The World's Biggest Property Bike Ride 2018

A message from Action for Children

Thank you for joining The World’s Biggest Property Bike Ride and helping us build a better future for children in foster care.

Too many children grow up with their lives overshadowed by abuse and neglect. The children we support have often experienced traumatic childhoods. Many suffer such appalling experiences that they have to be removed from the family home and are placed into the care system. By intervening early, we stop neglect and abuse. We support young people who can’t cope. We make life better for children in care.

We do what’s right, what’s needed and what works for children.

Hilary’s Story

The children we find families for have had difficult starts in life, like Hilary.

When Hilary was eight years old she was fostered and subsequently adopted in to a family that felt like it was always meant to be. Hilary, now 42, tells us:

“I had a troubled childhood, there were lots of things that were horrible, horrible things I'd rather forget. I was eventually taken into care at four years old after being found on the street late at night by police. I had never felt settled until I was eventually placed in emergency foster care. My foster parents took care of me and from the moment I walked in to their home and lives. I instantly felt safe and loved."

“The things that happen to you as a child stay with you for life. Childhood is short, but it has such a massive impact on the rest of your life, you need to feel safe. The truth is you just want some to love you. No matter what.
As a young child I thought that if I made a mistake or did something wrong I was going to be punished for being bad. I learned very quickly in my new home what it was like to be loved."

"My foster parents made me safe, they taught me how to show love and be loved. They taught me it's okay to have a bad day, it's okay to feel sad or trip and fall, because people still love you and tomorrow is a new day. If by sharing my story I can help just one little person to know that there is someone out there who can make them safe, it would mean everything.”

Hilary is now fundraising for Action for Children in memory of her adopted father, Guy.

CBRE + Action for Children: Building a better future

After a staff-wide vote, Action for Children has been chosen as CBRE’s UK-wide charity partner for the next two years. Our partnership will help us make life better for the UK's most vulnerable children and young people by providing:

Specialist workers across the UK to help foster children transition from a life in care to independent living. This will include practical advice and support, helping to source accommodation, emotional support, raising their ambitions and setting goals for employment, education and training opportunities

A digital handbook for foster parents providing tips and advice. This will ultimately help to prevent placements breaking down and ensuring foster parents have the support they need in an easy and accessible manner.

We will also create a digital welcome booklet for children entering care, providing them with tips and advice to help ease them into their placements

Why is the partnership important?

45% of children entering care have a diagnosable mental health condition.
Those who were in care as children, are five times more likely to commit suicide in later life.
In 2013/14, it was reported that 41% of care leavers were not in education, employment or training compared to 15% of all 19-year olds.
Together, Action for Children and CBRE will transform the lives of UK children in care.

To find out more about Action for Children, please visit: www.actionforchildren.org.uk