Home to over 5.5 million people, this region blends thriving busy cities like Leeds and Sheffield with rural villages and dramatic coastline.
Because transport networks connect rural areas and smaller towns with major urban hubs like Leeds, Sheffield and Hull, key safeguarding issues for young people in this area include criminal and sexual exploitation and children going missing.
At Leeds Station’s Safe Hub during Leeds Festival, Railway Children’s Community Engagement Workers supported young people with advice, information, welfare assistance and signposting to relevant services and useful contacts, helping them stay safe while travelling to and from the festival.
We ran a stall at Bradford Station as people arrived at the city’s much-loved festival of South Asian culture, raising awareness of safeguarding children and young people on rail.
Raising awareness of vulnerability on the rail network, particularly during school holiday season.
Lucinda has worked in the youth sector for over 20 years and, as Regional Manager for both the Yorkshire and the London and South East teams, oversees the safe and effective delivery of our young person's service across these areas. Lucinda is committed to delivering a high-quality, child-centred service that creates lasting positive outcomes for young people.
Laura has been involved in youth work for almost two decades. She is passionate about empowering young people, amplifying their voices, and challenging exploitation and harm. She is committed to creating positive change that enables all young people to feel safe, valued, and empowered to reach their full potential.
Alex works with schools, transport providers and the public to raise awareness of vulnerability and ensure people know what to do to keep themselves and others safe. What she enjoys most about her job is being able to make a real difference while getting to be creative. She loves designing and delivering hands-on workshops and activities that are tailored to each audience, and the challenge of bringing important safeguarding messages to life.
The three-day route took cyclists from Ebbsfleet International to Dover, Dover to Brighton and Brighton to London Waterloo, raising vital funds to support vulnerable children.
Railway Children will feature in a special BBC Radio 4 Charity Appeal this September, shining a light on the challenges faced by street children in Tanzania and the life-changing support available through our work.
Railway Children marked 30 years of supporting vulnerable children with a special parliamentary reception at the House of Commons.
Subira is a family project worker for Railway Children in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Here is an exploration of her work and the impact that it has as she supports street-connected children and reunites families.
Learn about safeguarding and how it relates to child protection on transport networks.
No child wants to survive on the streets. And, through understanding and empowerment, together, we can ensure no child has to.
