Services in your area

"Welcome to NSPCC Northern Ireland's regional pages and to an exciting time for the Society, as we embrace a range of innovative and pioneering ways of helping the most vulnerable children and young people.

"Thanks to the support of the people of Northern Ireland, the NSPCC will be able to continue making big changes for vulnerable local children. We will fight for their rights, listen to them, help them when they need us and keep them safe."

Neil Anderson, head of NSPCC services for children and families in Northern Ireland (pictured).

About our work in Northern Ireland

We have service centres in Foyle, Craigavon and Belfast which provide direct services to children and families across the region. The centres are designed to be places where children can feel safe and supported and better able to overcome the trauma they have experienced. We also provide a service to support young prosecution witnesses, and an Independent Visiting Service.

The work we do in our service centres concentrates on the most important issues affecting children and groups of children who are most at risk. Read more about the overall approach to what we do, or get in touch with your local team for more information.

Find out about how NSPCC services produces an impact for children living locally:

 Local Impact Statement - Northern Ireland (PDF, 8.5kb)

Belfast Service Centre

Our Belfast service centre was opened in July 2011. The team will deliver the following programmes:

• Caring Dads: Safer Children - works with fathers who have been violent to their partners. The programme aims to stop further abuse, recognise the impact their behaviour has on their children, and improve their parenting.
• Family SMILES - works with children who have at least one parent with a mental health problem. The programme reduces the risk of abuse and neglect and helps the family compile a safety plan.
• Improving parenting, improving practice - tackles child neglect by supporting and challenging parents who are struggling to care for their children.
• Assessing the risk, protecting the child - a good practice guide for the assessment of adults to protect children from sexual abuse.
• Preventing non-accidental head injuries in babies - educates parents about the risks of shaking and gives practical coping strategies for the pressures of new parenthood.

Craigavon service centre

Our Craigavon Service Centre was opened in August 2011. The team in Craigavon will deliver the following programmes:

• Letting the future in - provides therapeutic services to help children move on with their lives after sexual abuse.
• Change for good - prevents sexual abuse by working with children who show harmful sexual behaviour.
• Assessing the risk, protecting the child - a good practice guide for the assessment of adults to protect children from sexual abuse.

The centre also provides the following service:

• Craigavon treatment team - a therapeutic service for children who have been abused within the Southern Trust area.

Foyle service centre

Our Foyle service centre was opened in August 2011 and will deliver the following programmes:

• Change for good - prevents sexual abuse by working with children who show harmful sexual behaviour.
• FEDUP - protects children living with adult substance.
• Supporting children in care - provides a new way to give children in care the help they need through ChildLine and face-to-face counseling.
• Letting the future in - provides therapeutic services to help children move on with their lives after sexual abuse.

The centre also provides the following services:

• Children's resource team - a therapeutic services for children and young people who have suffered sexual abuse.
• Insight programme - a treatment and assessment service for young people who display sexually harmful behaviour.

Services across Northern Ireland

The NSPCC also delivers the following services across Northern Ireland:

• Young witness service - This service provides support for young prosecution witnesses (under 18 years old), and their parents/carers, in criminal cases before, during and after any trial. Thanks to further funding from the Department of Justice, this service now supports all children who have to give evidence in a criminal trial in Northern Ireland. It is anticipated that teams will offer support to over 1,400 children annually.

Our UK-wide services

Find out about our UK-wide services, including the NSPCC helpline, ChildLine and the ChildLine Schools Service.

If you are interested in volunteering with ChildLine or the ChildLine Schools Service you can find out more and apply online here.