10.11.08: The Private Equity Foundation supports the Place2Be's expansion into Wales

The Place2Be, which works inside primary schools across local authority ‘hubs’ to improve the emotional well being of pupils, is to open its latest hub in Cardiff in 2009, thanks to funding from PEF. It will assist some 2,000 children in up to six schools and will form part of the Welsh Assembly’s school-based mental health pilot. The ongoing cost will be paid for through a partnership of public and private supporters including the schools themselves, the Cardiff Local Authority, the Welsh Assembly and HBOS.

The move into Wales is just the latest development in PEF’s association with The Place2Be. When PEF started working with the charity in 2007, it was involved with 37,000 children in 112 schools across 12 local authority hubs. It now supports 47,000 children in 146 schools across 16 hubs. PEF was directly involved in its successful expansion into the North West of England, funding the creation of hubs in Manchester and Burnley, has paid for a Head of Fundraising to ensure the sustainability of all the hubs and has helped build internal capacity for further growth.

Benita Refson, Chief Executive of The Place2Be, said: “Gang culture, knife crime, permanent exclusions and truancy are a consequence of leaving children’s problems unaddressed; consequences that affect us all. A staggering 90 per cent of all young offenders had a mental health problem at the age of seven and there are over one million children aged under 15 years who have a diagnosable mental health illness.

“The support from the Private Equity Foundation is allowing us to reach many more children sooner rather than later. Its donation has already given 6,000 children and their families direct access to the mental health services that they need to develop the emotional resilience and strength to cope with the difficulties in their lives and break the cycle of deprivation that exists in their communities.”

Shaks Ghosh, Chief Executive of the Private Equity Foundation, added: “The Private Equity Foundation’s mission is full potential. Ultimately, we want young people to achieve their full potential but this first involves working with charities to achieve theirs. With its already impressive achievements in the vital area of children’s mental health, The Place2Be was the perfect organisation for us to partner with to help scale up their impact. If the children it supports can resolve their emotional difficulties and behaviour now, then our donation is the best investment we can make in their future.”

For further information please contact Rosie Davey at rosie@privateequityfoundation.org or call 020 7749 5129 / 07827 804066