Safe spaces created for city's children

A new initiative to keep young people safe across Coventry has been launched by the city council.

The Child Friendly Cov Safe Spaces scheme has been created with the help of West Midlands Police and about 30 businesses and venues.

The Safe Spaces are places and venues across the city where children can go if they feel they need support, if their phone needs to be charged, or if their parent or carer needs to be contacted.

The scheme - delivered with the help of trained staff - has been set up with input from young, local people.

"I would want every single young person to be able to know where to go, I would want, as a young person, to be able to identify the safe spaces logo and have the confidence to be able to walk into a safe space and know where to go," said one 17-year-old of the project.

Local businesses such as the Skydome, West Orchards, McDonald's, Mosaic Brew and the Odeon have all signed up to the scheme, as well as The Wave, all libraries and Family Hubs.

Matt Clayton, the city council's strategic lead for children in care, children with disabilities and care leavers, said the spaces were somewhere a child or young person could go if they were "feeling unsafe".

"That can be for any reason, it could be that they're feeling threatened, it could be that they've lost their bus fare home or their mobile phone's gone flat and they need to call their parents or carer," he explained.

The Safe Spaces can be identified by window stickers or posters on display and will have facilities like power banks, chargers, and first aid kits.

Ch Supt Paul Drover, of West Midlands Police, said officers would be working closely with Child Friendly Cov to support the safety of children in the community.

"Keeping children and young people safe is a huge priority for us," he said.

"We've spent a lot of time speaking to young people and understanding their concerns around safety."

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