mae Platform 51 yn cefnogi merched a menywod wrth iddynt gymryd rheolaeth dros eu bywydau.

Kaylie uses her experiences of being homeless to help others

Kaylie Coombes, 22, who goes to Platform 51 in Tonbridge has used her experiences of being homeless to help other young people in similar situations by joining the National Youth Reference Group. She says: “I talk to local government and housing associations about what could make things better for young people, the way we want our services to be run and that sort of thing. It’s very empowering – life-changing! We don’t ask for drastic changes, just little things that’ll make a big difference. They ask us what we think and I like the fact that they listen. I think they can find out more about what it’s really like by asking us who have been through it.”

Low pay commission releases 2009 report

The Low Pay Commission is calling for apprentices to receive a national minimum wage in its 2009 report, published last week. However this will be at a lower rate than for other workers.

They have recommended the Government ask them to look into an appropriate minimum wage rate for apprentices in next year's report. The Government will respond to their recommendations in the summer.

YWCA's Parliamentary officer Helen Berresford said: "If the Government does accept the recommendation it really is great progress and a fantastic step for the More than one rung campaign and us.

The Commission's report also asked for small increases to the current national minimum wage for all workers and for the age at which people receive the adult rate to be lowered from 22-years-old to 21. Both of these recommendations have been accepted. The national minimum wage will rise by 7 pence per hour in October 2009. However the age at which employees receive the adult rate will not change until October 2010.

Helen Berresford said: "We campaigned to get rid of youth rates altogether however, this small change is still a win and welcomed."

James Anthony, UNISON national executive council member said on behalf of national minimum wage campaigners: "Against the backdrop of recession, when we need to be putting more money into the pockets of the low-paid, it is a surprisingly low increase.

"We are pleased that the government has responded positively to the LPC call for the adult rate to start from age 21. However, this small move actually highlights the continuing discrimination by age, preserved in the national minimum wage, which is again exempted from the provisions of the Equality Bill.

"Our message to the government is: we want and need more bold action to raise the level and end the injustices in the national minimum wage. We believe our campaign has played an important role in challenging the proposed zero increase, in winning the change in start of the adult age band, and the proposed inclusion of apprentices. Our campaign continues."

YWCA is part of the campaign to end age discrimination in the national minimum wage.

YWCA launches credit crunch survival guide

Living on a low income, keeping loans under control and financial abuse are just three of the subjects covered by a recession-busting leaflet launched today by YWCA. The guide is aimed at young women and features tips on saving money, low budget shopping and cutting costs.

The charity is concerned that women living on low incomes are currently finding it even more difficult to balance their limited weekly income. It believes they are getting into even greater financial difficulties.

"The women we work with have very limited incomes" says Sarah Payne, Chief Executive YWCA. "Within this leaflet we provide key pieces of financial information which, we hope, will help these women manage their very limited resources better."

"In the current economic climate everyone is worried about money. But young women in some of the poorest communities are particularly vulnerable. They tend to be on low incomes and sometimes lack the skills to manage their limited funds" Sarah continues: "Young mothers and teenage girls, who have had to leave unhappy homes, can find themselves suddenly living independently with little or no support. They find themselves in charge of household bills, with responsibilities that they've never had to think about before. We hope this leaflet will help them and demonstrate that YWCA is here to support them".

Women often do jobs that pay so badly they experience 'in-work poverty'. Nearly two-thirds of low paid workers are women. Sectors with the highest proportions of minimum-wage jobs are female-dominated; for example retail, hospitality, social care, hairdressing and cleaning.

According to the Trade Union Conference (TUC) it is likely that women's jobs will be affected more than in past recessions. More women have been made redundant since the beginning of 2008 than men. [TUC (2009) Women and Recession: How will this recession affect women at work?]

In times when money is scarce women on low incomes are more vulnerable to credit and store card offers, especially if they have young children. Often they do not realise the expensive interest charges they will incur if they do not pay off their account each month.

Linda Jack, Youth Policy Adviser at the Financial Service Authority (FSA) says: "I welcome this excellent and timely initiative from YWCA. The young women they work with are likely to be disproportionally affected by the credit crunch and will need as much support as possible to be able to effectively manage their money. This leaflet, alongside the outstanding support YWCA centres already offer to so many young women, will be a lifeline for those struggling to make ends meet and make the most of their money."

Some women attending YWCA centres have talked about boyfriends, having lost their jobs, taking money from them without asking and not paying them back or using their credit cards without permission - in some cases a form of financial abuse which is putting them in debt. The leaflet therefore looks at this issue and suggests ways to avoid falling into this trap.

You can download the credit crunch survival guide here.

Girls should have more to do than get drunk, says chief exec

Survey of young women shows disturbing evidence

Disturbing evidence of young women being deprived of money by controlling partners has come to light in a recent survey on money and debt carried out by YWCA England & Wales. The charity fears this could accelerate if the economic crisis deepens.

YWCA wanted to find out how the current crisis was affecting girls and young women emotionally and practically. They was surprised to discover that one third of young women surveyed admitted that their partners had deployed methods such as forcing young women to hand over cash or credit cards, taking benefits or forcing them to sign financial contracts in their name.

Interestingly, despite these admissions, many young women did not want to acknowledge that this was financial abuse, a recognised form of domestic violence, in which someone deprives a partner of enough money to meet basic needs through manipulation and control.

Gabriella was with her partner for nine months and now recognises those patterns:

"My boyfriend constantly asked me for money, which he spent on booze, and I'd have no money for myself. When I told him I didn't have any money left he called me a liar and checked my bank statements. He insulted me until my self-esteem was at rock bottom. I got help from my local YWCA and have built up my confidence since then but I think loads more women out there should be aware that this kind of behaviour counts as abuse and is unacceptable."

YWCA is already running programmes to help young women understand more about money management. It is working closely with charity Refuge, which this week published its own report on financial abuse, to raise awareness about it. It is concerned that, like many forms of abuse, it is largely misunderstood and hidden.

YWCA wants: tackling financial abuse to become part of the National Action Plan on domestic violence; improved financial assistance to women experiencing domestic violence and economic abuse; improved data collection to better reflect the crime itself, by both the police and through the British Crime Survey plus investment in further research; young women and men to receive education on financial abuse as part of their PSHE education on both money and relationships; and professionals such as youth workers, social workers, teachers and doctors to receive training and information so they can identify and support young women at risk of, and experiencing, financial abuse.

YWCA's director of policy said: "What's particularly concerning is that most young women in this kind of situation don't even realise they are being abused. Financial abuse doesn't necessarily involve violence; it is a damaging form of manipulation and control. Our worry is that when a partner feels weakened or diminished at times when money is tight, it could only lead to an escalation of the problem."

For more information read our briefings and information sheets on financial abuse, money and debt.