The Children's World Charity (Registered Charity 282743) was founded in 1981 to provide educational, creative and social benefits for children of all ages, with particular reference to children who have special needs.

Well over 100,000 child-sessions of workshops have taken place since 1982, with regular touring of Somerset and (what was) Avon Special Schools, providing education through drama, music, movement, puppetry and creative play for children with severe learning difficulties and children with moderate learning difficulties, who benefit enormously in terms of increased confidence and self-esteem from the creative stimulation and fun Children's World offers. Our new Sensory Dome provides regular sessions for children with profound and multiple difficulties both at special schools and at many out-of-school venues for families with special needs during holiday periods. At times we also take on specific work with mainstream schools such as 'Living History' tours or workshops on 'Bullying'.

In recent years, as well as running specific separate tours for special schools and mainstream schools, we have regularly run 6 or 8-week 'Integration Tours' each summer, working with special schools and their neighbouring mainstream schools together. Not only is this a wonderful and almost unique opportunity for children with special needs to work and play and create as real equals with their mainstream peers, but it also forges strong links between special schools and their neighbouring schools which are of particular value with the coming of more inclusion of children with special educational needs into mainstream education. In addition we are delighted to find that mainstream children emerge from our programmes with a far more positive attitude towards 'disability'.

In Autumn 2000 Children's World started an exciting new 'Inclusion Project', seeking to facilitate and improve the inclusion of children with additional educational needs into mainstream schools. This means the Charity is now working with all abilties of children with special needs - in special schools, out of school and in mainstream schools.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To provide educational, social and emotional benefits to all children, especially those most in need.
To enrich the lives of children, particularly those who have special needs, or who are socially disadvantaged.
To run special Workshop Sessions, both in and out of school, for children with special needs, that will increase confidence and raise self-esteem.
Through our 'Integration Workshops', to provide children with "special needs" with unique opportunities to work and play as peers with 'able' mainstream children; to create on-going links and working relationships between special schools and neighbouring mainstream schools that will benefit all the children involved, and facilitate the "Inclusion" process.
In our new Inclusion Project, to run workshops in mainstream schools to discover problems that stand in the way of successful 'whole school' inclusion of children with special educational needs into mainstream education and suggest possible solutions; to discover and disseminate good practice, so that inclusion is more successful and the mainstream classroom a happier place.
By our integration and inclusion work, to enable mainstream children to participate fully and happily with children who have special needs, and have tremendous fun while doing so - so that they grow up with less fear and prejudice, and develop far more positive attitudes to 'disability'.
By our Playdays and Children's Festivals to provide high-quality, low-cost events with a large and unique variety of performances, workshops and activities at an all-inclusive price so that even the poorest families can participate and where children of all abilities from all walks of life can enjoy themselves fully.
To work at winning over the hearts and minds of those involved to a commitment to the full participation of those with a disability into society.
To constantly experiment with different formats, themes and ways of working to achieve these aims; to constantly invite feedback from schools and social and education services and other voluntary agencies, and to constantly try to improve our work so that we can offer the most benefit to all the children we work with, particularly those with special needs

ALTHOUGH CHILDREN'S WORLD IS A SERIOUS CHARITY WITH SERIOUS AIMS, THE KEYWORD TO ALL OUR WORK IS 'FUN' WE BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT WHEN CHILDREN ARE HAVING FUN AND ENJOYING THEMSELVES, THEY ARE FAR MORE OPEN TO EDUATIONAL LEARNING, CREATIVITY AND THE BETTER ASPECTS OF THEIR NATURE WHICH WE WISH TO CHERISH AND NURTURE

A FEW QUOTES THAT EXPLAIN WHY THIS WORK IS SO VALUABLE:

'Drama is a vector for language and physical confidence which is a vital area of experience for the more severely handicapped. The effect on the children of the Children's World workshopshas been very significant, and the staff concerned feel strongly that they would wish the series to continue...'

PENROSE SPECIAL SCHOOL

'One boy in my class now relates very well to the people of Children's World, whereas he used to cling to me when any other adult was around. This has helped in his relationship with other staff at school too, and I am sure it stems from our Wednesday mornings with you. I have watched normally expressionless faces come to life with real enjoyment as they participate in your workshops.'

CRITCHILL SPECIAL SCHOOL

'It seems to me that your organisation has found the perfect answer to enable our handicapped children to mix and work alongside their peers from mainstream schools in both a relaxed and tremendously exciting atmosphere. We offer you our whole-hearted support.'

WEST PENNARD PRIMARY SCHOOL

'They are not an organisation devoted to ephemeral five-minute enthusiasms, but a well-organised body with their feet on the ground and their heads in the clouds. The programmes have been conceived entirely by Children's World and have been successfully developed by them from their first conception to highly sophisticated operations at virtually no cost to the schools and enormous benefit to the children.'

SOMERSET COUNTY COUNCIL

"Your concept is such a simple one that it is difficult to grasp! Instead of the the usual stilted, self-conscious school performances, geared to painful learning of parts and songs in the conventional pattern, often so beset with failure for handicapped children, and even sometimes humiliating to watch, you encourage the children to evolve their own stories and joyfully express themselves at their own pace. The contribution to their confidence, imagination, self-expression, poise, etc. must be unique."

DOWNS CHILDREN ASSOCIATION

The contribution Children's World has made in Somerset, removing barriers and bringing disabled and non-disabled children together has been invaluable. I do hope they will that they will be able to continue bringing their enthusiasm, expertise and exciting activities to out of school projects well into the new Millennium."

SCOPE

CHILDREN'S WORLD

(Registered Charity 282743)

2, ST. EDMUND'S COTTAGES,
BOVETOWN,
GLASTONBURY,
SOMERSET BA6 8JE.
PHONE: 01458 832925 PHONE/FAX: 01458 834484
Email: ArabellaChurchill@childrensworldcharity.org
Website: www.childrensworldcharity.org

CHILDREN'S WORLD IS MOST GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED BY: CHARITABLE TRUST DONORS: ALCHEMY FOUNDATION, ARNOLD FOUNDATION, BATH MUNICIPAL CHARITIES, BBC CHILDREN IN NEED APPEAL, ENID BLYTON CHARITABLE TRUST, JOHN and CELIA BONHAM CHRISTIE CHARITABLE TRUST, CARNEGIE UNITED KINGDOM TRUST, CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION, CHASE CHARITY, D'OYLY CARTE CHARITABLE TRUST, ROGER & SARAH BANCROFT CLARK CHARITABLE TRUST, GILBERT and EILEEN EDGAR FOUNDATION, FITTON CHARITABLE TRUST, JOYCE FLETCHER CHARITABLE TRUST, FROGNAL CHARITABLE TRUST, GOOD NEIGHBOURS TRUST, IAN KARTEN CHARITABLE TRUST, LAINGS CHARITABLE TRUST, LANKELLY FOUNDATION, MILLENNIUM FESTIVAL LOTTERY AWARDS, MILLFIELD EDUCATIONAL TRUST, NORMAN FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST, P.F. CHARITABLE TRUST, RAYNE FOUNDATION, CLIFF RICHARD CHARITABLE TRUST, HEADLEY ROBERTS CHARITABLE TRUST, SAINT SARKIS CHARITABLE TRUST, SCOPE, HENRY SMITH CHARITIES, SAINT SARKIS FOUNDATION, JULES THORN CHARITABLE TRUST, TOWRY LAW CHARITABLE TRUST, TUDOR TRUST, VERDON-SMITH CHARITABLE TRUST, WATES FOUNDATION (PLUS ANONYMOUS FOUNDATIONS)

COMPANIES AND ORGANISATION GRANTS/PAYMENTS: ASSOCIATION FOR BUSINESS SPONSORSHIP OF THE ARTS, BRISTOL EVENING POST, BRISTOL KITE FESTIVAL, CENTRAL SOMERSET GAZETTE, CHILDREN'S WORLD ENTERPRISES LTD., CLASSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA, FOOLS PARADISE, GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY PERFORMING ARTS, DOWNS CHILDREN ASSOCIATION, GLASTONBURY ROAD RUN, GLASTONBURY & STREET LIONS, JUNIOR GATEWAY CLUBS, MARKS & SPENCER PLC, MENCAP, MENDIP DISTRICT COUNCIL, MIDSOMERSET SERIES OF NEWSPAPERS, MILLFIELD SCHOOL, THE RIFLEMAN'S ARMS, THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, SCOPE, SOCIAL SERVICES, SOMERSET COUNTY COUNCIL, SOMERSET IMPACT, STREET TOWN COUNCIL, SUN MICROSYSTEMS, TAG, WOMAN'S JOURNAL, WORKERS BEER CO-OPERATIVE, THE YEOVIL CENTRE

To Out of School Work
The Bullying Tour 1999-2000
The Sensory Dome Development Tour
The Garden Project 2000
C.W. International 2000
Plans and Budgets for the year ahead
Fund-raising
Director and Treasurer's Report
Schools Tours 1999-2000
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