Citizen Advice

This article is an outline of the services we offer at Epping Forest Citizens Advice and the issues that people come to us about. Citizens Advice has been around a long time. It was set up in 1939, just before the Second World War. It came to this area in the 1950s through various local initiatives. It is still very much a locally-based service. Each local Citizens Advice is a separate charity with its own board of local trustees. We are all affiliated to the national organisation, which provides us with advice, technical support, and audit services, but almost all our money is raised locally. Our main financial supporter is Epping Forest District Council but they do not control us and they respect our need to be independent and to act solely in the interests of our clients. Who can ask our help? Anyone who lives, works or studies in the Epping Forest District. You don’t have to be a British citizen. In the last year (1 October 2021 to 30 September 2022) we registered a total of 1925 clients across the District. Of these, 76 were from North Weald. What are the issues that people come to us with? There is a wide range but the biggest issues are those relating to state benefits and tax credits. These amount to about half of our caseload. They include Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, and many others. After benefits the biggest issues are debt, financial services and housing. Often a lot of issues are connected, which is why we try to cover as wide a range as possible. What can we do to help? The service any local Citizens Advice can provide is inevitably limited by the locally available resources and the skills and the experience of the staff and volunteers in an In our District we can advise you on any benefits issue. If it’s appropriate we can help with form-filling and can correspond on your behalf with the Department for Work and Pensions or the Council. If you want to challenge a decision we can advise you what to do and can argue your case for you, though we can’t usually represent you at a face to face hearing before a tribunal. We can’t guarantee success but our success rate is high. On debt issues, we have experienced and skilled debt advisers who can advise you on debt solutions and deal with creditors on your behalf. There are many other charities and advice agencies providing services in this area and across the country so if you come to us with an issue where we don’t have the resources or expertise to help you over time or in detail we can refer you to another appropriate organisation, such as the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) for employment issues, or Shelter or a specialist housing solicitor for housing issues. How do you contact us? The best way is by phone. The number, which is free, is 0808 278 7855. We have advisers on hand to answer between 9.30 and 2.30, Tuesday to Thursday. We are very busy at the moment so if you can’t get through at first try again. We also have an adviser at the Hub at the Civic Offices in Epping every Thursday between 9.30 and 2.30 if you want to talk to someone face-to-face. If you just want information you can go to the Citizens Advice national website www.citizensadvice.org.uk. Source: Paul Stockton

Encouraging parents and carers to talk to their children about what they are playing and looking at online

From the 16-23 October, the Essex Safeguarding Children Board (ESCB) and partners hosted a week of online activity raising awareness of online risk, spotting the signs of abuse, discussing the importance of healthy relationships and open communication at home, and exploring methods to protect young people from abuse. Traditional signs of exploitation include a young person having more money, being secretive, or getting taxis everywhere. New and emerging signs of exploitation stem from the online world, such as receiving online commodities - game currency and other gifts within games. It is important to remember exploitation is not the child’s fault and they are never to blame.

By creating a supportive environment where online safety is discussed in the same way as road safety or stranger danger, children will feel more able to speak openly about concerns they may have and potentially avoid an online threat escalating. The week of activity covered: • Children’s internet use • Online safety advice for primary and secondary age children as well as younger children • Online gaming • How to discuss healthy relationships and consent with children • Online bullying • Frightening content/harmful online challenges Concerns about child exploitation can be reported anonymously via Crimestoppers 0800 555111. There is also a dedicated Police Child Exploitation hotline - for parents, carers and members of the public to seek advice around concerns they may have about their own or other children with regards to criminal and sexual exploitation - 01245 452058.