Barnardos Annual Review 2005: We are Barnardos

In 21st century Ireland we hear about the costs of things that, when I was growing up, didn’t come with a price tag. Time is a commodity as never before; community is a luxury item and conversation is a text message – usually to say that you’re running late. The new burdens of society are house prices, childcare and commuting. It’s hard to gauge where childhood in Ireland fits into this mix. For many children, Ireland could well be the best place in the world to be a child. But not for all. Every day Barnardos works with children and their families who struggle with poverty, who feel alienated and whose expectations are neutered through lack of access to the support networks they need to lift them out of the poverty trap. The home environment is oftentimes chaotic; parents battle to make ends meet; any extra, unanticipated costs – such as a school trip or a new pair of shoes – can tilt the burden to an unmanageable level. In 2005 Barnardos launched our new Strategy and outlined our mission and vision. It’s a simple proposition - Barnardos’ vision is an Ireland where childhood is valued and all children and young people are cherished equally. This is driven by our mission, which is to make Ireland the best place in the world to be a child – for every child. This is not an unreasonable aspiration. Economically we have the means; what we need is the political and social will.

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