For every £1 we spend, 86p helps children and families
There's no way we can survive like this, it's just impossible. We have a food bank near us, but it's on a Friday at 10am and I'm in work. A lot of people think that foodbanks are just for people who don't work, but people who do work need them now.
Leanne, Action for Children supported mum of two
Child poverty isn’t something that happens elsewhere. It’s right outside your door.
4.5 million children in the UK are growing up in families without enough money to make ends meet.
Your kind donation could put food in the fridge, pay for essential bills and help to protect children's mental health from the devastating impact of poverty on innocent childhoods.
Help protect childhoods
Why are regular donations so important?
Donating a small amount every month by direct debit helps us give vulnerable children the stability they need. Our regular supporters help us carry out long-term work and keep vital projects running. A small monthly donation could make a very big difference to a child who needs our help.
More about Action for Children
Who are Action for Children?
We are a leading UK Children's charity. We’ve been helping children for more than 150 years. Today, we run 426 services in local communities across the UK, in schools and online.
We protect and support children and young people. We do this by providing practical and emotional care and support. We make sure their voices are heard. And we campaign to bring lasting improvements to their lives.
We take action in three ways.
Intervention. Anyone can get trapped in poverty, abuse or violence. When we spot problems, we take action early. We step in to help children, young people and families before things get worse.
Prevention. We give young people the support they need to grow up safe and happy. Projects like The Blues Programme teach important life skills and help to build resilience. It’s simple and it works.
Advocacy. Children don’t have a say in many things that affect their lives. We listen to what they want. We take their concerns to the government. And we campaign for better support and resources.
What we’ve achieved
- 687,755: the number of children, young people and families we helped in 2023/24.
- 42,000: the number of children and young people in, or with experience of, the care system we supported in 2023/24.
- 54,878: the number of people reached with mental health support in 2023/24.
- 468,786: the number of people reached by our online parenting advice service, Parent Talk, in 2023/24.
- 2,000,000: the number of children and young people we've helped since 1869.
All this is only possible thanks to the support of people like you.
Where your money goes
85p of every £1* we spend goes directly towards helping children, young people and their families.
We make sure that every penny you donate goes where it will have the greatest impact on children’s lives. Your donations help us to run these essential services, which give vulnerable children and families a vital lifeline.
Most of the donations we receive from our campaigns are unrestricted. This means they’re not spent on one project or one specific area of the UK, but where the need is greatest. We wouldn’t be able to operate as a charity without this type of income. Unrestricted funds help us reach the children and young people who need us most. Funds raised from this appeal will be unrestricted and used by Action for Children for its general charitable purposes.
* Figure based on audited 2022/23 charity accounts that exclude subsidiary companies like commercial nurseries
For every £1 we spend, 86p helps children and families
