The Who Cares? Trust is a national charity for children in care and care leavers, established in 1992 and based in Angel, Islington. There are currently 93,000 children in care in the UK. Children are taken into care when they are thought to be in such serious danger that there is no other option than to remove them from the family home. This can be for many different reasons – physical or sexual abuse, parental drug or alcohol addiction, neglect, domestic violence or a combination of factors.
All children need love and support to help them grow, but children in care need much more in order to make up for what they have missed out on. Despite the care system keeping children safe, clean and with enough to eat, it does not address the huge effects that abuse and neglect can have on a child’s learning, development and emotional wellbeing. Their inconsistent start in life means that their outcomes are much poorer than their peers’. Almost a quarter of the adult prison population has been in care, and two in every three care leavers will be homeless at some point in their adult lives. The Who Cares? Trust work with young people in care and care leavers to help them find their voice and improve the care system. Through magazines, publications, campaigning and group work, children in care are supported to live healthier, happier and more successful lives.
The Who Cares? Trust runs a London based programme of skills and group work, supporting young people in care and care leavers from London aged 16-25. Topics covered include CV writing and interview skills, cooking on a budget and healthy relationships. These sessions help to address the inequalities in life chances that care leavers often experience compared to their peers, and provides them with the support that so many of us can rely on family members for. The Who Cares? Trust relies on the support of members of the public to carry out this vital work. If you think you might be able to contribute, please visit the donation page or head on over to the events page.
