Even before the coronavirus outbreak, we know that children growing up in poverty often fall behind their better-off peers from a very young age and find it hard to catch up.

The economic conditions brought about by the pandemic mean that low income families need help more than ever to get through the crisis and to ensure that early learning inequalities for children are not exacerbated.

Through the Save the Children Emergency Response Grant- GSAP Family Support Hub from May to November 2020 processed emergency grants online for 214 local Families with children aged 0-6 years (453 Children) and helped to make a difference in their lives. 

The programme is currently closed but we are hopeful that it will open again shortly.

During the pandemic this ensured we could:

1. Support families with their immediate needs in community.

2. Ensured continuity of children’s early learning, minimising inequalities in their home learning and 

3. Provide families with the essential items they required and minimise further financial pressure on the families who may have already been vulnerable.

100% of the Save the Children grant to the Greater Shantallow Area '£72,760' went directly to the families with an average spend of £331.95 for each Family.

Here are some of the lovely comments received back from the families:

‘Hi again. I just wanted to say that biggest thanks to you and everyone that sent all this stuff. He loves the sensory colour toys and I can’t wait to build his new bed he is going to love it! Thanks again for all your help it means the world to me’.

‘The girls are enjoying their learning activity on the new dinning set. Thanks to Save the Children for the resources much appreciated’. 

‘We have just received the numbers and counting activity set, and she just loves it. We also received the vouchers and I just want to say thank you so much again= we really appreciate it and it will help us out a lot’.

‘Thank you for helping us out. She is loving her new learning toys !! You have been so helpful thank you’

‘The bedding that I got was absolutely amazing, great quality and helped my wee boy to sleep – It included the mattress and pillow protector. The Bed was a Divan bed and I still had enough left over to buy him clothes and hats and a few of his favourite toys’

’Thank you so much for the support. As u can see three very happy boys and every appreciative also’

Available to all the families-

savethechildrenemergencyresponseprogrammesummaryreportapril2021finalversion(1).pdf