The Duchess of Cornwall visited Barnardo’s Child and Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Services to meet with staff and young ambassadors of the charity today. Camilla has been President of Barnardo’s since 2007.
Her Majesty The Queen, who worked with the organisation since 1983, handed over the role of patron to Camilla in 2016. She last visited Barnardo’s back in December 2013, accompanied by The Duchess of Cornwall.
During the visit, the Duchess met a young girl that showed her squishy fiddle toy to Camilla, explaining that it helped her calm down when she’s feeling anxious. “You’d better take it back otherwise I may steal it!”, the Duchess joked.
Founded in 1866, the charity works to support vulnerable children in the UK, helping thousands of families to build a better future.
Last year around 300,000 children, young people, parents and carers were supported by Barnardo’s through more than 1,000 services across the UK.
The Duchess of Cornwall also had a portrait of herself made by children during a speed-drawing exercise, each child has only one minute to complete a section of the drawing. The exercise is aimed to be an ice-breaker for those attended who have never met before.
Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall during a visit to the Barnardo’s Child and Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Services in London.
The charity’s Trauma Informed Growth & Empowered Recovery (TIGER) services is an evidence- based and trauma-informed approach that builds on expertise developed by Barnardo’s over the last 25 years to improve the lives of children and young people who have been sexually assaulted, abused and exploited. Between 2018 and 2019, the programme has supported 234 people.
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The approach is designed to provide children and young people with the narrative to understand and express their experiences and coach them to recovery through empathetic listening, emotional regulation, positive psychology and personal goal setting.
In honour of today's visit, Her Royal Highness was given a badge to mark more than 10 years of service to the charity, from chair of trustees John Bartlett and chief executive Javed Khan. She also signed charity's guest book to mark the occasion.
