Does Save the Children only work with children in other countries? What about children here who need help? Save the Children is the UK's largest international children's charity, and has worked in the UK since the 1920’s. We pioneered initiatives like free school milk, pre-school playgroups and after school clubs, which are now common practice. We believe all children have the right to a happy, healthy and secure start in life. In the UK today, many children still face poverty and discrimination, stopping them from achieving their full potential. Save the Children spends over £5 million a year in the UK, working with and for these children.

            Here are just a few examples from areas around the country. Save the Children supports parents to find ways of managing their children's behaviour without the use of physical or emotional punishment, producing and distributing over 25,000 free packs to help parents learn non-violent ways to care for their children.

            The charity worked with "Educable", a group of young researchers in Northern Ireland, to study the educational experiences of young people with disabilities. The report "No Choice, no Chance", contained recommendations on how the education system could be improved for these young people.

            We believe that vulnerable children who arrive in the UK seeking asylum, either on their own or in families, have the same right to protection as other children. They are children first and foremost, regardless of their immigration status. Many of them come from other countries where Save the Children works, so we know what they may have experienced. We are monitoring the impact of the Asylum & Immigration Act 1999 on children and working with children, schools and local government across the UK to make sure that young asylum seekers have proper access to education, health and housing.

            The Children & Young People's Council in Durham identified bullying as a major problem. £500 pays for the Council to run a project helping children support each other to tackle bullying.

            Save the Children has produced "The School Council Guide", written by primary school children, giving children more say in the running of their schools. It has been welcomed by both pupils and teachers.

            The members of the local branch of Save the Children would like to thank everyone for their support over the past year, despite difficult financial times. Please continue to look out for our events in 2010. We would welcome offers of help!

www.savethechildren.org.uk 

            We Save the Children - Will You?

Gill Freeman.