Childrenswear brand JoJo Maman Bébé is partnering with Action for Children to support vulnerable children, young people and families across the UK. Money raised through the partnership will help provide practical and emotional care and support to families who need it most, helping to create a safe and happy childhood for more children.

JoJo Maman Bébé is committed to the belief that children should be children, with all the support they need. However, as school anxiety hits before the new school year, known as Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), Action for Children’s support will be crucial to helping families with affected children.

Commenting on the partnership is Gwynn Milligan, CEO of JoJo Maman Bébé.

“We are delighted to partner with Action for Children, a wonderful charity whose amazing work aligns with our mission here at JoJo to support happy childhoods and let children be children. Our teams are looking forward to the year ahead – through fundraising events, learning and volunteering opportunities, we hope to make a real impact for children and young people together.”

According to the Department for Education, 150,000 children at state schools were classified as severely absent in 2022-23, which is 30,000 more than the previous year, and 150% higher than the 60,000 who were severely absent in 2018-19. The general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders emphasised the urgent need for increased support for children and young adults suffering from anxiety and depression, highlighting this could only be achieved through adequate funding for public services that offer support to those in need.

Between April 2022 and March 2023, school refusal and anxiety were also the most common issues raised in Parent Talk, Action for Children’s free, confidential online advice service for parents and carers. Action for Children’s advice article on school refusal was used more than 50,000 times. Using anonymised data from one-to-one conversations where parents raised the issue of school refusal, the charity took a deeper look into what they are struggling with.

 

 

Action for Children found three issues stood out.

Firstly, parents don’t know where to turn for help. This can be because their child’s school may be struggling to offer the support they think their child needs, or because they simply aren’t being offered any support at all. Secondly, parents struggle to access specialist support for children. This can be mental health services, support for special educational needs, or early help services.

Thirdly, many parents struggling with school refusal mentioned the impact of home learning during the pandemic. For some parents, home learning was a lifeline, enabling their child to stay in touch with their schooling to some degree. For others, the option of learning from home had solidified their child’s reluctance to attend school.

Also commenting is Paul Carberry, CEO of Action for Children.

“While many children are eager to go back to school and start a new academic year with their friends, some are not so enthusiastic. There can be many reasons why a child is refusing to go to school, such as falling out with friends, experiencing bullying, concerns about falling behind or struggling with schoolwork. Even more so if they have special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). Our Parent Talk digital service offers clear advice on how to navigate this tricky time. We look forward to working in partnership with JoJo Maman Bébé, and together we can continue to empower and support parents and carers with the tools they need to ensure their children thrive.”

Action for Children works all over the UK through 426 services in communities, schools and online. For further information, please click here.