BY HANNAH BARR The BBC reported today that “thousands of vulnerable children in England are being ‘left in limbo’ because their needs are not severe enough.” The charity, Action for Children, has warned that potentially hundreds of thousands of children are falling through the cracks because they are not at crisis point. They warn that …
BY HANNAH BARR The news yesterday that 18 people were found guilty of involvement in a sex grooming network in Newcastle sent shockwaves through the country. It comes shortly after the BBC’s drama Three Girls, detailing some of what happened in Rochdale, where nine men were convicted for their role in working to secure underage …
Following the closure of children’s centres across Oxfordshire, Doorsteps is committed to provision for under-5s. Our dream is to start a stay and play for East Oxford which brings together other services, such as opportunities to meet health visitors, breastfeeding clinic, and other signposting… essentially a one-stop-shop for under-5s care and needs! There is enthusiasm …
This month sees the launch of H2O (Here to Help Oxford), a pilot scheme for befriending struggling families in East Oxford. Parenting is full of challenges, and we want to be able to hold out a hand to parents who are feeling isolated, stressed or finding it difficult to cope. We are partnering with a …
BY HANNAH BARR Nine young people have completed the first Find Your Fire programme with a great celebration on a hot summer’s day in Oxford. Find Your Fire is a new ten-month leadership development programme for 14-19 year-olds in Oxford aimed at building awareness of positive life choices, giving young people the chance at an …
Viva has hosted an informal evening in Oxford to share the good news about our growing network of local churches and organisations that are empowering disadvantaged young people. It’s almost three years since the formation of Doorsteps, which began with a research project to identify the needs for children and families, find the gaps …
As several council-run children’s and families services in Oxfordshire face cuts, more than 100 people attended a conference last Saturday (5 November) to pledge to work together more effectively to meet the needs of vulnerable people in their communities.
Oxfordshire churches and Christian organisations want to fill the gaping void left by the County Council’s decision to shut children’s centres across the region.
Every day more than 50 children need to be taken into care in the UK. They are likely to have come from chaotic, neglectful, abusive or desperate situations and will have suffered trauma. Some will need a home for a few nights, some for a few years, and some will need a permanent home for …
‘Father to the fatherless, defender of widows, this is God, whose dwelling is holy. He places the lonely in families.’ (Psalm 68: 5-6a, NLT) This scripture perfectly sums up what our growing Oxford-based network Doorsteps is all about. This action is needed now more than ever in Oxfordshire as the County Council is closing 44 …