Children need extra supports during the Covid-19 Crisis
Barnardos children’s charity has today issued an urgent appeal to the public to help them reach children and families throughout the Covid-19 crisis. The children’s charity is currently working with 1,580 families requiring critical and intensive support with more than 600 waiting for help. The charity is adapting to ensure they can keep working with children who were already in very vulnerable circumstances.
Mary Gamble, Barnardos Director of Fundraising said: “Barnardos is rapidly adapting to meet the new needs of families. The families we work with, who were already living in stressful situations, are now experiencing a pressure cooker effect – children are living with domestic abuse, parental mental health challenges, neglect, acrimonious separation and family breakdown and addiction – now with no escape. They are also in need of food, nappies and other essential items that they would have received coming to Barnardos centres.
“To help these families Barnardos is providing crisis supports such as: food parcels, safety planning for families living with domestic abuse, support in managing crises in the home, support in establishing and maintaining routines, and compiling and distributing activity packs. This gives us an opportunity to physically see children who require high levels of support in the home environment –giving us vital ‘eyes on the child’.
“It is more important now than ever before to ensure we will continue to reach, and provide support to, children that need us most. I urge you to please donate what you can afford at www.barnardos.ie/donate“
How the public can help:
- €28 could provide a family with young children a play and activity pack
- €50 could provide a baby supply box with formula, nappies, wipes and other infant essentials.
- €75 could provide a nourishing food parcel for a family of four for a week
- €150 could provide running costs for Barnardos transport which can safely deliver essential items to vulnerable families in disadvantaged communities.
- €500 could provide essential technical support to enable our frontline staff to contact families safely.
Vulnerable children and their families have never needed your help more – please donate today.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Barnardos Press Office: 01 7080442 / 086 0445966
Rachel Boyce; 01 7080443
Trudy McCarthy; 01 7080423