Imagine children leaving home in the middle of the night with their mother and siblings. They leave without notice and with nothing. Their mother also leaves with nothing, except the heartfelt expectation that she is taking her children into a better future. One without violence, abuse or neglect.
This is a typical scenario for children who are taken to live in a women's refuge with their mother. Virtually all these children will have left home suddenly and with no belongings or toys.
The KidsOut Toy Box Scheme, works with the Women's Aid Federations of England and Northern Ireland to provide brand new toys to children when they are re-housed into a new, safe, home.
The contents of the toy boxes are chosen to be toys that they can own, and that can help build their imaginations, as they help to re-build their lives. The toys are specifically tailored to age and gender, and a typical box may contain:
Each toy box carries a value of around £100.