The Children we help

CHICKS aims to provide as many disadvantaged children as possible with the life enhancing experience of a free respite break away in the countryside at either one of our centres in Devon and Cornwall.

The children CHICKS helps are those growing up in poverty, children who have been abused, neglected, children in care and children of prisoners.

Children whose parent/s have addictions, children whose parent/s have mental health issues, children who are excluded or isolated, children living in a refuge, children who have witnessed domestic violence as well as those who have experienced physical, emotional or sexual abuse.

Some of the children CHICKS helps are Young Carers, these are children who spend much of their childhoods looking after sick or disabled parents or siblings. These children are old beyond their years and often have responsibilities over and above that which you would expect, or accept as appropriate, for a child of that age.

All of the children that CHICKS helps are disadvantaged and would not otherwise get the opportunity to benefit from some respite away from their circumstances or get to enjoy a ‘holiday’. Many are missing out on positive childhood experiences, have nothing to look forward to, and have little hope for the future.

Some examples of children that CHICKS helps are as follows:

Case Study 1: Mike is a 10 year old boy from Manchester, his mother and new partner are heroin users. Mike was put into the care of his grandparents until recently when it was discovered that he was being sexually abused. Mike is now on the child protection register. Mike was referred to us by Social Services so that he could benefit from the positive experience of some time away where he can develop some happy childhood memories and be made to feel special.

Case Study 2: Susan is a 15 year old Young Carer from London. Susan cares for both her mother, who has a mental health problem, and her brother who is visually impaired. Susan has an eating disorder, is a long term non-attender of school and suffers from bullying. As a result Susan has very low confidence and self esteem. Susan desperately needs a break from her caring role so she has the opportunity to be a child again and can develop a greater feeling of self worth.

The children we provide FREE respite breaks to come from all over the UK including many of the boroughs of London, Birmingham, East Ayrshire, Liverpool, Dundee, Chester, Bodmin, Manchester, Bristol, Derby, Oxford, Stockton-on-Tees, Cambridge, Leatherhead, Powys, Portsmouth, Southampton, Hertford, Gloucester, Basingstoke, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Gosport, Plymouth, Bromley, Stockport, Wolverhampton, Rotherham, Wrexham, Exeter, Hull, Cardiff, Kilmarnock, Barking, St Austell, Lincoln and Middlesbrough to name but a few!