Our impact
We walk towards the young people that society crosses the road to avoid. These young people have something within them, that something is hope. Children come to us for help - to talk about their feelings, their trauma. They come to us when their way forward is uncertain, they don't know what choice to make.
But they do want to get back on the right track. These young people have a huge impact on us - they shine a light on parts of society that is broken for them, and in turn we help them regain their hope, even when it's hanging by a thread.
The Children's Society's impact on children and young people
We counsel, support and campaign for the young people whose hopes and happiness are the most threatened by abuse, exploitation and neglect. We couldn't do that without the help of our supporters. Find out more about what we do.
Our impact on a young person's life is all driven by you - our volunteers and campaigners, our supporters who run a marathon or host a Christingle every year. No matter how you give your time to us, lend your voice to our campaigns, or support us financially you are helping us fight for the hope that's within all children across the country.
Through our campaigning and policy work we can improve life for young people up and down the country. A change at government level means that many more young people will benefit from a positive change beyond those that walk through our doors.
For an in-depth look at our impact last year, read our full report.
facts about our impact
530,000
people have been given a 'breathing space' - time off from interest fees and repayment - so they can sort their debt
15,000
migrant children, alone in the country, now have access to free legal advice after we campaigned to get them support
11,500
the number of children we worked with in the last year, giving them specialist support on whatever issue they had
4.4 million
young people have benefited from changes in law that we fought for - including a lift in the benefits freeze
our impact with young refugees
He could translate for me. I would call him. He came to the hospital. He could translate for me. I would call him. He came to the hospital.
Our work with young refugees and migrants
Young refugees and migrants who find themselves alone in this country come to our services. They may have been separated from their family. They may be traumatised by their journey here. Battling with different government departments can eat away at their hope for a better life in this country, but we're with them every step of the way.
We have services up and down the country that work with refugees and migrant children to get a good solicitor, to help them challenge their age dispute, to get a warm home and, more than anything, to give them a friendly face that they can rely on, that welcomes them.
facts about our work with refugees and migrants
1,500
young refugees and migrants sought support from our services in 2019/20
894
sessions were held for 122 young people in our HEARTS service so that they get the help they needed, not one-off advice
1,198
young people from the EU had support to help them remain in the UK after Brexit, through the settlement scheme
I've come a long way I've come a long way
Abused as a child, Alice was an anxious teenager, scared to leave the house. Now she's a signed musician, putting on gigs for other artists.
Changing the system to build a better society
We can see the needs of young people, and to build a society that works for all children we must work with others who also see young people's hope is in jeopardy.
Our ground-breaking programmes tackle, prevent and disrupt exploitation that has become all too common in cities and towns across the country. These teams are in the community, working with police, schools and security firms so that they can prevent exploitation before it happens, or spot the signs once a young person is being groomed. If a young person has been arrested, we work with the police so that they treat the young person as a victim and not a criminal. Find out more about our County lines and child criminal exploitation work.
facts about system change
13,363
professionals reached through our work in communities to tackle the problems in systems that surround young people
94%
of those we worked with said their knowledge of child sexual exploitation had improved
How your money is spent
Our vital one-to-one work, campaigns and community shops could not run without your generous donations.
our impact with well-being
Before I came to BEAM I felt heavy...now I'm floating on a cloud Before I came to BEAM I felt heavy...now I'm floating on a cloud
our impact young people's mental health well-being
Without a sense of well-being our quality of life can become precarious. Our ground-breaking drop-in services mean young people don’t have to wait for an appointment with a children and adolescent mental health (CAMHS) worker.
Not being stuck to an appointment is really good – when I’m ready to talk about something it’s not when other people are ready.
If young people are anxious about exams or stressed about home life we listen to them. We offer these young people therapy with mental health professionals, group work with their peers, online advice and guidance.
Missing from home services
Our Next Generation service works with young people who go missing or are at risk of going missing. We conduct return home interviews to make sure we understand the reasons for running away, so their return is positive and lasts a long time.
Eight young people we supported at Next Generation had 56 missing incidents between them. Since using the service, the group have a total of two missing incidents between them.
We work with young people for as long as it takes and across all different aspects of their life as it's rarely simple for them. Leaving home before you hit 18 is never an easy decision. There might be aggression, mistrust, anger or disappointment, but even when hope is hanging by a thread we help them find it again.
He's helped me realise that there are two walks in life and one is better He's helped me realise that there are two walks in life and one is better
missing from home facts
736
young people were supported through our missing from home services
1800
return home interviews were completed with young people who would be out on the streets
