For every £1 we spend, 84p goes directly towards helping children and families
4.5 million
children in the UK live in poverty*.
That's 31%
of children living in poverty.
For those 1 in 3 children growing up in poverty, winter can feel never-ending.
From living in a damp house that doesn’t feel like home and struggling to sleep in the bitter cold, to coming home from school to an empty fridge or clutching their broken toy, knowing they might not get another.
Behind closed doors, parents are making impossible choices between putting the heating on and putting food on the table. Choosing which necessity to forgo.
And in winter, our frontline staff see more children struggling with anxiety, loneliness, and depression than at any other time of year.
Many vulnerable children will need our support in 2026.
You could help.
“Families are having to decide between food and heating. Some children go to school hungry. Even families that have two working parents need to access food banks and financial support. It means that the children are at a disadvantage because their basic care needs aren’t being met."
Sonia, Programme Lead, Action for Children Family Support Team
Last Christmas, Secret Santa's like you helped children feel the magic – full plates, warm coats, and presents that meant the world.
Your kindness didn’t end at Christmas, neither do children’s needs. Donate now and you could help a vulnerable child feel safe and warm through the darkest months.
Thanks to generous people like you, we helped over half a million children last year, not just at Christmas but 365 days of the year.
More about our work
What does Action for Children do?
We protect and support children and young people. We do this by providing practical and emotional care and support. We make sure their voices are heard. And we campaign to bring lasting improvements to their lives.
Today, we run 342 services in local communities across the UK, in schools and online.
In our nurseries and children's centres, staff make sure children get the best start in life. Our foster, adoptive and modern residential services find children and young people safe and loving homes.
We step in to protect children from neglect and abuse and help those who care for others or are at risk of homelessness. Innovative projects like The Blues Programme give young people the help they need to look after their mental health.
We're also here for parents, through projects like Parent Talk, our online support service.
What we've achieved
We’ve been helping children for more than 155 years. In 2024/25 we helped 551,400 children, young people and families. This was only possible with your support.
- Since 1869 we’ve helped more than two million children and young people.
- 50,869: the number of children reached with mental health support in 2024/25.
- 484,650: the number of people reached by our online parenting advice service, Parent Talk, in 2024/25.
Where your money goes
Your donations help us to support vulnerable children, young people and their families in the UK.
84p of every £1* we spend goes directly towards helping children, young people and their families. Your support is so important right now because levels of financial hardship, abuse and neglect have been rising. We’ve seen a huge surge in demand for our services. Your donations help us to run these essential services, which give vulnerable children and families a vital lifeline.
We make sure that every penny you donate goes where it will have the greatest impact on children’s lives.
Most of the donations we receive from our campaigns are unrestricted. This means they’re not spent on one project or one specific area of the UK, but where the need is greatest. We wouldn’t be able to operate as a charity without this type of income. Unrestricted funds help us reach the children and young people who need us most. Funds raised from this appeal will be unrestricted and used by Action for Children for its general charitable purposes. Please see the Our Work and Impact for examples of the work we do to help children and young people and their families.
* Figure based on audited 2024/25 charity accounts that exclude subsidiary companies like commercial nurseries.
Why regular donations matter
Donating a small amount every month by direct debit helps us give vulnerable children the stability they need. Our regular supporters help us carry out long-term work and keep vital projects running.
For every £1 we spend, 84p goes directly towards helping children and families
