“We Won’t Stop Until Every Child Feels Safe and Loved” - St Andrew’s Children’s Society launches vital fundraising appeal

St Andrew’s Children’s Society has launched its new fundraising campaign, We Won’t Stop Until Every Child Feels Safe and Loved, calling on its supporters to help provide vital support for all the children and young people who are adopted and fostered through the charity.

Stephen Small, CEO of St Andrew’s Children’s Society, said: “It is still sadly the case that many children do not receive the loving care that they need from their parents and wider family. These children are usually placed in foster homes to assess whether a return home is possible. If a safe return home is not possible then our job is to find and support foster carers and adopters in the numbers that mean children don’t live in a temporary ‘limbo’ situation for any longer than is necessary. The support these foster carers and adopters need to help children overcome early adverse childhood experiences is costly and is largely unfunded by statutory agencies. We need to work hard to attract voluntary funding to allow us to provide the support these children and their adoptive and foster carer families deserve.”

Claire Shah, who was adopted through St Andrew’s Children’s Society 24 years ago said: “The lifelong support that they have provided has allowed me and my family to access guidance and knowledge as I have grown up. It was particularly helpful when I needed support with family finding as a teenager. The step-by-step support allowed me to undergo this process in a safe and supportive way. It has without a doubt been a comfort to my family to know that there is always someone to answer your call whether this was early on or years later.

“Furthermore, as an adult and a volunteer at St Andrew’s Children’s Society, I now have the opportunity to see first-hand the impact of this support and Life Story Work. Any donations will have life changing impacts on young people and their families.”

Tara Macgregor, Head of Marketing & Fundraising at St Andrew’s Children’s Society, said: “We know people are still struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and so we wouldn’t be launching this fundraising campaign just now unless there really was a strong need for it. We are totally committed to being here for the children for the rest of their lives, but we can’t do it on our own. That’s why we’re asking the public to please help us. If people could donate £5 or even less, that really would make a big difference to the lives of the children we’re helping.”