In the UK today, millions of children are living in poverty
About us
Why Action for Children?
In the UK today, millions of children are living in poverty.
Many face neglect and abuse.
Many suffer poor mental health.
Many live with disability.
And all of them need our help.
What we do
Action for Children protects and supports children and young people, providing practical and emotional care and support, ensuring their voices are heard, and campaigning to bring lasting improvements to their lives.
Prevention
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Children can be struggling with problems. But if we help them in time, they can handle those problems better. Early help makes a real difference. And every child in need deserves it.
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Projects like our Blues programme help young people build resilience. with our help, they can get the support they need before the get into difficulties. It's simple, and it works. children are happier, feel better about themselves and enjoy school more too.
Advocacy ​
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Children don't have a say in many things that affects their lives. So we ensure their voices are heard. We want all children and young people to reach their fullest potential.
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All of them deserve an equal chance in life. Our work won't stop until they get that chance. We'll continue fighting for their rights. That means influencing the government, campaigning for better support and resources, and giving children.
Intervention
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Families can get trapped in difficulties. Violence can lead to more violence. Abuse can lead to more abuse. And what happens to the parents can end up happening to the children.
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The best way to help children escape is by stepping in and breaking the cycle. And by doing it early, before they get caught in the trap. We give children practical and emotional support to get caught in the trap. We give children practical and emotional support to get through the problems. And we help them build the skills they need for growing up, so they can look forward to a happy and healthy future.
In 2018/19, Action for Children helped 387,000 children, young people and their families, increasing the number of people we support by 86,000. We did this in 476 local services across the UK, through our work with schools, and online.
Our history
In 2019 we are celebrating 150 years since Thomas Bowman Stephenson started the charity to look after homeless children. A century and a half experience has given us a unique view of the problems children and young people face.
The way we work
To ensure that we provide the best help for those who need it most we need to be clear about what we do and how we do it.
Our vision
Every child and young person in the country has a safe and happy childhood and the foundations they need to thrive.
Our mission
We protect and support children and young people, providing practical and emotional care and support, ensuring their voices are heard, and campaigning to bring lasting improvements to their lives.
Our values
We are Passionate, Ambitious, Collaborative and Inclusive.
We are passionate about giving every child a safe and happy childhood. And we’re all in it together. In our family, everyone is welcome. We get together to work hard and find solutions. Sometimes that means having big ambitions. But only by thinking big can we solve big problems.
