Mark Allen Group’s Post

Rainbow Trust reacts to The King’s Speech, 2024.   Zillah Bingley, Chief Executive of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, said:   “Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity welcomes the news that the Children’s Wellbeing Bill will put children and their wellbeing at the centre of the education and children’s social care systems."   “Rainbow Trust helps many children who are seriously ill. They cannot always go to school safely because of risk of infection, their needs are not being met at school, or schools themselves are inaccessible. These children do not always get the help they need from their local authority to learn. We also support their siblings who may be too anxious or too tired to learn. Local authorities must understand the reasons why some children cannot always go to school. Rainbow Trust calls on councils to make a meaningful offer of education and social support to all children affected by serious illness, in partnership with charities. We also call on the government to increase funding to enable local authorities to do this without delay, including more effective, sustainable commissioning."   “Rainbow Trust also welcomes the news that parents who are trying to balance paid work and caring for their seriously ill child, will benefit from enhanced rights to help with parental leave, flexible working, and protection from unfair dismissal. This will make a difference to parents, and the economy alike, so that skilled and committed people don’t leave the workplace unnecessarily. However, the government must bring forward work to improve social care funding so that parents can balance work and care.” Read our statement on our website: https://lnkd.in/eaqfzGTY

Does your org work with children / fund orgs that do? If so, you need to know the best evidence about preventing & handling abuse. Giving Evidence compiled it all (with partners) & I explain here what the available evidence covers & says: https://lnkd.in/eyR5-Chn #charity #philanthropy

My family has always believed that success in business goes hand-in-hand with giving back to society and to these ends our charitable trust The Rigby Foundation recently launched the West Midlands Big Listen project with The Centre for Social Justice to better understand the biggest barriers facing children and young people (aged 11 to 25) across the region, particularly looking at employment, training, education, skills and well-being. We invited local charities, educators, members of West Midlands Combined Authority and businesses to a very successful day at Millennium Point (a building that exists largely thanks to my father). With support from Jess Phillips MP, we discussed the barriers facing children and young people (aged 11 to 25) across the region. Thanks to all the many representatives who took the time to share their insights; it was a very productive day. Amongst the many insights shared, Sophia Worringer, Deputy Policy Director at the CSJ, neatly summarised the scale of the challenges facing young people in our home community: •More than a third do not think that young people in their local area have the skills to succeed in their first job compared to less than 1 in 3 across the country. •Only 1 in 5 say that there are good job opportunities for young people leaving school compared to 1 in 4 across the UK. •Just under 3 in 10 under 35s say that young people have the skills they need to succeed in their first job, compared to nearly 4 in 10 of those aged 55+. The findings from the event will shape a report that CSJ plans to publish in early summer and help The Rigby Foundation decide how best to deploy support in the future. For more than 30 years our Foundation has proudly backed many hundreds of local and national charities that provide invaluable support to people in need, from hospitals and hospices to education and arts organisations. We have strong ties to the West Midlands and believe that, going forward, a renewed focus on young people, education and employability is the most effective way of ensuring that future generations are able to benefit from long-term and sustainable employment and be part of a talented West Midlands workforce. #SocialImpact #CommunityEngagement #YouthEmpowerment

💡More Funding! Another Step in the Right Direction💡 The government has announced a £250 million Children’s Social Care Prevention Grant to strengthen early family support services. This boost, part of the 2025/26 Local Government Finance Statement, will increase funding for preventative children’s social care to over £500 million next year. The grant will focus on:💭 ✅ Strengthening family help services. ✅ Promoting early intervention to keep children with families where possible. ✅ Tackling profiteering in private care services. ✅ Empowering local authorities to provide safe, loving homes for children in care. Key sector voices are welcoming this step:🌟 🟦 Andy S., ADCS: “A vital recognition of councils’ struggles to invest in early help and prevention, empowering families to address challenges early." 🟦 Jo Casebourne, Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families: “Supporting parents is essential for children to thrive.” 🟦 Children’s Charities Coalition: “A turning point in preventing families from reaching crisis.” This grant is definately a step in the right directions in Children's Services, but continued investment and focus in the right areas will also be essential to ensure every child has the chance to thrive in a safe, nurturing environment.⭐😀 #socialcare #earlyhelp #childrenandfamilies

I really believe it is crucial to have kind and compassionate individuals who believe in our teenagers. When we nurture their potential, they begin to believe in themselves and unlock their true abilities. Your work is truly incredible and I can see you make a positive impact on the lives of these young men. 💙 Please give this a watch ⬇️⬇️ #harlow #essex #mentorship #bigupharlow

Huge shout out to my wonderful fellow trustees and colleagues at Support SEND Kids (especially Rachel Amos and Tamsin Ogilvie) for our research in partnership with Skynewsuk.com which shows that: - 3 in 4 parents who have a child with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) have given up work or cut their hours. - 2 in 5 parents who have a child with SEND have left work. - 1 in 3 parents who have a child with SEND have reduced their hours. Reform of the entire SEND education system is required to help get these parents back into work, and most importantly to ensure children have access to the education they deserve as a basic human right. I feel incredibly lucky to work for an employer in Virgin Media O2 who provides flexibility in the form of carers leave, emergency leave and parental leave (thanks Nisha Marwaha and our awesome DEI networks!) as well as to have an awesome team who “just get it” and always support me, otherwise I too would form part of this shocking statistic. If anyone knows any SEND parents needing help to navigate the SEND system, please share the Support SEND Kids site with them, or I’m always happy to help people in similar situations access useful resources. #SEND #ParentCarers #SENDCrisis #WorkingParents #SENDLaw

Please read below the important update shared by our Executive Director Carrie Truman.

The Red Cross has been a beacon of hope for over 150 years, providing relief and support for those in need around the world. This World Red Cross Day, on May 8th, let's celebrate their tireless efforts and find ways to contribute ourselves. Here are a few ways you can make a difference: ❤️Donate: Every contribution, big or small, helps the Red Cross continue its vital work. ❤️Volunteer: Lend your time and skills to a local Red Cross chapter. ❤️Spread Awareness: Share information about the Red Cross on social media and encourage others to get involved. ❤️Learn First Aid: Be prepared to help in an emergency by taking a first aid course.

Spreading joy & hope to the stateless children with Rainbow of Hope, a non-profit organization committed to providing support, education, and care for stateless children. Their mission is to provide Basic Literacy Program, Economic Empowerment Development and Welfare to the under privileged.  We understand that our festive initiative is just a small step in brightening their lives momentarily. The real challenges lie in the lack of opportunities for these children to receive an education and the burden of high medical expenses. It is our hope that the community, in recognizing these underlying issues, can come together to address these concerns and provide sustainable solutions. https://lnkd.in/gNYwRKhX

The UK Covid-19 Inquiry found that Long Covid Kids and Long Covid Scotland had met the legal test of having “significant interest” in the matters being investigated and therefore could be delegated core participants. However, we are shocked and disappointed to share that, in her discretion, the Chair, Lady Hallett, declined to do so saying that she was confident that the Inquiry would be able to explore the Government’s understanding of the risk that children might acquire Long Covid without their being core participants. In response to this surprising decision, Long Covid Kids and Long Covid Scotland have written an open letter to the Inquiry, garnering support from over 50 signatories from charities, organisations, clinicians, ministers, and other backers. Read our blog to learn more and add your support to our letter today. Since 2022, Long Covid Kids and Long Covid Scotland have supported the UK COVID-19 Inquiry including: Providing witness statements Meeting with the Inquiry team Providing support and attending Every Story Matters events Sharing the Inquiry’s work with members and supporters Participating in impact films Being members of the Children and Young People’s forum Being core participants in the Scottish Covid Inquiry, Module 2 and Module 3 of the UK Inquiry. Children and young people with Long Covid suffered the dual burden of the social, education disruptions and loss of learning that all children suffered as well as long-term injury to their health. For many children and young people with Long Covid, those impacts persist to date, resulting in chronic illness, and substantial and long-term impairment. It is crucial that the Inquiry fully understands Long Covid and the impact of Long Covid on children and young people. By signing the letter and sharing it, you can help ensure that their experiences are properly represented. Check out our blog and open letter here. https://lnkd.in/e-baZ2Y9 #LongCovidKids #CovidInquiry #LongCovid #PatientVoices #Children #Charity #OpenLetter