In the UK, children from lower income families are 50% less likely to do as well at school as their classmates.
For these families, increasing parents' skills and confidence to support their child's learning can reduce the impact of poverty on their child's future.
Our Families Connect programme has been developed in response to feedback from parents and offers support in three key areas: literacy and language development, numeracy and emotional development.
Over eight weeks, parents learn how to support their children's education at home through a series of fun and engaging activities.
We've helped children who struggle with their reading – 98% have an increase in confidence and 94% enjoy reading more than before they started reading with a volunteer. Help us reach more children by volunteering now.
Journey of Hope, devised by Save the Children US after Hurricane Katrina, helps children, parents and carers understand and cope with trauma and challenging life circumstances.
Delivered by trained mental health professionals, the sessions cover positive ways to understand and discuss feelings and help children build coping strategies and stronger support networks.
HOW WE'RE HELPING Jake and Nichola
Jake*, 5, and his mum Nichola* have been bonding through play and learning at one of our Families Connect sessions.
“He really enjoys the one-on-one with me,” says Nichola. “In the first session, he got to play with cars and do races with cars with me in the classroom. And he loved doing the different stuff with colours and recognising different colours. So those were his two favourite weeks I think.”
The programme also gave Nichola new ways to connect with Jake at home. “I started that with Jake and now we’re actually finding out what’s happening,” she says, after trying a tip from another parent to ask more open-ended questions about his day.
“You realise that other mums are feeling the exact same,” she adds. “It’s not about doing things perfectly—it’s just learning to deal with whatever way they are.”
