Children 1st’s new campaign wants to ‘Give A Child Their Smile Back’

Scotland’s leading children’s charity Children 1st is appealing to people across the country to join its campaign to help children and their families recover from trauma.

The charity supported more than 10,000 children and their families last year, and aim to double this figure by 2023, through their ‘Give A Child Their Smile Back’ campaign, launching October 8.

Children 1st’s purpose is to prevent child abuse and neglect, keep children safe in their families and communities and to help children and adults to recover from the impact of childhood adversity and trauma.

Demand for the charity’s support is growing, but to reach all the children that need them and give more children across the country their smile back, Children 1st needs the donations of fellow Scots.

The UK-wide campaign will launch with a 60-second TV advert, featuring Glasgow actress Paige Green aged nine from Notre Dame High School, who powerfully captures the sense of loneliness, isolation and fear that children feel as a result of traumatic experiences and shows that recovery is possible.

The advert will air in the evening of October 8 on STV during the first ad break of Coronation Street before This is Me.

Children 1st’s Interim CEO, Mary Glasgow, said: “When children experience trauma it affects every part of their childhood, from their relationships with friends and family, to their ability to learn in school and to play and enjoy activities. Without support to heal from their experiences, the impact of trauma can last a lifetime – with devastating consequences. It’s now widely recognised that adverse childhood experiences, and the resulting trauma, are the single biggest health and social care issue affecting children and families in Scotland today. The average child in need of support has to wait months, and in many areas no specialist support is available, so we must act now.”

Mary continued: “Through our ‘Give a Child Their Smile Back’ campaign, we’re determined to reach the children and families in Scotland who need us, give them hope and bring happiness back into their lives. For that, we need the nation’s support.”

Since 1884, through the generous support of the public, the charity’s dedicated staff and volunteers have been working to improve the lives of children across Scotland by preventing abuse and providing help to children who have experienced harm or mistreatment. More than 130 years later, the charity maintains that this could not be more relevant to what it stands for today.

Children 1st works tirelessly to break the ongoing cycle of adverse childhood experience. The charity works alongside children and families, developing strong supportive relationships, to strengthen their ability to cope and to keep their children safe.

Mary added: “Any donation big or small will make a profound difference to the lives of many children and their families. Together, let’s help give a child their smile back.”

Source: Children 1st

  Advertising, Awareness, Campaign, charity, Children 1st, Give A Child Their Smile Back, Marketing, Scotland, UK