You're helping young people like Shannon shine - Barnardo's
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Because You
Winter 2020
You’re helping
young people like
Shannon shine
Shannon breaks free Ciara’s new life It’s turtle time!
You helped Shannon You helped Ciara face Find out how a cuddly
find courage and the future with hope toy is helping young
overcome bullying after leaving care children
Page 4 Page 12 Page 15
Welcome Children’s Voices
Welcome to the latest You’re helping children and young
issue of Believe! people to express themselves
Hi, my name is Mairead, and I deliver a programme
13-year old Kimberly has spent a lot such as alleviating the burden of care
in primary schools which helps young children build
of her childhood caring for members where needed. Since Kimberly started
self-esteem, learn about and manage difficult emotions
and be better able to cope with life’s challenges. of her family. Of course, she’s keen to coming to our Community Family Hub,
The programme is doing a lot to improve the mental help but it’s a lot of responsibility for life has been better. A project worker
health of some of the younger children we work with. a young person. has helped her express herself through
talking and fun activities like drawing.
On page 11, you can read all about just one element of It can really affect their performance
Creativity is a great way for a child to
this wide-ranging programme – and it all has to do with at school and their social life too.
process and share experiences.
a talking turtle! Intrigued? Well, read on. We do all we can to support families,
While you do, I’d like you to remember that this amazing
work is only made possible thanks to the extremely kind
support we receive from people like you. In fact, all of the
good news you’ll read about is thanks to you.
It’s your generosity that has enabled us to be there for
Emma, Shannon and Ciara – three remarkable young
people who have overcome trauma and difficulties and
now face much brighter futures, and whose stories
feature in these pages.
On behalf of all of us here at Barnardo’s, I want to say a
huge thank you for all your support. It’s really wonderful
to have you with us.
Mairead
Programme Manager,
PATHS ® Programme for Schools (UK Version)
Together, we believe in
children – no matter
who they are or what
they have been through.
PATHS®, PATHS® Model School and PATHS® Programme for Schools (UK Version)
are trademarks of PATHS® Program Holding, Inc.
3.
Safer Childhoods
We believe in
Thanks to you, young
people are getting the
support they need to
Your support helped Emma overcome trauma and 1 in 20
overcome the trauma of live better lives. children in the UK
sexual abuse and get have been sexually
abused.
her life back on track.
We supported
7,300
people through our
Child Abuse and
Exploitation
services.
Emma* was 14 years old, vulnerable control over her and she was very I met Emma every week and worked
and traumatised when the police frightened of him, but she carried on with her, discussing the ideas of
referred her to Barnardo’s. seeing him because she loved him healthy relationships, domestic Emma told me she’d moved on from
and thought that he loved her. abuse, self-esteem and Internet safety. Ben completely – so much so that she
Emma had been meeting up with older
I also referred Emma to a counsellor was able to pass on some of the life-
boys she knew through social media That’s when Emma was referred to
specialising in trauma who works changing advice that I had once shared
and that’s how she met 18-year-old Ben, Barnardo’s by the police and started
alongside Barnardo’s sessions. with her, to a woman she met who was
who soon became her first ‘boyfriend.’ meeting Sandra, one of our project
in an abusive relationship.
At least, that’s what Emma thought, workers. Sandra told us: In the two years we worked together,
but in reality, he began abusing her. I saw Emma become happier and Today, in her early twenties, this brave
“When I first met Emma at school,
more confident. By the time we and resilient young woman has put
After a while, he pressured her into she was crying, sad and broken. Ben
stopped our sessions Emma was in a her painful experiences behind her
performing a sexual act on him, saying had been controlling and emotionally
much better place and had ended her and faces a much happier, healthier,
that she didn’t really love him if she abusive, and isolated her from a lot of
relationship with Ben. She rang me safer future.”
didn’t go through with it. Then Emma her friends – leaving her lonely and
and told me: “I just wanted to tell you,
found out that he had secretly filmed it vulnerable. *To protect their identities, Emma’s and Ben’s
I’m not with him any more and it’s all
happening. Ben suddenly had a terrible names have been changed and a model has been
down to you.” used to portray Emma.
4. 5.
Autumn
Going back to school can be hard on a
What a child’s mental health. 4 in 10 children
year
worry that school work will be too hard
for them after the holidays. Thanks to
you, we provided specialist support to
listen, guide and nurture young people
when they need us most, including the
start of the new school year!
Working with Santander, we ran
workshops in October to help young
people stay safe from online fraud
and scams. We used content from
Thank you so much for all your support in 2019. Santander’s fraud awareness campaign
Here are just some of the things we achieved together. with Kurupt FM to deliver these serious
messages in a fun and engaging way,
Spring Summer
and gave young people top tips on how
to keep themselves safe online.
We worked with the makers of TV’s In June, we shared We convened
Emmerdale to help them develop a our report on a national
Winter
storyline highlighting the dangers of children’s use of conference to help
grooming – and help raise awareness social media and care leavers receive
support until
of the issue for millions of people. its impact on their they are 25
mental health. The
report received
widespread national
coverage so that
as many people as
possible could hear our
important findings.
Young people like Zak (who you can We launched Kidsmas to celebrate
145 supporters ran the 2019 Virgin read about on page 14) launched a children and help rediscover the
Money London Marathon for knife crime campaign magic of Christmas. Amazing
Charlie didn’t know how he was supporters like you held Kidsmas
Barnardo’s. Our wonderful runners in July, visiting 10
going to cope over Christmas but Parties across the country,
raised over £280,000 towards our Downing Street to
you helped us get him talking about or built digital snowmen,
work. Well done everyone! deliver a 12-point
the challenges he faced as a young collecting snowball
The National
manifesto
carer looking after his donations. It was a
FGM centre outlining
mum. Now he’s feeling wonderful way to
(a partnership between actions they
less anxious and St Gobain raise vital funds.
Barnardo’s and the believe raised more than
Local Government has gained a lot Thank you so
would make £250,000 to start
Association) expanded of confidence – much and look
Britain’s our Building Hope
from 3 to 8 local thanks to your out for Kidsmas
streets safer. Academy helping
authorities support! 2020!
young people
skill-up
6. 7.
Stronger families
Shannon endured years of bullying Q: How did the counselling you Shannon’s mum, Diane, sent
at school which had a major impact received through Barnardo’s help? us this grateful message:
We believe in on her mental health. Then, aged 11, A: It helped me to have more of a voice
she was referred to a local Barnardo’s so I could speak to someone and explain
Harrow Horizons is a
service. She began having regular how I felt. Kat helped me to understand brilliant service and I can’t
one-to-one sessions with Kat, a that it’s not true the nasty things people thank them enough. Before
counsellor. It was an opportunity
for her to talk about her feelings
say. She was really nice and did things Shannon started at Harrow
to help, such as activities where I could
and receive much-needed support. Horizons, you could tell
Shannon told us how paint how my life felt. We also used
We asked her about her experiences. something was wrong,
– thanks to your different cards placed on a table to
explain how I felt and the reasons why. but now she is a changed
support – Q: What kind of bullying were
you subjected to at school? person and gradually
a Barnardo’s Q: Over the course of the six sessions
service helped A: I had jokes made about you had with Kat, what kind of building up her confidence
her through me and I was called fat. strategies did she help you develop again. I think Harrow
My glasses were broken. for dealing with bullying? Horizons is an invaluable
a difficult and No one helped and I
troubling time. didn’t really tell anyone.
A: When people are unkind to me at service and I hope it can
school, I try to move away from them
I also experienced racist, support more young people
and keep my distance. If someone does
homophobic and transphobic say something to me, I try to either tell with their mental health.
bullying and was repeatedly them that it doesn’t affect me as much
picked on. Every day any more, or I speak to someone.
people would say
things that Q: So, working with Barnardo’s was Q: Do you have any advice for other
would hurt helpful for you? girls or boys who are being bullied?
me inside.
A: Barnardo’s has helped me to build A: For other young people who are
up my self-esteem and become more experiencing problems at school, I
confident in myself. Everyone at the think it’s important for them to know
service is really friendly and they can that there is always someone out there
help you in lots of different ways. that can help you. Don’t be embarrassed
to speak to them because doing so can
help you. Even if the bullying doesn’t
stop straight away, it will in the end.
Thanks to your wonderful support,
1 in 8 Barnardo’s is there for children and
young people like Shannon all over
the UK who need help tackling the
Hear more from Shannon on children and young
anxiety, depression and other mental
www.barnardos.org.uk/shannon-podcast people aged 5 to 19
health issues often caused by bullying.
has a mental
health disorder
9.
Moving Forward Talking
for Barnardo’s Turtle
Eric Stark is an amazing Barnardo’s Eric’s kind support for Barnardo’s It’s amazing what can be
volunteer who has seen for himself didn’t stop there. We’re delighted that, achieved with a little patience
what a life-changing effect our since his time volunteering for Moving and a friendly puppet. Mairead
services can have on young people’s Forward, he has very generously Ewart explains:
lives. Eric began volunteering for the decided to leave a gift to Barnardo’s
Barnardo’s Moving Forward Project in his Will. He told us:
Have you ever tried to calm down a
in Surrey around six years ago. Twiggle’s 3 Steps for Calming Down:
“When it came to attending to my five-year old in the middle of a tantrum?
The project helps young people with
disabilities to develop life skills to
live more independently and provides
Will, I was motivated to leave a gift to
Barnardo’s, knowing very well that
nearly half of their fundraising income
It’s not easy. Believe me, I know!
I’m a trainer for the PATHS®
Programme for Schools (UK Version)
1 Tell yourself
to stop
2
opportunities to socialise, have fun comes from legacies. Now I have added which helps children in primary schools
and build confidence. optimism that Barnardo’s invaluable learn how to identify and manage their Take one long,
services for young people will continue emotions and improve their mental deep breath
Eric told us what a huge impact it made
in the future, plus the knowledge that health. Part of this is a really unusual
on his life after he started volunteering
3
I’ve helped.” scheme called the Turtle Technique.
at an evening club for the young people Say the problem
at the project. To find out how you can get involved It’s based on the story of a lovable and how you feel
in volunteering for Barnardo’s, go to puppet called Twiggle the turtle.
“I was a general volunteer giving
barnardos.org.uk/volunteer Children are told a story about Twiggle
advice and support to young people
in which he can’t get along with his It’s just one of the ways your kind
with autism, mostly aged 13 to 17,
friends because he doesn’t stop and support is helping us improve the
participating in activities to promote life
think when he’s upset or angry. With mental health and emotional
skills including cooking, staying safe,
help from Wise Old Turtle, Twiggle well-being of young children.
healthy lifestyles, alcohol and substance
learns how to stop, go into his shell
misuse, being assertive and more.
and calm down whenever he feels these
Over time, I saw the significant negative emotions.
progress the young people made
We call the technique ‘Doing Turtle,’ and
while on the project. Several who
we’ve been teaching young children how
were withdrawn and unable to
to ‘Do Turtle’ for themselves without
communicate on joining came out of
needing a shell, so they can manage
their shells in the safe environment
their behaviour. One child said:
of the club and started to blossom.
Parents were consistently delighted, “I like learning about how my
and I felt privileged to have had a feelings work. I know it’s ok if I
small role in helping to develop get angry but I know how to calm
more outgoing, capable young people, down” and another said: “the best
better equipped to cope with adult thing about PATHS ® is learning
life and happier too.” how to be a good friend.”
10. 11.
Positive futures
anxiety. So, I helped her request her
We believe in records – and I was there with her,
offering encouragement and support,
during the emotional time when Ciara
read them. After she read her files,
Ciara told me:
‘I feel like I can take the good bits
and put the rest away and move on
Barnardo’s project with my life. I have never really spent
worker, Jane, told us how In 2018-19, time on me and who I am.’
– thanks to you – she was we supported
5,000
Since then, Ciara has been contacting
able to help Ciara when some of her foster parents so she can
she really needed it. thank them. Importantly, Ciara has
come to recognise that she’s shown
young people leaving great strength in dealing with her past
care, including 1,900 traumas. She now knows she is worthy
through our housing of support and deserves to reach her
services. full potential.
What’s more, working with me has
really helped to change the way she
sees the world. Building a relationship
“ The thing
I’m most
Living with mental health problems
sometimes makes it hard for Ciara to
I quickly helped Ciara secure her
tenancy with her house’s new owner,
with a supportive and reassuring adult
has given her a much-needed sense of
proud of in cope with being a single mum. Sadly, so she wouldn’t have to move. It was stability. I’m so thankful that people
my work is her mental health took a turn for the a huge relief for Ciara as her children like you have enabled me to stick with
that we – at Barnardo’s – are there worse when she found herself in debt were settled there. Then I helped her Ciara through thick and thin. At last,
for young people as long as they need and needing to move house because access some specialist debt advice. she feels able to start thinking about
us. Often, we are the only people they her landlord was selling up. It was a Debt can often be a big problem a future with hope, thanks to your
can turn to. Ciara is a really good
example of this.
very stressful situation to be in.
Thankfully, that’s when she got in
for young people leaving care who
have no one to offer them practical
kind support.
”
Your generosity allows Barnardo’s
guidance. With her money troubles
Ciara’s parents died when she was touch with us. We were there for
finally under control, Ciara was able project workers like Jane to work
young and she grew up in care. When Ciara because we never give up on the
to concentrate on her mental health with young people like Ciara,
the time came for her to strike out on children and young people who need
and I helped her get counselling and whenever they need us, for as long
her own, we were there to support her. us most. After I was assigned as her
go on a confidence-building course. as they need us.
Years later, at the age of 24, Ciara came project worker, I first of all checked and
up against a new set of problems and reassured Ciara that her children were Finally, Ciara decided she wanted
realised she needed more help – for happy and well looked after. Then I set to find out about her parents, as
herself and her two young children. about tackling some of Ciara’s more not knowing about her history *To protect her identity, models has been
So, in her hour of need, she turned to immediate problems. was contributing to her stress and used to portray Ciara and her children.
us again.
12. 13.
Services spotlight
Our Making Connections service is one
that you might not have heard of before
– but it’s doing vital work. It’s just one
of the amazing services your generous
support helps make possible.
Zak speaks out on
knife crime
This unique service does two very
important things.
Firstly, it manages Barnardo’s
Zak’s helping us lobby government Earlier this year, the reality of knife extensive archive of child care records,
to help us put an end to knife crime. crime plunged Zak’s family into turmoil, containing details of children in
when his younger brother was stabbed Barnardo’s homes or foster homes, When he contacted Barnardos’ Making
In the last issue of Believe, we told
close to his school. Since this traumatic or adopted through Barnardo’s at any Connections service, he was amazed at
you how knife crime is becoming an
event, Zak has volunteered to work with time since the 1870s. Secondly, it helps what he discovered.
increasingly urgent issue for children
us, helping to show other young people adults who were in Barnardo’s care or
and young people in the UK – and what “Barnardo’s told me my mother had
a way out of dangerous lifestyles. In adopted through Barnardo’s to see their
we’re doing to tackle it. given birth to me young and worked
August he was one of a group of young records and find out more about their
Thanks to supporters like you, we’re people directly affected by knife crime hard as a waitress. I later learned
past, offering counselling as part of this
helping young people make safer who visited 10 Downing Street to demand she married and went to America in
emotional process.
choices, and move away from violence. the Prime Minister listens to their views 1957 and had two sons. I now have six
We’re working with government, on how to tackle the crisis. He told us: It’s an invaluable resource for people brothers and sisters on my father’s side,
parents and local communities to trying to do the very difficult task two brothers on my mother’s side plus
“Education is the only way we can of piecing together the facts of their the original brother I already knew
raise public awareness of the issue
broaden the horizons of young people earliest years – people like Richard about. It’s quite incredible.”
and reduce knife crime.
so they don’t go down that path of Parr. Adopted at the age of two and a
Zak is a thoughtful and articulate youth crime.” Making Connections now receives
half in 1952, he only found out about his
24-year old knife crime campaigner over 1,100 enquiries every year, often
With help from people like you, and origins 12 years ago when his mother
from London. He knows first-hand how from people who are desperate to know
people like Zak, we’re making all the died and he became curious about his
crucial our work is since we helped where they’ve come from.
difference. past. He told us: “I had a very happy
him to build his self esteem and live childhood, upbringing and subsequent People are learning the true history
independently when he left care. He life, so didn’t delve into my past while of their own or their relatives’ lives
says: “If it wasn’t for Barnardo’s, I don’t You can hear Zak talk my mum and dad were alive.” thanks to support like yours.
know where I would be as there was no about knife crime at
other service out there that could give www.barnardos.org.uk/
me help.” zak-podcast. Together, we’re To find out more about the Making Connections service visit
showing young people that a www.barnardos.org.uk/former-barnardos-children
better, safer life is possible.
14. 15.
Get involved
If you’d like a challenge this year and want to raise money for Barnardo’s,
why not take part in one of our exciting events?
Search ‘Barnardo’s challenge events’ to get involved.
Conquer a long distance
triathlon over the month
of March. It’s an epic
Walk the Isle of Wight Cycle the 2020 Prudential challenge, but we’ll be with
Challenge on May 7 and 8. Ride London – Surrey you every stroke, pedal
Plus 25% discount on your 100 on August 16. There’s and step of the way. Oh,
registration fee when you an Early Bird offer of £10 and it’s FREE to sign up
choose Barnardo’s! registration fee! at itri.barnardos.org.uk
Challenges like these – and
collecting sponsorship from
friends and family raises vital
funds. We’ll use those funds to
carry on supporting and protecting
vulnerable children and young If none of these sound
right for you, why not
people across the UK.
try a DIY fundraising
Visit www.barnardos.org.uk/ event like a Big Bake?
get-involved/raise-money
Thank you so much for all
your wonderful support.
Barnardo’s, Tanners Lane, Barkingside, IG6 1QG
Barnardo’s Registered Charity Nos. 216250 and SC037605
21290shc19
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