The Separated Child Foundation

Charity Commission for England and Wales registration number: 1120669
[The registration of the Foundation was announced during the “Ester’s Walks of Life” programme on 9 September 2007.]

The Separated Child Foundation has been established “in memory of Ester Gluck, a compassionate and creative young woman who was strongly committed to working for the benefit of refugees and people seeking asylum, and had a particularly deep concern for separated children and young people.” The Foundation seeks to extend and intensify her work.

By 'separated', The Separated Child Foundation refers to children and young people under the age of 21 who are refugees or seeking asylum and whose parents or guardians are not with them. Separated children experience the double trauma of separation not only from their homeland, culture and natural environment but also from the adults in their family who gave them care.

The Foundation has two objectives:

• to offer emotional, social, financial and physical support to separated children and young people—either directly or indirectly through their carers
• to engage in educational activities that raise awareness of the needs of separated children in particular, and of refugees and people seeking asylum in general—activities that encourage positive responses to those needs.

The Foundation will meet these objectives not only by generating its own projects but also by making grants to other bodies that are engaged in this field. The Trustees are considering a range of projects and ways of securing funds to initiate and implement them.

The Trustees are Mark Friend, Angela Gluck, Jonty Hurwitz, Michael Marx (Treasurer, 2007—) and Robin Richardson (Chair, 2007—). The Trust Secretary is Sarah Kleiman.

A sample of projects that the Trustees are considering:

ANNUAL GRANTS TO ‘THE ESTER CINEMA CLUB’
Ester Gluck raised funds for film and music equipment for use in the youth club run by the Refugee Council (at their national headquarters in south London); it has been named in her memory. It needs to renew its annual licence to show films and also needs blackout curtains so that films can be shown on light evenings.

A YOUTH CLUB IN NORTH LONDON
The youth club run by the Refugee Council in South London is the only one in the country for separated children. There is a need for a parallel club or other provision north of the Thames.

DAY TRIPS AND SHORT RESIDENTIAL HOLIDAYS

MATERIAL SUPPORT FOR NEW ARRIVALS AND THOSE AGED 16 LEAVING FOSTER CARE
This provision might include shoes or winter clothing, household items or educational materials.

SUPPORTED ACCOMMODATION FOR THOSE AGED 16-18
They are currently inappropriately housed in hostels or B&B where they may be physically and emotionally vulnerable.

‘MORE THAN A FRIEND’
This involves adults ‘adopting’ (in the style of an aunt, uncle or godparent) separated young people over the age of 16. A ‘more than a friend’ would offer friendship and invitations for meals and outings.

GIVING SEPARATED CHILDREN A VOICE
This entails recording the experiences of separated children based on their lives in their country of origin and in the UK. We hope that this will give separated children a stronger voice and that it will, over time, become a valuable record and educational tool. We will create a newsletter to enable separated children to communicate with each other.

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The website of The Separated Child Foundation is under construction and news of its completion will be posted here. Until then, please write to estermemories@hotmail.co.uk if you wish to:

• be kept informed of the Foundation’s activities
• make a donation to its work (this can be gift-aided for tax benefit)
• initiate a fund-raising event
• be involved in any of the Foundation’s activities