DOCUMENT 1
General background information
THE CATHOLIC
CHILD CARE
AGENCIESThere are 18 caring agencies
and Children's Societies in England and Wales serving the 22 Catholic
dioceses. Most of these are based in and serve one particular
diocese but two serve larger areas. The agencies vary substantially
in size and history and in the activities they carry out. Many
but not all are adoption agencies. In general if the agency's
name includes the word "children" then it specialises
in services for children and families. If the name does not include
"children" then the agency also provides some services
for adults. However, even this distinction is not a clear one
as work with and for children cannot be done in isolation from
supporting families and carers, and many projects support people
across a wide age range. The services provided for children and
families are very wide-ranging and include:
Adoption, both of infants and of older, disadvantaged/special
needs children
Post-adoption support
Residential and day services for children with physical,
sensory on learning disabilities, and for emotionally disturbed
children
Respite care for children with physical and/or learning
disabilities
Foster care for children and young people
Family centres
Parenting skills training
Counselling in schools
Child psychotherapy
Crisis intervention and family support, to help families
remain together as a unit Individual, family and marital counselling
Counselling of pregnant women and their families
and partners
Counselling those suffering from post-abortion trauma
Projects for homeless young people
Work with alcohol, drug and substance abusers
Work with prostitutes and their children
Assisting refugees and travellers
Community development projects usually in inner city
areas involving the use of a centre which can be the focus of
a wide variety of supportive activities
Help and support of families in bed and breakfast
housing
Mother and baby homes and assessment centres
Providing information to adoptees and helping to
trace birth families
Origins work with others who were in Catholic care
as children
THE CATHOLIC
CHILD WELFARE
COUNCIL (CCWC)The Catholic Child
Welfare Council, which was founded in 1929, is a federation of
the Catholic diocesan agencies and religious congregations concerned
with child care. It promotes the care and welfare of children
and families, co-ordinates resources, provides advice, guidance
and training and encourages high standards of professional practices.
It provides a forum for its members to formulate common policies
and acts generally as a link with and between all the Catholic
agencies.
| 
