A little bag. A big difference for children and young people entering care

Imagine being a child or young person and, without much warning, finding yourself entering care. You may have very little with you, perhaps not even the basic things we all take for granted.

That is why HEY Smile Foundation and Nurture a Child have come together to provide a simple but practical helping hand for children and young people entering care unexpectedly across the East Riding.

Through the East Riding Youth Grants programme, HEY Smile Foundation has provided £2,500 towards the project, with Nurture a Child generously match funding this with a further £2,500. Together, the £5,000 funding has enabled 400 backpacks to be purchased and filled with essential personal care items.

Each backpack contains everyday essentials including shower gel, shampoo, toothpaste, a toothbrush, wash cloth, deodorant and sanitary products, as appropriate.

Grab and go resource for young people entering care

The backpacks are designed to be a quick grab-and-go resource for East Riding of Yorkshire Council, ensuring that when a child or young person comes into care unexpectedly, there is a bag of essential items ready for them.

Importantly, the backpacks are theirs to keep and reuse, giving them something practical and personal that they can take with them as they move through what may be an uncertain and unsettling time.

For a child or young person entering care, a bag of toiletries might seem like a small thing. But at a time when so much may feel unfamiliar and out of their control, having their own bag with some of the essentials they need can provide a little comfort, dignity and reassurance.

The backpacks will be donated to East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Voices That Influence, Children, Families and School Directorate, where they will be available to support children and young people entering care.

Jamie Lewis MBE, Chief Executive Officer at HEY Smile Foundation, said:

“Having experienced the care system myself as a child, I know that arriving into care can be an incredibly uncertain and unsettling time. You may not know what is going to happen next or even have the basic things that you need with you.

Simple idea that makes a real difference

These backpacks are a simple idea, but they can make a real difference. They mean that when a child or young person arrives into care unexpectedly, there is something ready for them, something practical that is theirs to keep and use.

We can’t change the circumstances that have brought a child into care, but together with Nurture a Child and East Riding of Yorkshire Council, we can help make that moment a little easier, and give a child some dignity, comfort and reassurance when they need it most.

For me, that’s what Smile is about, bringing people and resources together and turning them into something that makes a positive difference to people’s lives.”

The project has been made possible through partnership working, with Nurture a Child’s match funding doubling the amount available and allowing the project to reach hundreds of children and young people.

Neal Hammond, Accountant at Nurture A Child said:

“At Nurture a Child, we firmly believe every child and young person deserves to have the opportunity to build a bright future. We want to help them navigate life’s challenges with confidence, independence and hope.

We’re particularly proud to collaborate with the HEY Smile Foundation and East Riding of Yorkshire Council on this project supporting children and young people in the care system. Entering care can be an incredibly isolating time, our mission is to make sure they feel seen, advocated for and cared about. Initiatives like this help provide the basis for children and young people to thrive, and we’re so proud to be involved.”

The backpacks will be held by East Riding of Yorkshire Council so they can be quickly accessed when they are needed, helping to make sure that a child or young person arriving into care does not have to worry about going without some of the basic things they need.

Councillor Victoria Aitken, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education, East Riding of Yorkshire Council said:

“Thank you to HEY Smile Foundation and Nurture a Child for this donation. The backpacks and everyday essentials within them will make such a difference to children and young people when they may not have been able to bring their own belongings.”

The project brings together funding, partnership and practical action to provide support where it is needed most – helping children and young people to have the essentials they need, when they need them.