The AFRUCA Support Programme for Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage Families Affected By County Lines, Child Trafficking, Child Exploitation and Youth Violence is delivered with funding from Manchester City Council.

Each year, our service supports 30 families with children at risk of different forms of harm outside the home environment. Most of our families have been in the country for less than five years. We provide a range of support services through our dedicated Family Support Worker. Services include one-to-one practical support to access appropriate services, the absence of which could push children into harm outside the home. These include access to housing, support to address immigration challenges, problems with schools, including exclusions, bullying as well as signposting to help with financial difficulties and cultural foodbanks.

Through our one-to-one safeguarding training programme for parents, we help to improve their knowledge and understanding of how cultural and religious practices in child raising could compound issues for children and put them at risk and cause adverse experiences for their children.

Our Worker also provides ongoing training and support to understand the risks their children could experience outside the home that could put them at risk of grooming, gang influences, trafficking and exploitation. The aim is to enable parents develop the knowledge and skills to understand risk of harm and better safeguard their children.

Referrals into our service comes from parents, faith and community groups, schools, various agencies including Complex Safeguarding, Engage Panels and others.

We deliver community education and awareness raising working with Family Hubs across Manchester. These group sessions allow parents to discuss issues relating to children and young people.

Issues such as anti-social behaviour, county lines, and even lack of support for young people are often discussed. 

Our service also imbibes a partnership approach as we work very closely with other agencies across manchester to support families at risk. There is a cross over between our work with families and our direct work with children through our REVIVE project.

Contact AFRUCA for any queries and to get involved.