How you can help the victims of child abuse
As abuse scandals continue to be exposed in children's homes around the country, we would like you to support our Victims of Abuse appeal to help children who have been made to suffer in this way.
Earlier this year, the terrible toll of years of abuse for more than 100 children in Clwyd was highlighted in this newspaper, and was the launch- pad for a campaign which eventually won government action to tighten standards in children's homes.
This week we revealed that police are seeking 3,000 children who may have been part of another scandal in the North-west.
Our Christmas appeal is in support of projects run by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children including its helpline, direct support to help children who have been abused, and to help prevent future abuse.
Countless children's stories in the community or residential care have never been heard. The NSPCC, Britain's leading charity specialising in child protection and prevention of cruelty runs over 120 projects throughout England and Wales and Northern Ireland offering counselling and therapy to abused children as well as carrying out its own investigations into allegations of child abuse.
The charity relies on public donations for 85 per cent of its income.
We would like you to contribute between now and Christmas. Your money will go to help projects such as the NSPCC's freephone helpline which takes on average 1,200 a week, the London Investigation Team which works with police and social services to investigate paedophiles and the Kaleidoscope project in Newcastle which treats children who have abused other children.
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