Free & low cost activity ideas for you and your child
With the end of the summer break approaching, we’ve rounded up some great ideas for last-minute activities that cost next to nothing to help you keep your little ones entertained for the final few weeks before they return to school.…
Exam Result Disappointment – What not to say!
On Thursday 18th August, students all around the country will be finding out their A-Level exam results followed by GCSE results day on 25th August. Despite the joyous A* students that celebrate triumphantly in newspaper photos, the majority of students…
Prisoner Family Visiting Services: A Mother’s Perspective
Jess (not her real name) had no experience of visiting a prison before her partner was imprisoned at HMP Elmley on the Isle of Sheppey a world away from the family home in Northern Ireland where she lived with their…
A Day in the Life of Debbie – Children’s Counsellor
Since the pandemic, the work-life of Debbie, a Counsellor working as part of the Fegans Children’s Counselling service provided by Spurgeons, has changed drastically. She now begins her vital work supporting children with their mental health from her laptop on…
Keia: A Young Carer at University
Keia was about eight years old when she started helping her stepdad care for her mum. Joining Spurgeons Young Carers in Wolverhampton gave her self-confidence. Now at University, she looks back at how her experiences have shaped her. “Mum has…
Young Carers: A perspective from Angie Jones – Young Carers Service Lead
Angie Jones works for Spurgeons Young Carers as Service Manager in Wolverhampton and Deputy Manager for Birmingham and is herself a former young carer. She shares some insights into her work with Natasha Krywald from our Communications Team, also a…
When does too much gaming become a problem?
While we might have some awareness that too much gaming is bad for kids, it has long been unclear how much screen time is unhealthy. Although gaming has been hugely popular ever since Nintendo exploded onto the scene in the…
Poems help to heal family bonds
Kerry Longhorn, Service Lead on Spurgeons Invisible Walls project in HMP Winchester says, “We ran a Dads Together group, an informal lunchtime session where dads could talk to us and each other about fatherhood and families. As part of this…
Backpack is a lifeline to families fleeing abuse
Nearly one in three women aged 16-59 will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime.* It can take enormous courage for a woman to leave an abusive partner; they may worry about where they can go, or that their partner will…