International Charity Day, celebrated each year on 5 September, is an opportunity to recognise the incredible difference charities make in the lives of individuals, families and communities.
For The Children’s Family Trust, being a charity is about more than simply the organisation we are. It is at the heart of who we are and why we exist.
For more than 80 years, we have been committed to helping children and young people who cannot live with their birth families to experience the stability, care and sense of belonging that every child deserves.
What does being a charity mean to us?
As a charitable fostering organisation, our focus is always on the children and young people we support, and the foster families who care for them.
We aren’t here to generate profits for shareholders. Instead, we reinvest our resources into improving the services we provide, supporting our foster carers and, most importantly, helping us achieve better outcomes for children and young people.
Our Family for Life ethos reflects this commitment. We believe that fostering is about building relationships that can last well beyond a placement, creating a sense of belonging and making sure children and young people know they have people around them who care.
The power of community
Charities don’t make a difference alone.
Behind every child who finds a safe and supportive foster home is a network of people working together – foster carers, social workers, therapists, teachers, birth families, volunteers, supporters and local communities.
Our foster carers are at the centre of this network. They open their homes and their lives to children who need somewhere safe to belong, providing day-to-day care, encouragement and stability during what can be an incredibly uncertain time.
But they aren’t expected to do it alone.
At The Children’s Family Trust, our teams are there to support our foster families every step of the way. From dedicated Supervising Social Workers and therapeutic support to training, advice and our 24/7 out-of-hours support line, we work alongside our carers to help them feel confident and supported.
Making a difference beyond childhood
Our commitment doesn’t necessarily end when a young person leaves care.
We believe that relationships matter throughout life. That’s why our Family for Life approach means continuing to recognise and celebrate the achievements of children and young people, while helping foster families maintain meaningful connections where appropriate.
For us, success isn’t simply about a placement working today. It’s about helping children and young people build positive relationships, develop their confidence and look towards a brighter future.
How can you support a charity like ours?
International Charity Day is a chance to think about the causes that matter to you and consider how you could make a difference.
For The Children’s Family Trust, one of the most meaningful ways to support us is by considering whether fostering could be right for you.
There are thousands of children across the UK who need safe, stable and loving foster homes. You don’t need to be perfect, have a particular type of home or have previous fostering experience. What matters most is your ability to provide a child with patience, understanding, consistency and care.
You can also support children in care by sharing information about fostering with your friends, family and wider community. You never know who might be considering fostering but simply hasn’t taken that first step yet.
This International Charity Day, we’re celebrating everyone who helps make a difference – and the communities that come together to help children and young people feel safe, supported and valued.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you could foster, we’d love to hear from you. Your journey could make a lasting difference to a child’s life.
