It's the ‘small things’ that could make a big difference to a young person in care this Christmas
1 Dec 2022
An estimated 100,000 children across the country will spend their Christmas in care with many finding the festivities a reminder that lives are different to others.
This Christmas, East Anglian charity Break, which supports young people on the edge of, in care and leaving care, is raising awareness about the small things that can make a big impact to a child in care whilst calling on the public to help them make a young person’s Christmas special this year.
For the young people the charity works with and cares for, when their life feels out of their control, it’s the small things that can make a real difference. From bonding over a shared interest of model painting with their support worker, or building their first ever sandcastle aged 16, to surprising care leavers with balloons and cakes on their birthday – it’s these small things that let them know they are deserving of every effort to make them feel special and loved.
This Christmas the charity is asking the public to give these young people the love and support they need by offering one small thing to given them a Christmas to remember. This can be by purchasing an item from the charity’s Amazon Wishlist which ranges from special weighted blankets; therapeutic games; gift cards to help a young person when their budget is tight; computer games to get everyone in the children's home playing together; Christmas decorations for a young person that’s left care, or a karaoke box to nurture a future Ed Sheeran! Or, by simply donating whatever you can afford to enable them to continue the work they do with young people:
£5 could help to buy arts and crafts materials to use in therapeutic sessions, which helps to start the healing process, and also points to some of the small things that might make the biggest difference.
£20 could allow one of Break’s volunteer mentors can take their mentee out for a bite to eat, or a trip to the cinema. Funding experiences that brighten their days and helps to build their relationship.
£100 could allow us to do something extra special for a young person in our care – kit them out for their rugby sessions or whatever other small thing improves their wellbeing.
“Thanks to this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert, those 100,000 young people who are often hidden away from the limelight, were rightly propelled into centre stage,” comments Break CEO Rachel Cowdry. “It shows that all young people in care are worth going that extra mile for and this is what we do every day at Break. Not every young person will be with a family this Christmas but by supporting our campaign, whether it’s through donating, buying a gift or simply helping us to raise awareness, together we can create a brighter tomorrow for these children & young adults.”
Details on how to get involved with the Break’s “Small Things” campaign can be found here.
