Latest news with #Barnardos
BBC News
29-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Care leavers to get free bus travel in and around Bristol for longer
People leaving care will now be able to use buses across the west of England for free until they turn 26 years 2023, a scheme has been in place allowing 18-21-year-old care leavers free bus travel across Bath, Bristol, North Somerset and South has now been extended to cover care leavers until their 26th birthday, which could save each of them up to £1,050 a year, according to the West of England Combined Authority (Weca)."We've got many more care leavers at risk of homelessness, health, addiction or mental health issues so this is really important," said Weca's mayor. Helen Godwin used to be a cabinet member for children's services at Bristol City Council, before she was elected as Weca mayor on 1 explained care leavers "often don't have the same outcomes" as young people who have not been in care. "We have many more care leavers who are not in education, employment or training," she scheme is being subsidised as part of a £16m bus grant secured by North Somerset Council and Weca, which takes in the local authority areas of Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire."We've always tried to support our care leavers up to the age of 25, just because sometimes when life is more complicated it can take a bit longer for young people to get themselves into a situation where maybe there are in regular work or able to study," Ms Godwin added. The charity Barnardo's called for free bus travel for care leavers in 2023, following a pilot scheme in Cornwall. At the time, the charity's director of children's services, Hugh Sherriffe, said: "Leaving care is a very challenging time and having access to free travel can have a positive and powerful impact on so many areas of young people's lives, helping them to take up opportunities that might otherwise have been denied them."Leaders in the west of England have welcomed the extension, including South Gloucestershire Council's leader Maggie Tyrrell."The investment will make a real difference to some of our most vulnerable young people and help them access education, jobs and vital support networks," she said.
Scotsman
28-05-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Scotsman Obituaries: Margaret Mills MBE, trailblazing children's champion
Margaret Mills MBE, children's champion. Born: 16 October 1948. Died: 28 March 2025, aged 76 Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Colleagues at Children First have been fondly remembering Margaret Mills MBE, who worked tirelessly as a children's champion for the charity for over 54 years until her sudden death. Starting her career in the 1970s as one of the first female inspectors with the Royal Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (RSSPCC), now known as Children First, Margaret dedicated her life to helping children and families. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Specialising in supporting children to recover from sexual, emotional and physical abuse at Children First's service in the Scottish Borders, she helped transform the lives of hundreds of children. Margaret Mills was awarded an MBE in the 2012 New Year Honours List Margaret pioneered support for child victims required to give evidence in court. This paved the way for Scotland's first Bairns Hoose, a safe space for child victims and witnesses of crime run by Children First, based on the Icelandic Barnahus model, to provide a child-centred approach to justice, care and recovery. The Bairns Hoose approach is now being rolled out across Scotland and is in development in the Scottish Borders. Mary Glasgow, chief executive of Scotland's national children's charity, said: 'Margaret considered it a huge privilege to work with young people and regarded each and every family and young person she connected with as special. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Margaret was an extraordinary person, and we will all miss her hugely at Children First. She was a dedicated, compassionate advocate for the rights of children, striving to ensure that they had the opportunity to access all the support they needed. 'Her meaningful connection with children meant that for years afterwards many young people chose to stay in touch with Margaret and would reconnect with her for support and encouragement when they needed it. 'Margaret was loved by so many and leaves a lasting legacy behind, having paved the way for Scotland's first ever Bairns Hoose. "She was truly an inspiration to others, devoting her life to securing a brighter future for children who had suffered trauma and abuse.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After leaving school at 15, Margaret – who hailed from Leitholm in the Scottish Borders – worked as a nanny with a family in Edinburgh before undertaking nursery nurse training with Barnardos. Once she was old enough she began working for Barnardos in Essex and Cambridge in children's homes where she was fondly known as the 'Scottish auntie'. On completion of her residential childcare course at Langside College in Glasgow, Margaret embarked on her career as a children's champion with the RSSPCC in 1973 supporting parents to care for their children. At that time the RSSPCC had the duty and power to investigate and prosecute incidents of child abuse and all male RSSPCC staff were inspectors, and female staff were 'women visitors'. Margaret moved back to the Borders in 1973 as an RSSPCC visitor and excelled in the role. She was instrumental in setting up a support group in Galashiels for mothers of preschool children who needed help. In 1976 she was promoted and became one of the first female RSSPCC inspectors, moving into a lead role in the field of child protection and family assessment. By 1980 she had started another parents support group in Hawick. These groups gave Margaret and her colleague and lifelong friend Bill Dunbar the inspiration to set up the Ettrick Family Resource Centre in Selkirk in 1990. This laid the foundation for today's Children First service in the Scottish Borders which has supported thousands of children and families over the years. Margaret and Bill responded to calls from the public for support with their children's wellbeing 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad From then on, Margaret continued to help children to recover from unthinkable trauma and trailblazed support for child victims required to give evidence in court, leading to Scotland's first Bairns Hoose. Margaret played an active role in her community, running the creche at Kelso North Parish Church for many years. She was also president of Broomlands Scottish Women's Rural Institute.
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
See photos as Kerry toddlers take to the road for charity
The school has for over 20 years now been a huge supporter of the work done by Barnardos and has helped to raise an impressive €3,000 to date for the charity. Barnardos' mission is to deliver services and work with families, communities, and our partners to transform the lives of vulnerable children who are affected by adverse childhood experiences. Patricia Quigley, owner and manager of Scallywags Pre-School, had this to say about the event: 'We've been taking part in the Barnardos Big Toddle for more than 20 years and have always found it to be a fun and worthwhile fundraiser. It's all about children helping children. We share the stories of vulnerable children supported by Barnardos with our little ones, create hero capes, and give ourselves superhero names. Teaching children the value of helping others is a lesson that lasts a lifetime.' The Barnardos Big Toddle is designed for crèche and pre-school-aged children, with all funds going toward Barnardos' Early Years services. Since its inception, the Big Toddle has raised an impressive €4.84 million in support of Ireland's most vulnerable young children. Whether you're part of a crèche, a parent, or a childminder, everyone can host your own Big Toddle at any time during May or June by registering at Your support helps ensure that some of Ireland's youngest children receive the best start in life. For more on Barnardos and how to get involved, visit
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Little Killarney ‘scallywags' get up to good as they take part in Barnardos Big Toddle fundraiser
The school has for over 20 years now been a huge supporter of the work done by Barnardos and has helped to raise an impressive €3,000 to date for the charity. Barnardos' mission is to deliver services and work with families, communities, and our partners to transform the lives of vulnerable children who are affected by adverse childhood experiences. Patricia Quigley, owner and manager of Scallywags Pre-School, had this to say about the event: 'We've been taking part in the Barnardos Big Toddle for more than 20 years and have always found it to be a fun and worthwhile fundraiser. It's all about children helping children. We share the stories of vulnerable children supported by Barnardos with our little ones, create hero capes, and give ourselves superhero names. Teaching children the value of helping others is a lesson that lasts a lifetime.' The Barnardos Big Toddle is designed for crèche and pre-school-aged children, with all funds going toward Barnardos' Early Years services. Since its inception, the Big Toddle has raised an impressive €4.84 million in support of Ireland's most vulnerable young children. Whether you're part of a crèche, a parent, or a childminder, everyone can host your own Big Toddle at any time during May or June by registering at Your support helps ensure that some of Ireland's youngest children receive the best start in life.
The Guardian
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Charities step up pressure on Keir Starmer to scrap two-child benefit cap
Charities and a Labour-aligned pressure group are ramping up calls on Keir Starmer to scrap the two-child limit on benefits, as polling shows support for action on youth poverty remains high, and is equally solid among Labour voters tempted by Reform. As discussions continue in government ahead of the forthcoming child poverty strategy, a survey commissioned by a coalition of charities suggests voters want to see families prioritised. Almost three-quarters of those polled (73%) agreed that all 'children deserve a good childhood, even if it costs the government more to support families that need it' and 71% agreed that 'children should be a priority for government investment.' Charities involved in commissioning the research included Save the Children, the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), the Children's Society and Barnardo's. Alison Garnham, the chief executive of CPAG, speaking on behalf of the group, said: 'Almost a year after the election, the government's manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty remains hugely popular. 'A child poverty strategy that increases living standards and improves life chances will make the crucial difference to children, their families and the country alike. The public stands in support of the 4.5 million children in the UK living in poverty and now it's time for government to act – starting by scrapping the two-child limit.' It comes as Keir Starmer was told to bring in legally binding targets to reduce child poverty and integrate them into the missions of his government. Baroness Ruth Lister, a former director of CPAG, argued in a new report that the two-child limit must be lifted and the benefit cap abolished. She urged Labour to to make child poverty more central to the government's actions. The report for Compass, a progressive pressure group, is backed by Labour MP Simon Opher, who said in his foreword that the two-child limit for benefits must be immediately lifted. 'In the UK around one in three children live in poverty,' he wrote. 'As a society, and as a government, we can do better. Nothing is more important.' No 10 currently has a child poverty taskforce working on an action plan due to be published this summer, but the government has so far resisted calls to scrap the two-child limit. Scotland is applying measures to mitigate the limit from next year, but it has been in force for universal credit or child tax credit claimants since 2017. Whitehall insiders say one argument used by Labour strategists against removing the two-child limit is that it would be unpopular with voters, particularly those the party risks losing to Nigel Farage's Reform party. But the polling backed by charities suggests voters who backed Labour in 2024 but are considering switching to Reform are just as keen to see child poverty tackled. Among these Reform-curious Labour voters, 76% agreed that 'low benefit levels for families with children means children have unequal opportunities'.That figure was exactly the same as among committed Labour voters, and similar to levels among those considering a move to the Greens or the Lib Dems. Similarly, 82% of Labour voters considering a switch to Reform agreed that 'the gap between the poorest and richest families in the UK is too large' – barely less than the 86% of Labour voters who intend to stick with the party. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Ed Dorrell, a partner at Public First, which carried out the UK-wide polling of 2,008 adults last month, said: 'Potential switchers from Labour to Reform, the Greens and the Lib Dems are united in wanting to end child poverty, in thinking the government has a role to play in this and in thinking that reversing benefit cuts would help.' He added: 'If Labour wants to win their lost voters back, making progress on child poverty is something to prioritise, not play down.' Scrapping the two-child limit, which means families do not receive key benefits, including the child element of universal credit for their third and subsequent children, is widely agreed by charities and thinktanks to be the most targeted and cost-effective way of tackling child poverty. However, with little room to manoeuvre against the government's fiscal rules, ministers have recently been considering cheaper options. These include a three-child limit or paying benefits at a lower rate for third and subsequent children. Labour's general election manifesto promised an 'ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty' alongside a commitment to end 'mass dependence' on food banks and charity food handouts, which it called 'a moral scar on our society'. In her report, Lister said the government must be willing to invest sufficient money if it is to achieve the manifesto commitment to an ambitious strategy, and that the money can be raised from the wealthy with the broadest shoulders. She also called for people with lived experience of poverty to be involved in the strategy's execution and monitoring, for universal credit and child benefit to be raised and for free school meals to be made universal. Ministers have been privately ruling out scrapping the two-child benefit cap, despite warnings from charities that a failure to do so could result in the highest levels of child poverty since records began. Official figures this spring showed that a record 4.5 million children were living in poverty in the UK in the year to April 2024 – the final data for the last year of the Conservative government. The figures showed an extra 100,000 children were living below the breadline. It was the third year running that child poverty had increased.
