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Carefree Kids is a
Fairtrade organisation

Carefree Kids - a children’s charity based in Waltham Forest

Carefree Kids is a children’s charity based in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. Since 2004 we have been providing emotional support to children, teenagers and their parents and carers. We use non-directive therapeutic play, art therapy, dramatherapy and dance/movement therapy to help release troubling emotions that may be difficult to communicate verbally or in other ways.

For those with the personal qualities needed, we offer training in our approach to help those in need of emotional support. Our aim is to offer the highest standards in our work and relationships with our schools, children, parents and carers.

We work in 25 schools, mainly in Waltham Forest but a few in Redbridge and Newham helping helping children who have been identified as needing therapeutic help. Our volunteers - male and female of all ages - come from a wide range of backgrounds. We recruit community volunteers as well as counselling and psychotherapy students on placement throughout the year.

There are a number of ways you can help us to help more children, young people and their parents and carers.

1) Become a volunteer, take our training and help children using therapeutic play

2) Make a donation – we have a shopping list of much needed items starting at just £5

3) Become a committee member – we meet once every 6 weeks in the evening. Can you help us with marketing, raising funds, sponsorship or networking?

4) Sponsor a resource – we could use a new therapeutic play bus as our current bus is 18 years old

5) Get involved – no matter how many or few hours you have available you will be welcomed and you can make a difference

Not sure and want to find out more? Just use our contact form. We are a relaxed and friendly group of people who are succeeding in making a difference in our local community. If you are passionate about the same please get in contact.

Trustees Required

Being a trustee with Carefree Kids

Meeting frequency, duration and style – We meet every 6 weeks, with no meetings in August. We have occasional additional trustees meetings on finance, fund-raising, organisational risks. We normally start meetings at 6.30pm aiming to finish in 2/ 2 ½ hours. We are business-like but informal in our meetings. Trustee meetings are attended by staff and by ‘committee members’ — people who are knowledgeable and committed to Carefree Kids but who do not want to be a trustee at present.

Meeting location – We have been meeting at the Carefree Kids office but we are relocating as the building is being sold. Our new office, near the Bakers Arms in Leyton, is not available in the evenings. We are starting trustees’ meetings in staff/ trustees’ homes and will see how well this works. Addresses are likely to be in Leytonstone, Walthamstow and South Woodford.