2017 | Action For Children

2017 | Action For Children

FROM THE WEBSITE: From before they are born until they are into their twenties, Action For Children helps disadvantaged children across the UK.

They help them through fostering or adoption – and by intervening early to stop neglect and abuse. Action For Children makes life better for children with disabilities. Action For Children influences policy and advocate for change. Their 7,000 staff and volunteers operate over 522 services, improving the lives of 301,000 children, teenagers, parents and carers every year. Action For Children succeeds by doing what’s right, doing what’s needed, and doing what works for children.

INFORMATION:

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge took over as Patron from The Queen in December 2016.

EFFORTS:

February 18, 2015 – Emma Bridgewater Factory & Cape Hill Children’s Centre – The Duchess of Cambridge visited Action for Children’s Cape Hill Children’s Centre in Smethwick. During her visit The Duchess got an introduction to Action for Children’s work in supporting vulnerable families in the West Midlands, and across the UK. Her Royal Highness met families who have faced severe issues in their life such as domestic violence and serious health problems, and had the chance to learn how the charity has helped them. The Duchess also attended one of the children’s centre’s regular ‘stay and play’ sessions for children under the age of five.

February 22, 2017 – Visiting Action For Children In Wales – In her first engagements since taking over the patronage from the Queen Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visits MIST, a mental health project which works with children who are living in care with foster families or birth families and Caerphilly Family Intervention Team (FIT) , a child and adolescent mental health project in Pontypool, Wales. Her Royal Highness met young people and families at both services who have faced a range of challenging circumstances and learned how the charity has helped them develop strategies that clearly improve their lives and lead to better family relationships. The Duchess also sat in on a private family therapy session and took part in a round-table discussion with young people and their families on the issues they face and the critical support Action for Children provides them.

February 28, 2019 – Northern Ireland Visit – Day 2 – Set 1 – The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited a ‘Sure Start’ centre in Ballymena where they met parents who have completed an intensive parenting programme. The ‘Sure Start’ centre, funded by the Department for Education in Northern Ireland, is run by the leading children’s charity Action for Children. The parenting programme focuses on supporting families facing challenges like parental isolation or mental health issues or who may have limited support networks. The Duchess joined a ‘Stay and Play’ session meeting some of the 2 and 3 year olds who attend the centre every week. The Duke of Cambridge joined the group Father’s Reading Every Day (FRED) designed to encourage dads to engage in reading opportunities with their children.

June 25, 2019 – Photography Workshop With Action For Children – Shortly after being named the new Patron of The Royal Photographic Society The Duchess of Cambridge visited the Warren Park Children’s Centre in Kingston-upon-Thames, south-west London to take part in a photography workshop for children – a collaboration between the Royal Photographic Society and Action for Children, whose celebrating its 150 year anniversary this year. Catherine spent more than an hour with 11 young people from across the UK who were participating in workshops where they learned about the different elements of photography, workshops also touched on how photography provides a way for young people to express themselves and release their thoughts and feelings.

May 11, 2022 – The Cambridges Visit Scotland – Their Royal Highnesses stopped by St John’s Primary School in Port Glasgow to learn more about the long-running Roots of Empathy program and take part in one of the sessions. Roots of Empathy is an early intervention program that helps develop emotional literacy in children aged 5-12. Through the participation of a local mother and baby, a trained Instructor guides the children to identify and label the baby’s feelings, reflect on and understand their own feelings and then understand the feelings of others. During the visit The Duke and Duchess joined in on a session before speaking to two primary seven pupils to learn more about the prolonged impact their involvement in the program has had. They also met Action for Children Director Paul Carberry who discussed the success of Roots of Empathy and the interesting findings from an independently conducted 10-year Evaluation of the program.