A Millennium Centre Service

Gateway Digest

I am concerned about the welfare of a child or young person – who can I report it to?Posted Wednesday 18th April 2018

If you believe that a child or young person is at immediate risk you should contact the police immediately on 999.

If you believe that a child or young person is not in immediate danger but at risk of neglect or abuse (physical, verbal, emotional or sexual) then you can:

  • Contact St Helens Council on 01744 676 600 (9am to 5pm Monday to Friday). If it is outside of these hours you can call the Emergency Duty Team on 0345 0500 148
  • Contact Merseyside Police on 0151 709 6010
  • Contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000
  • Discuss the concerns with a professional (e.g. teacher or social worker).

Further information about domestic violence for children and young people can be found at The Hideout.

What do Social Services do for children and families? How can I contact them?Posted Wednesday 18th April 2018

Children’s social care services work in partnership with other agencies to support:

  • families where children are assessed as being in need (including disabled children)
  • children who may be suffering neglect/abuse and need protection
  • children who may need looking after (e.g. through fostering or care)
  • children who are placed for adoption within families

Further information about social care services for children and families can be found on the St Helens Council website. You can also speak to someone at the Contact Centre on 01744 676 600 (or the Emergency Duty Team for out of hours).

Family Rights Group is a national charity that advises families whose children are involved with, or need children’s services, because of welfare needs or concerns. Through their free and confidential adviceline (0808 801 0366) they can advise parents, friends or relatives of a child who has the involvement of Social Workers, or if you need extra support from children’s services.

Where can I find information about childcare or Children’s Centres?Posted Wednesday 18th April 2018

St Helens Family Information Service offers a whole range of free information such as different types of childcare and Children’s Centres, plus assistance around gaining financial help and finding family services and activities. In addition to offering phone and e-mail support, the Family Information Service also allows you to search for childcare and family services/activities via their online directory. A useful guide to choosing childcare can be found here.

Sure Start Children’s Centres are placed where children (aged between 0 and 5) and their families can have access to integrated services and information; ensuring that families can get help when they need it, tackling issues early and helping to prevent problems from emerging later on. Information about the various Sure Start Children’s Centres in St Helens can be found here.

A national directory of family services containing information about Ofsted registered childcare (e.g. nurseries, pre-schools, Childminders and out of school clubs) can also be found via OpenFamily Services.

What services are available in the Millennium Centre?Posted Wednesday 18th April 2018

A lot of people think that the Millennium Centre is an NHS function, however they are actually a registered charity that provide a range of services to support the local community.

For the general public, the following vital local services are housed within the Millennium Centre:

  • The NHS Walk-in Centre and X-ray facilities
  • TAZ
  • Visual Impairment Resource Centre
  • Citizens Advice Bureau
  • Housing Options and Advice
  • plus an independent Pharmacy

The Millennium Centre also provides support to other charitable organisations based in St Helens – for more information about the work that they do visit their website at www.tmcsh.org.uk

Is there any practical support available for ex-service personnel?Posted Wednesday 18th April 2018

Live At-Ease is a unique programme dedicated to supporting ex-service personnel and their families across the north west of England. Whether you left yesterday or thirty years ago, Live At-Ease Caseworkers provide practical, one-to-one support to deal with issues that come from spending time in the armed forces.

Civvy Street is a national charity that provides information about transition, learning and work services for Service leavers and the ex-Services community. Their helpline can be accessed by calling 0800 169 4073 or by emailing [email protected].

Further information about support for veterans can also be found through Veterans UK (helpline 0800 169 2277) and Big White Wall.

Please also see the link below to support available for veterans with mental health problems or who would like some emotional support.

Where can I find my nearest Funeral Director or bereavement services?Posted Wednesday 18th April 2018

Losing a loved one is an emotional experience and it may be difficult to consider to the practical elements that follow a person’s death.

St Helens Council run a service called Tell us Once, which can help you to contact all of the people that need to know that the person has passed away. To make an appointment with the Tell us Once service you can call 01744 676 789 or visit the Contact Centre at Wesley House.

There is also help and support available for dealing with the emotional side of losing someone – please see some of the related frequently asked questions below.

Where can I find information about Community Safety?Posted Wednesday 18th April 2018

The Community Safety Team at St Helens Council work in partnership with Merseyside Police and other agencies to reduce crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour. The Safer St Helens website has plenty of further information about what is being done in St Helens to combat crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour. This includes information on how to report a crime, what is being done in your area and how to become involved in local Neighbourhood Action Groups.

Where can I give my views on services?Posted Wednesday 18th April 2018

Healthwatch St Helens is a network of local individuals and organisations aimed at giving people a greater say in the health and social care services that they receive. It is completely independent of organisations who provide these services (e.g. the Council and NHS) and ensures that health and social care services meet the needs of local people.

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