Today130 years ago

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Help us always be there for childrenwho need us, through a gift in your will.

We’ve been fighting childhood poverty, abuse and

neglect for over 130 years.

Photo ©Laura McClusky, 2016

3.9 millionchildren in the UK

live in poverty

16,000children at high risk of

sexual exploitation

Every day, children across the country turn to The Children’s Society for help because they feel scared and in danger. They have nobody else to ask for help, nowhere else they feel safe.

That’s why every gift from our supporters means so much, because it means we can be there when children need us. Instead of neglect and abuse, with your help these vulnerable children can get the care and support they need to feel safe again.

Making a will is a hugely personal decision of course, and naturally family and friends come first. But many people like to remember a cause that is close to their hearts too. Thank you for considering leaving a gift to The Children’s Society in your will. I do hope you find this booklet useful.

With kind wishes

Matthew ReedChief Executive, The Children’s Society

‘ The lives of children have changed hugely in the past 130 years, but their need to feel safe and loved has not.’

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Trusted by children for over 130 years

When poverty, abuse and neglect threaten young lives, The Children’s Society is at work where it counts – in the community, involved, committed.

Right now, this minute, our project workers and volunteers are working to help children who have nowhere else to turn:

children forced to run away from home to escape abuse, neglect or sexual exploitation

children with no other adults in their lives to listen to them

young children who are struggling to look after a sick or disabled parent by themselves

children whose families are trapped in debt.

Since 1881, The Children’s Society has been providing care and support to children in danger. With your help, we will always be there where it counts – fighting poverty, abuse and neglect to change the lives of vulnerable children.

‘ I’m a different person now. It’s nice knowing you’ve got one person there for you, any time of day, no matter what.’

Imogen – who was forced to run away from home and was kept out of danger by our Street Safe service.

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Sian runs a service for The Children’s Society that works with young people who go missing from home or care:

‘We’re an independent, non-judgemental, compassionate voice and we give the young person a chance to tell their side of the story, to talk about what’s going on in their lives and why they went missing.

‘We are there to give the young person a chance to get their voice heard. They’re not often asked about their feelings, so we get a lot of first time disclosures in our interviews, where it’s the first time a young person has ever spoken about what exactly they’re running away from. It’s important to give them the space and opportunity to do that with someone who cares, someone who is non-judgemental.

‘Going missing is a symptom of other issues, and the more times a child goes missing, the more risk there is.’

Will you help neglected children aspire to a better future?

‘Children need to be heard.’

A project worker’s story

100,000children go missing from home or care

each year

102the number of youth at risk

services we run

*based on an aggregate average of first and last Family Star data scores.

69%of families we worked with

experienced positive improvements

across key areas of their lives*

We worked with over

18,000children and young

people last year

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Gifts in wills make up a third of all donations given to us by our supporters. These vital gifts give us the ability to carry on working tirelessly for all the children who need us.

A gift in your will gives us the security we need to plan for the future, and gives vulnerable children the security they need too. Even small gifts make a massive difference to children who are neglected, disadvantaged and in danger. With your support, no child will be turned away when they come to us looking for help.

The Children’s Society confronts hard truths and speaks out on behalf of children – even if it means challenging those in Government. But we urgently need to do even more.

Today, an appalling 3.9 million children in the UK live in poverty and this figure is set to grow even larger in the years ahead. The Children’s Society is going to be needed more than ever. Through gifts in wills you can help us increase our frontline services to change the lives of all the children who need us.

A place of safety for children in danger

‘ Without The Children’s Society, where would I get all this support? You saved my life.’

Mary, single parent

Molly has been caring for her family since she was 10. Her mum has a badly injured back and suffers from depression – often she struggles to get out of bed. Her stepdad is recovering from major heart surgery. ‘I clean the house, cook dinner, pick up medicine, sort out post, pay bills and make sure my mum and stepdad have everything they need,’ says Molly.

Juggling her school work and caring role, Molly didn’t have time for a social life. She felt stressed and lonely. That’s

where The Children’s Society helped. We introduced Molly to a group of other young carers like her, and she learnt that she wasn’t alone. She shared stories with the group and went on trips to help take her mind off things. Together, the group are now working to raise awareness for young carers across the country.

‘To learn that other people were going through the same thing was amazing. I’ve received so much support from The Children’s Society, they have made a massive difference in my life.’

Thanks to you, Molly got a break from her caring duties and gained new confidence and skills – she is now at university studying for a degree in journalism. A gift in your will could help us be there for more children like Molly.

All children need the chance of a childhood

‘Young carers desperately need a break.’

child carers will miss school because of their responsibilities

1 in 20

Molly’s story

There are

166,363 young carers in England. 1 in 12

cares for more than 15 hours per week

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Children’s lives have changed hugely since we were founded in 1881, but one thing has remained constant...

...their need to feel safe, loved and have someone beside them who cares about their future.Fighting neglect for 130 years. Timeline inside.

Photo ©Laura McClusky, 2016

19741881 1918 1980

Our founder, Edward Rudolf, opens the first care home for destitute children in Victorian England.

The first residential nursery opens for babies and young children under five, so even the youngest can benefit from The Children’s Society’s care.

The Children’s Society now cares for around 5,000 children in 113 homes throughout England and Wales.

The first family centre opens, supporting single-parent families. This marks the start of a shift away from residential care and towards supporting children in the community.

We open our first flats and houses where young people about to leave care can learn skills like budgeting, cooking and shopping.

The Children’s Society becomes a registered adoption agency to help children find permanent family homes.

The first home for children with physical disabilities opens.

During the Second World War The Children’s Society provides shelter for 6,788 young children made homeless by enemy action.

We open the first safe house in England and Wales for runaway children.

The number of children adopted through The Children’s Society reaches 10,000.

Children start attending the board meetings of The Children’s Society – one of only a few children’s charities to encourage this.

We host Britain’s first ever conference on child prostitution, to highlight the need for action.

1887 19391935 1997 2001

Following pressure from The Children’s Society, through our Fair and Square campaign, the Government announces that every child will get a free school meal in the early years of primary school.

2014Fighting disadvantage for over 130 years.The Children’s Society fights fearlessly on behalf of children who face poverty, abuse and neglect. Throughout the decades and up to the present day, we have consistently tackled hard truths head on – giving hope and a voice to vulnerable children with nowhere else to turn.

1919 1969 1985

All children need a place to feel secureJasmine desperately hoped her parents would stop fighting, but they never did. ‘I used to run away. I was taking drugs, barely going to school and crying every time I thought of my mum,’ she says. ‘My anger controlled me, I refused to trust anyone.’ Luckily, the police introduced Jasmine to one of our project workers: ‘She didn’t judge me. She never pressured me into anything I didn’t want to do. We worked through my problems together.’

Jasmine‘Luckily, The Children’s Society found me.’

A gift in your will to The Children’s Society will help us to fight poverty, abuse and neglect, just as we have for the past 130 years.

No child should feel aloneLily was born in 1911 in Cardiff to a young mother who worked in service. Women weren’t allowed to work in service and have families, so Lily’s mum faced a terrible choice. Keep her job or her child. With no job, Lily’s mum would be destitute and her child would starve. So she had to find a loving home for her girl. Fortunately, Lily was taken in by The Children’s Society home in Torquay. She thrived under their loving care and her mum visited whenever her employers allowed. Lily excelled at school and went on to become a teacher herself, at a primary school in Devon.

LilyKeep your job, or your child.

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‘Why I am leaving a gift in my will to The Children’s Society.’ Alice Whelan

Alice knows what poverty feels like. Her mother died while Alice was still a baby, leaving her father struggling to find work and the family always short of money. Alice suffered from bouts of bronchitis that would often turn into pneumonia. ‘I knew we were very poor because the doctor wasn’t always called when I was sick,’ says Alice.

Alice’s own experience of poverty makes her determined to help children who are disadvantaged through no fault of their own. ‘The Children’s Society offers shelter, it offers warmth, they give children somebody to talk to. If young people need support or somewhere to stay where they feel safe, then I’m glad The Children’s Society is there for them. That’s why I’m remembering them in my will.’

If, like Alice, you’d like to leave a gift in your will to The Children’s Society, find out more about next steps on page 16.

Pictures from Alice’s childhood. Remembering the hardships she and her brother (top right) experienced as children is one of the reason’s Alice decided to leave a gift to The Children’s Society in her will.

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Will you help vulnerable children feel they matter?

Many people think making a will is expensive or only for wealthy people, but in fact this is far from the case. A simple will can cost nothing to make (see below) and almost all of us have something to leave behind.

You’ll find lots of practical information about making a will in our free booklet Making your will: A step-by-step guide, which you can request using the reply form at the back of this booklet. It’s packed with everything you need to know to make the will that is right for you, regardless of whether or not you decide to leave any money to charity.

Inside Making your will you’ll find lots of practical advice on finding a solicitor, different ways of leaving money in your will, a simple guide to some of the legal jargon you might come across, and also details of our Free Will Scheme, which allows you to get a simple will written for free. You’ll also find advice on how to word your will, to make sure your wishes are absolutely clear.

To order Making your will, simply complete the reply form that comes with this leaflet. And thank you for considering leaving a gift in your will to The Children’s Society.

Making a will is not as complex as you might think, and can even be free. Find out more by ordering your free copy of Making your will: A step-by-step guide, using the card at the back of this booklet.

Sarah was taken into care when she was 10 years old because of a falling out with her mother. Over the next four years she was forced to move foster homes 15 times. ‘I didn’t know how to cope so I kept running away,’ she says.

Then Sarah met Nick, an older man who seemed to offer her love. ‘When you’ve been ripped away from your family, it feels like nobody wants you,’ she says. ‘When there is love on offer you grab it. And you don’t let go no matter what.’

But Nick didn’t love Sarah. He wanted to exploit her for sex and drugs. ‘He told me that if I didn’t get him drugs he would beat me,’ she said. Fortunately, Nick was arrested by the police and Sarah was referred to The Children’s Society. ‘It was strange being here at first but Zoe, my project worker, said I didn’t have to get too involved, only if I wanted it. That suited me. I didn’t want something pushed on me.’

Sarah found she liked coming to her local The Children’s Society’s service. ‘I don’t really see Zoe as my project worker – she’s more like a big sister. She’s always on the phone asking if I am alright. I’ve never had anyone to rely on. I can come here and it feels solid. They never give up on you.’

With Zoe’s help, Sarah is rebuilding her life. She is settled with a new foster family and goes to see her mum sometimes too. She’s doing much better at school and wants to go to college and train to be a firefighter.

The Children’s Society helped Sarah turn her life around. A gift in your will helps us be there for more children like her in the future.

Will you provide a place of safety for children in danger?

‘He said he would beat me if I didn’t get him drugs.’

Sarah’s story

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‘ I’ve been through hell since I was small. I’ve seen things not even adults should see. I got into a lot of trouble at school because of my behaviour. I always felt angry. The Children’s Society has helped me with all sorts of problems and now things are finally looking up. I trust them not to let me down.’

Chris, who was supported by The Children’s Society for three years and now plans to volunteer for us and use his experience to help other children.

Please leave a gift to The Children’s Society in your will.

With your help, we will be there where it counts – fighting poverty, abuse and neglect, and changing the lives of this country’s most vulnerable children.

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If you would like to know more about The Children’s Society and our work with children and young people, please visit childrenssociety.org.uk or call our Supporter Care team on 0300 303 7000.

© The Children’s Society 2017. Not to be reproduced, duplicated or copied without our prior written consent. Any photographs that aren’t credited are © The Children’s Society.

Charity Registration No. 221124 RFD195b/0317

With your support, we will always be there

for the children who need us.Thank you.