The COVID19 (coronavirus) pandemic is having a real impact on all of our lives, but especially for those already experiencing isolation, loneliness, mental ill-health, relationship difficulties, trauma and loss. You can read our response here.
Although working differently these days, we’re determined to be here for families when they need us most. That means we still rely on the support from our community, partners and people like you who could help us. Here’s how;
If you can, making a donation to our work means that we can respond to immediate needs of families. Staying at home can cost more and being able to support households with utililites and essential connections/items will make such a difference. We also want to make sure we can stay connected in the best way for each family. You can donate to our work here.
Not everyone is connected. Whilst technology seems to have taken over our lives in many ways, it’s not a priority or isn’t affordable for everyone. And now we may need it more than ever to stay connected. By donating a used (working) smartphone, you can contribute to our ‘loan a phone’ programme to help us keep in touch with families – and to help them access essential services and connect with others. If you have a smartphone you could donate to us, please get in touch.
Volunteering. Our work relies on hundreds of volunteers and volunteering is at the heart of our support and connection. People helping people because they want to give of their time and experience is special. Peer volunteers are key to that personal connection and there’s always an opportunity to join us. We’re needed more than ever. Find out about Peer Volunteering here. But not all of our volunteers work directly with families. There are likely skills and experiences you could bring that you wouldn’t think we need. From knitting to kneading, digital to dancing, there could well be something that could make these times a little easier for many. If you’ve time to spare, please read about volunteering and drop us a message.
Share. And share some more. Not only do we support families and their young children when they need us most, we punch above our weight in terms of campaining and championing for improved universal support for families, for our babies and infants, for mental health and for investment in strong community connections. Sharing our messages – and helping us tell stories – is a really important way of us being heard. Connect with our channels online – Facebook and Twitter mostly – and also share with us if you have a story to tell or you would like to contribute to our messaging, maybe by writing a blog or making some art?
Thank you. Childhood really cannot wait and all our children deserve the best start in a safe home with love and connection.