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| The Children’s Society Magazine | Spring 2009
Welcome
Making childhood better
It’s been two weeks in The Sunday Times (1 February), and We are opening more children’s centres
since the publication of amongst the general public. The report to engage with children and their
The Good Childhood
®
looks at issues that affect every child families in the community. Our national
Inquiry and we are still and contains 30 recommendations mentoring scheme, launched last year,
on a high. from experts in the field. More is gathering pace and we have a
detail can be found on pages 8–11. growing number of mentors working
Published on 5 with children and young people.
February by Penguin, We have used the findings of the
A Good Childhood – report along with our 128 years of We couldn’t expand our work without
Searching for Values experience working with children to your support, which is becoming more
in a Competitive Age inform and formulate our vision for and more important as we face tougher
marks the culmination the future of The Children’s Society. economic conditions. A downturn in the
of two years’ work economy means a tougher time for all,
by an independent We stay committed to working with the but especially for children already
panel of experts commissioned by most marginalised children in the UK facing hardship. So thank you for your
The Children’s Society to examine but we want to expand our impact. continued commitment to the children
childhood today. On a broad level, we are working more who need our help. Together, because of
closely with the Church, particularly the impetus that The Good Childhood
The report, now available in high street at parish level, to help the public Inquiry has given us, we can make
bookshops and via Internet retailers understand our collective responsibility childhood better for all children in the UK.
like Amazon, has created massive for all children in the UK.
interest in the media, including extracts Bob Reitemeier, Chief Executive
In Hampshire, our Include Project
celebrated its ninth Annual Young
Carers Festival. The festival provides a
fun and secure environment for over
2,000 of the 175,000 young carers in
the UK. ‘The caring task is something
S
T
that never stops – people say we have a
choice and can walk away. But we can’t.
J
E
C
O
It’s our family. Sometimes we feel
P
R
trapped. It’s hard…’
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