What we believe

We believe in the abused, the most vulnerable, the forgotten and the neglected. We will support them, stand up for them and bring out the best in each and every child.

We do this because we believe that every child deserves the best start in life and the chance to fulfil their potential.

We use the knowledge gained from our direct work with children to campaign for better childcare policy and to champion the rights of every child.

With the right help, committed support and a little belief, even the most vulnerable children can turn their lives around. Barnardo’s is regulated by the Charity Commission. Being a registered charity means that we must always be accountable and transparent.

The Bristol BASE (Barnardo's Against Sexual Exploitation) Hub and Spokes Project works with children and young people across our local region providing specialist sexual exploitation work. We were founded in 1997 to support sexually exploited young people across the City of Bristol. We were the second specialist of its kind to be opened nationally (just a few months behind Barnardo's Bradford service Turnaround) and having been at the cutting edge of practice in this area ever since. Our model is research-led and has been robustly reviewed showing consistantly excellent practice.

Our most recent accolades include:

• the Bristol BASE Hub was recognised as a Centre of Excellence by the Department of Health in 2013 for our practice as we are the only child sexual exploitation service nationally to be offering a One-stop integrated service with on-site CAMHS and sexual health nurses.
• 2014 National Working Group 'Unsung Heroes Award' nomination
• Outstanding inspection status given by CAIU in 2013

Risk Indicators that a child is being sexually exploited include:

• Disclosures of older 'boyfriends'
• Gang affliation
• Receiving gifts, drugs and money
• Going missing and truanting
• Coercive relationships
• Internal trafficking
• Chatting to unknown people on social netowrking sites
• Being found in risky locations

The Bristol BASE Spokes Project can work with young people in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Somerset, North Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Swindon and Bath and North East Somerset. For young people outside of Bristol this support can be commissioned on a case by case basis.

BASE is just one of the projects that Barnardo's works with in Bristol.