Childnet urgently seeks new partnerships as it faces uncertain future 25 January 2006

Over the last 11 years Childnet has made real contribution to advancing the agenda of positive and safe use of the internet for children. As a small independent charity we have been successful in working directly with children, parents and teachers and engaging constructively with a wide range of partners both in the UK and elsewhere to ensure that the issues of online child protection and children’s safe and positive use of the internet are addressed. Indeed, Childnet has been privileged to develop and contribute to a number of ground-breaking initiatives which have inspired others throughout the world to better respond to the challenges and opportunities of children and communications technology.

However, like many other small charities, Childnet is finding it increasingly difficult to raise the necessary core income to sustain its independence and longer-term work and currently the organisation is unable to secure a balanced budget for its next financial year (April 2006 onwards). Accordingly the Board of Trustees has reluctantly had to issue redundancy notices to a number of staff and Childnet’s future beyond April 06 is uncertain.

Stephen Carrick-Davies, Childnet CEO says,

“Despite expanding our range of education resources to every secondary school in the country and increasing our income generation and fundraising activities, we have been unable to secure the necessary budget for 2006/07 for Childnet to operate in its current form. We therefore must seek new partnerships and review how our positive child-centric work, brand and innovative projects can be run and extended by others if necessary.”

One such partnership currently being considered is with the new Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre www.ceop.gov.uk who are reviewing with us how some of our educational resources can be incorporated into CEOP’s work. Childnet has already seconded one of its staff to CEOP from 1st February.

Dr Alice Swann, Childnet’s Chair of Trustees says,

“It is with great regret that we have had to issue redundancy notices to staff who have worked so hard and been so committed to developing Childnet to the organisation that it is today. It is important to recognise that the role of a charity is often to pioneer new work which can then be taken up by government and outside agencies and we are keen to ensure that we make available to others our projects and expertise which have had such a positive impact on children and young people for many years.”

Childnet is committed to fulfil its contracts and work programmes till the end of this current financial year (till March 2006) but at the same time is keen to actively consult with a wider range of other organisations and partners to review with us the best options for continuing Childnet’s work and legacy so that young people can be kept safe and truly benefit from the incredible opportunities offered to them by the internet and new mobile technology.

If you would like to discuss Childnet’s work and the opportunities in greater detail contact Stephen Carrick-Davies, Childnet’s CEO at stephen@childnet-int.org 020 7639 6967.

For more information see www.childnet-int.org/news