A scheme where police officers give a cuddly toy to young children they meet during their daily patrols has been expanded across the North East.
The ‘Trauma Teddies’ scheme was launched in September 17 but was started as a pilot operation that just covered part of Newcastle.
It involved knitted teddy bears being stored in patrol cars of response officers so that they can hand it to young children they meet when responding to incidents. They could be handed to children who were involved in a road traffic collision or to a young child who had gone missing.
Now the decision has been made to expand the pilot forcewide so patrol cars in Gateshead, Sunderland, North Tyneside and Northumberland will carry ‘Trauma Teddies’.
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Dame Vera Baird QC, said: “I very much welcome this initiative to Northumbria. It recognises the effect a traumatic experience can have on a child and such a simple gesture is a step towards making a child’s experience less painful.
Our club would like to thank members, friends and knitters from Foxhunters Slimming World Group and of course Soroptimist Sister Vera Baird.
