It is a painful fact that many children and young people in Britain today are still suffering extreme hardship, abuse and neglect. Too often their problems are ignored and their voices unheard. Now it is time to listen and to act.
The Children’s Society is a national charity that runs local services, helping children and young people when they are at their most vulnerable, and have nowhere left to turn.
We also campaign for changes to laws affecting children and young people, to stop the mistakes of the past being repeated in the future.
Our supporters and volunteers around the country fund our services and join our campaigns to show children and young people they are on their side.
Since we were founded in 1881 by a volunteer, Edward Rudolf, volunteers have been vital to The Children's Society by providing support to young people in our services, raising vital funds as retail volunteers and volunteer speakers; taking part in our challenge events; providing administrative support as office volunteers, and more. Without them, we could not make anywhere near the impact on vulnerable children and young people across the country.
Some of the ways we are working to change the lives of vulnerable children and young people:
Running services around the country for young people who are desperately in need of mental health support. Services include therapeutic support, befriending, counselling or advice.
Providing support for young runaways and victims of sexual exploitation.
Supporting and speaking out for young refugees, unaccompanied asylum-seekers and victims of trafficking.
Running a major campaign to expose the damage that debt causes to children’s lives.
Directly lobbying local and national decision-makers around poverty, destitution and welfare reform.
Helping to ensure that children in care or in the child protection system have a say in important decisions that are made about their lives.
Developing programmes to identify and support children living in families where parents are affected by drugs or alcohol misuse.