Record numbers of children seek support as Barnardos launches Christmas appeal

Ottoline Spearman

Children's charity Barnardos is calling on the public for support this Christmas due to a surge in demand for its services.

35,649 children and adults were supported by Barnardos in 2024, a 37 per cent increase on the previous year and the highest level ever recorded.

By December 7th, Barnardos will have already surpassed last year’s total number of directly supported children and families relying on its services.

Barnardos' mission is to ensure every vulnerable child in Ireland receives the support they need to overcome adversity.

Issues like domestic violence, the cost of living crisis and homelessness are placing severe pressure on families already under strain.

Rising referrals, mounting pressure on waiting lists and increasingly complex needs are driving demand across Barnardos' 56 service locations nationwide.

Launching this year’s Christmas appeal, Mary Gamble, Barnardos Director of Fundraising, said:

“Barnardos staff are seeing families with increasingly complex, overlapping needs such as the impact of long-term emergency housing, domestic violence, addiction and traumatic bereavement. Many are facing several of these issues at once and at the centre are children who urgently need our support.

“While the festive season is a joyful time for many, for families living with financial and social hardship, it brings real fear and worry.

"As early as September, the parents we support are already asking how they will afford food, heating, and even the small gifts that make Christmas magical for their children.

“The support we provide goes far beyond meeting material needs; it offers dignity, reassurance and a sense of belonging that can shape a child’s life long after the holidays are over.”

Barnardos is urging members of the public to support its Christmas appeal and donate at www.barnardos.ie.