Approach

VCF have been there when services around my children failed them | Level of service provided is excellent, it caters for all aspects of our case with superb efficiency and warmth |  I could not ask for any more supportive and compassionate service from the VCF. I feel respected and understood | they supported me throughout my court case till I got my daughter back | Amazing service form amazing people | Rapid response, reliable and supportive | always ready to support and advice | not only are VCF supportive but they understand the complexity and minefield which are children and young peoples service | Very Insightful and supportive people helped me | The Staff at VCF was always happy to help and do things for me without many delays | [team member] was very skilled in helping me to write professional letters to social services and showed me empathy whilst listening to my experiences | The staff offered me professional advice and were very easy to understand my situation quickly | I valued the fact that VCF is approachable, I was listened to and caseworker attended court with me | they wrote letters on my behalf to parties involved and came also along with me to court | They are always supportive but also have been advocates with the court and services sometimes speaking when people were reluctant to | VCF has helped me with housing issues, advocating for me. VCF know myself and my daughter and they understand and listen and do not judge | I would urgently recommend the services of VCF to all others who could benefit from it when in need | I would definitely use VCF again when in need but god forbid I don’t come into another problem again | I still need VCF services because my daughter is still at risk of witchcraft and spiritual practices but social services and the court have failed to recognise the threat | I would continue to use the service that VCF offer until I knew that my children were safe | I will continue to rely on the VCF as their belief in me and my child has been essential to my healing | Very helpful, they listen to us and the support provided is amazing | I had a good first experience with VCF | Since me and my children have been going to VCF we have benefitted a lot e.g. Advice, support etc. My children still go to see the team and I know if I needed help, support or advice in any matter VCF team would be there to help. Couldn’t thank them enough | In the situation I have been in, it is important to have someone who believes you and will back you. VCF has been there for me many times and has helped me have faith in myself and the parenting of my daughter. Their positivity for me has helped me so much when I have doubt myself. Thank you | I would like to thank and appreciate VCF for the support and help they offered me all the way during my case. It would not have been easy without your help and advice I received | The services which are unparalleled are the immense patience, warmth and understanding shown to us and our children when we are occasionally unable to attend sessions on time |

It’s been a great support from VCF, they are elite and hopefully remain operating, my children were harmed by the mother, things went wrong and I had to go to court. [VCF] supported and attended 2 trial hearings and I feel blessed that [team member] was there at the hearing. I was given good advice and help from all the staff.

After researching into the background of the Victoria Climbie Foundation, I instantly felt this would be the perfect organisation to begin volunteering with. I had similar interests in crime and child safeguarding as well as the director of the Foundation coming from a law background, a field which I am going into.  The team at VCF were supportive and welcoming from the beginning. My mentor (programme director) immediately identified my needs and the best way to use me within the Foundation; it made my experience fulfilling and useful knowing that I was contributing directly into VCF work, and of great importance in helping me broaden my personal skills.  I am looking forward to attending the 10 year VCF anniversary conference this November as well as carrying out future placements when I have time off university.

Just a small note to say big things in total gratitude for your words, assistance and strength during the time you spent with my daughter, in her unending quest to protect her daughter (my grand-daughter). We were sent to you at a time that I can now look back at and honestly say that had I not been guided to your offices at the precise time that I was, I am not sure what the outcome would have been today. It is said in my culture that ‘nothing happens before its time’ and ‘God never sends us more that we can handle’. What I didn’t realise in all of these teachings is that on the way there we all need helping hands to deal with our trials. In real terms this may not have been an issue for some, but in our family terms, and for me especially, your support and a place to bring my daughter to during episodes where my words were never going to be enough; to have the blessed [team member] turn up to social services offices and give quiet comfort to us both and to have [another team member's] shiny smile and and sharp brain everywhere when needed and the comforting stern words from [other team member] when totally necessary, meant more to me as a support system than I can possibly write within the confines of this A4 paper

On behalf of [student] and the Prince’s Trust ‘TEAM’ Leaders at Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College, I would like to say a huge thank you for the work placement opportunity you gave this year. It makes such a difference to have organisations that are willing to accommodate our students and teach them about the working world. I know that [student] gained a lot from the placement and particularly enjoyed working within your team. [Student] has since successfully completed the course, has become a Prince’s Trust Ambassador and is considering numerous career paths that are now open to him. He is also doing lots of volunteering work with disadvantaged children which he is thoroughly enjoying and the experience of working alongside your team has helped prepare him for…

I am very grateful to VCF for taking me on for my work shadowing week, I have learned a great deal during my four days here and I have felt extremely welcomed into the organisation.

When I began the week I knew relatively little about what the organisation did and how they operated even my knowledge about how the organisation was formed was slim. However after observing the team, attending staff meeting and interviewing members of the VCF I have built up a good idea of how they work and have a great deal of admiration for everything VCF do.

I believe the morals and principles that VCF are based around are very respectable in that they always keep in mind the beliefs, religions, traditions and different cultures of all their service users when dealing with the cases that they work with, so as to not be biased, and all this in aid of protecting children and making sure they are brought up in the best possible environment for them. After my time here I am glad that I have indeed been able to put theory into practice.

My psychology and politics studies fit very nicely into the workings of this organisation, arguably better perhaps than anywhere else I could have gone for my work shadowing week. Seeing many different aspects of the organisation from many different viewpoints has given me a chance to link theories from my studies to VCF which I didn’t think I would be able to do. I found that VCF is an influential and empowering organisation and has provided me with a very successful work shadowing experience.

I just wanted to contact you to say thank you for your and Mor's attendance yesterday. The evaluations were so complimentary and staff were really moved by Mor’s speech. It did exactly what I wanted it to, make people sit up and think but also to reflect and to really understand the importance of the work we do. Staff have all commented on the presentation and really raised the profile of child protection again. (‘This Is Why’ Safeguarding Children Conference, 1st May 2012, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust

I am writing to thank you and your team for your involvement and support during the investigation into the untimely death of Kristy Bamu. As you are aware, on the 5th of March Eric Bikubi and Magali Bamu were sentenced at The Central Criminal Court for Kristy’s murder and received lengthy terms of imprisonment. This was a protracted and complex investigation in which [named VCF team members] played an integral role; the family were grateful for the assistance and empathy that you provided throughout the trial and I believe that your professional involvement with the victims and witnesses contributed to the successful outcome. HH Judge Paget made favourable comments on the conduct of the investigation. I therefore pass on his thanks to you and of course, add my own.

[VCF] “Their work aims to get beyond the ‘presenting problem’ to understand the underlying issues and contexts…” “In individual cases, the aim is to identify the contexts that are impacting on the family, and this looks for common sense rather than reactive solutions.”

“With regard to the report produced, it has been of great assistance to the parties and to the court in connection with this difficult matter. It is hard to comprehend the nature and impact of belief systems and your report went a long way to explain the cultural issues involved. In particular, the considered recommendations were a real help and were immediately adopted by the Local Authority and indeed referred to in detail by the Judge in progressing this case” —–

“I was honoured to be asked to deliver the keynote speech at the Victoria Climbie Foundation conference [The Child Protection System; Reforms and Developments from Laming to Munro] marking the tenth anniversary of the landmark report by Lord Laming into the killing of Victoria Climbie in 2000. As Minister for Children I worked closely with this excellent charity and continue to do so.” (November 2013)

"… the name of Victoria Climbié resonates with millions in this country as representing one of the worst examples of the incredible cruelty human beings can inflict on another innocent vulnerable human being. But the Victoria Climbié Foundation has been at the forefront of leading the crusade against such cruelty, and so we should put aside our sadness to celebrate the terrific work that they have accomplished over recent years." (February 2013)

"… for too many years we have almost been in denial about the extent of child abuse and cruelty happening day in day out across the country. From apparently low level sexual abuse to the most extreme cases of torture, injury and murder this is a cancer in our society that needs to be tackled head-on wherever it is happening. That is why the setting up of the Victoria Climbié Foundation was such an important and powerful way to continue reminding society of the problems we face even in the UK in the 21st Century, and by doing so seek to do something about it." (February 2013)

"Virtually every decade one poor child becomes the iconic face of child abuse in this country. It was Victoria‘s miserable fate to be that child in 2000 and for 10 years her death has been squarely in the minds of all the many campaigners, politicians, journalists and parents who have tried to make sense of child protection, to analyse it, and to improve it. Today is a day to pay tribute to the efforts and determination of all of those, of all political persuasions and none, who have accepted this challenge to make Britain safer for the most vulnerable people in our society. Few groups deserve higher praise than the Victoria Climbie Foundation itself. Since 2003 they have campaigned tirelessly to keep child protection at the forefront of political debate, challenging accepted truths, promoting good practice and fostering new ideas. But their work has not been limited to putting pressure on mere politicians. They have offered advice and advocacy for children, parents and carers, support for communities and for statutory agencies. They have tackled the thorny and frightening issue of child abuse linked to witchcraft and have helped strengthen the capacity of African communities in London. And of course, they have funded and built the enduring monument that is the Centre D’ Education Primaire Victoria Adjo Climbie in the Ivory Coast. On behalf of everyone here today, and of every child who has been helped by your work and of all those who will benefit from the Foundation‘s legacy in the years to come, thank you. You have helped set us on the right path. That path, as you know too well, has not been easy, nor is it yet." (February 2010)

Up until the point of contacting VCF I had been passed from pillar to post with regards to trying to protect my daughter. It has become the norm for my daughter to return from contact covered in bruises and on one occasion I had to call the police to her fathers house following a very distressed phone call from my daughter which ended in a piercing scream and the phone being cut dead, the father refused to answer the phone after this. It makes me furious seeing the NSPCC adverts about every child matters, what about my child I ask myself. I have been to Family court 6 times over the last 3 years, one time being for a committal hearing as I stopped contact as I feared so much for my daughters safety. I have asked for support from Cafcass, Social Services, Doctors, Health visitors, NSPCC, Parentline to name but a few, it turns out no one actually gives a dam about my beautiful little girl, apart from me of course and my family and friends, then I spoke with VCF and told them my story and it was from this first phone call, they cared too.