Charity partnership with the NSPCC sees the investment bank’s employees raise over £1 million for the Camden-based facility and a new therapeutic suite
A unique partnership between Morgan Stanley and the NSPCC came to fruition this week with the delivery of the UK’s first Child House1.
The pioneering multi-agency project, which was officially opened today by the Mayor of London and Home Office Minister Victoria Atkins, has been designed to provide a comprehensive support system for children and teenagers who have suffered sexual abuse.
Since entering into partnership two years ago, Morgan Stanley employees have given their time through volunteering and pro bono strategic support and raised more than £1 million pounds for the children’s charity.
Part of this money has been used to help get ‘The Lighthouse’ project off the ground. In addition it has funded ‘The Morgan Stanley Therapeutic Suite’, which will provide therapeutic services for the NSPCC within the same building.
This added value will bring continued support to children and parents beyond the two-year initial pilot phase of ‘The Lighthouse’.
The main funding for ‘The Lighthouse’ has come via £8m of investment from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, the Home Office, NHS England and the Department for Education.
The University College London Hospitals Foundation Trust (UCLH), in partnership with Tavistock and Portman Foundation Hospital and the NSPCC are delivering the health and wellbeing services at the Camden-based facility.
Clare Woodman, Head of Morgan Stanley EMEA said:
“The Lighthouse is a truly transformational initiative and we are honoured to be supporting the project through our charity partnership with the NSPCC.
“The Morgan Stanley Therapeutic Suite will provide life-changing therapy for children recovering from abuse and I’d like to thank the NSPCC and Morgan Stanley employees for their incredible commitment in supporting the delivery of this ground-breaking project.”
Until now, young people in north London who reported sexual abuse could face multiple interviews with social workers, law enforcement and medical professionals in different and sometimes unfriendly settings, while also struggling to access long-term emotional support.
‘The Lighthouse’ will transform this recovery process, enabling children and teenagers to receive medical assistance, social care, therapeutic and legal support from a single location.
Internally it has a distinct look and feel to make children feel safe, comfortable and at ease, with a number of young people having been consulted on the design and décor.
Based on the Icelandic Barnahus model2 ‘The Lighthouse’, as well as helping young people recover from sexual abuse, will also help gather better evidence from interviews with the aim of getting more successful prosecutions.
Speaking at the launch event for ‘The Lighthouse’, The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:
“Children who have experienced sexual abuse have already undergone a horrific ordeal - so it’s essential that we do everything we can to make their path to recovery and justice as simple as possible.
“This ground-breaking centre, The Lighthouse, brings together the NHS, social workers and the police in one place to make sure young people who have experienced sexual abuse get the support they need.”
Peter Wanless, CEO of the NSPCC, added:
“Bringing this concept to life in the UK is a landmark moment for the NSPCC and all those that advocated this way of working and who have come together to deliver ‘The Lighthouse’.
“The eyes of the nation will be on this project which is organised around the needs of young people that have suffered from the physical and emotional trauma of sexual abuse. It is an enlightened approach which we hope will flourish.
“We are hugely grateful to Morgan Stanley employees for the contribution they have made to a facility that will transform countless lives and hopefully inspire many more Child Houses across the country. The need to organise help in a better way is urgent and compelling.”
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References:
1. The Child House was recommended for London in the 2015 CSA pathway review commissioned by NHS England.
Review of pathway following sexual assault for children and young people in London. Dr Andrea Goddard, Emma Harewood, Dr Lauren Brennan.
2. The Icelandic Barnahus model is supported by Office of Children’s Commissioner for England and described in detail in her 2017 review.
Barnahus: Improving the response to child sexual abuse in England
For media enquiries for NSPCC, please contact Harry Watkinson, T: +44 20 3772 9104, Harry.Watkinson@NSPCC.org.uk
For media enquiries for Morgan Stanley, please contact Mercedes Goldman, T: +44 207 677 5003, Mercedes.Goldman@morganstanley.com