Who we are

The Children's Society, founded in 1881, is a leading children's charity and service provider, driven by the belief that every child deserves a good childhood.

Our national network of projects helps tens of thousands of children and their families each year. We know that we can't help every child so we provide vital help and support for those children who face the greatest hardship; children who are unable to find the help they need anywhere else.

What we do

Working alongside front-line partners, such as social services, youth justice boards and local education authorities, we provide local solutions for local problems.

We help children in trouble with the law, guiding them away from a cycle of crime and custody. We work with children who feel forced to run away from home or care, protecting them from the dangers of sleeping rough on the street. We ensure that disabled children have a voice and are given the choices that other children enjoy. And we help refugee children rebuild their lives in new communities, surrounded and supported by friends. We also work with young carers, Traveller children and children whose parents misuse alcohol or drugs.

We have developed an increasing schedule of work for schools, including anti-bullying programmes, advice for parents and mentoring schemes. Our Good Childhood^® Inquiry, launched in September 2006, is looking at what makes for a good childhood in the twenty-first century. The results of the inquiry will inform statutory policy on education, social reform and child-care issues.

Why we need your support

The Children's Society is only able to continue its work through the generous donations of our supporters and volunteers. This allows us to concentrate our work where the need is greatest and not just in areas where government funding is available. It makes us a truly independent organisation.