The summer holidays should be a time of enjoyment.  At Kids Company, the children and young people we support don’t count down the days anticipating the fun and freedom to come; they count the days of safety and security they have left before school closes and they must fend for themselves.

One of our young people described her experience of summer: “The lead up to mid-July, the ‘big’ school holidays, always filled me with dread and panic. For other children, the break from school would be one of excitement: trips away, time with families and long days with paddling pools and barbecues. For me, the lack of structure that was round the corner was terrifying. My home life, which was already hanging by a thread, was about to become chaotic and frightening.”

Without access to the basic needs that school provides like regular meals and security, children and young people are exposed to gang activity in their communities and so become exceptionally vulnerable. Gang culture can provide the comfort and sanctuary which most of us find at home and all too often take for granted. Without it, becoming a gang member can be the only appealing alternative to enduring the holidays hungry, lonely and riddled with fear.

Please donate to our Safe Summer Appeal through our Just Giving page. Your contribution will help us protect our children and young people with the crucial support they need. It could mean the difference between neglect and safety; despair and hope.