Rudlings Wakelam has become one of 41 Founding Partners of Kids in the Middle, a national charity backed by young people and by family law mediation firms, and the first in East Anglia.
What are Rudlings Wakelam doing?
Firstly, we will be developing a portal on our website to help children find useful and informative information, what they should do in certain situations and a list of helpful telephone numbers.
Secondly, we are looking for local businesses to become involved in the fund raising and to help us promote perhaps a mini pentathlon, involving local children and schools. We need to engage with local schools and get them to enter a team and help us take the campaign forward.
We will be attending the first London gathering of Kids in the Middle on the 29th of January to meet with the founder Duncan Fisher and other partners.
What is Kids in the Middle?
Kids in the Middle exists to raise awareness of the effects that separation and divorce can have upon children in the UK and to raise funds to support these young people. It will create and finance both national and local services that child-centred family lawyers and mediators can use in their work.
All the creative work and fundraising will be done by young people and family law/mediation firms working in partnership.
Why is there a need for Kids in the Middle?
The proportion of 16 years olds who have experienced the separation of their parents is heading for nearly one in two. That’s about 400,000 children experiencing their parents’ separation each year.
Who will this service support?
Children and young people who are experiencing the separation of their parents.
We know that separating parents will also visit Kids in the Middle and we aim to help them see things from the child’s perspective.
In conjunction with professionals working with separating families, we will actively promote the service. Our vision is that at least one person in the life of every child experiencing family separation recommends they visit KidsintheMiddle.com.
How the money is raised?
The fundraising campaign started in school year 2012-2013 with two groups of teenagers in two schools – Hereford Cathedral School and Crickhowell High School. They raised £16,000 and their campaigns are visible at Justgiving.com.
How will my money be spent?
The on-line peer support service will start being built in February 2014. At the same time, we will commission an information pack and presentation materials for schools so that family lawyers, mediators and others can engage easily with schools to raise awareness of the issues and the help available.
To find out more about helping us raise funds and the profile of this charity, please email: kids@rudlings-wakelam.co.uk or call Jules Wright on 07976 311083 or Rachel Shaw on 01284 755771 or visit http://kidsinthemiddle.org.uk