Help Us Change Lives Through the Power of Music. Support Looked After Children in Birmingham With the Music Cares Project Today

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Photographs are posed by models to protect the identities of the young people we’re supporting

Music has the power to impact the lives of young people and their development of language, literacy and numeracy skills as well as their personal and social development.

For children in care, the opportunity to engage in music can be limited for many reasons. In 2018, Services For Education, in partnership with Birmingham Virtual School (the umbrella body that oversees the education of children in care in Birmingham), launched ‘Music Cares’, a project providing music opportunities and instrument loans for Year 4 and Year 7 children in care across the city. Due to increased need, the project now supports over 150 children across more year groups and more areas.

“I wanted to quickly drop an email and share some lovely news. One of our year 11 students who takes lessons is a looked after child so there was a meeting last week with social workers etc.

The feedback from the meeting is that the student is only engaging in music and he has said music is what is keeping him going at the minute, in particular his instrumental lessons.

I just want to thank SFE for all your hard work with this student and congratulate you on being such a positive influence to what can be a difficult child. Thanks for all your hard work”

Anonymous 

 

Together we can make a difference

Through involvement in the project, children have the opportunity to have free loan of their own instrument for regular music lessons. The project also offers opportunities to complete music exams, join ensembles and performances and experience things that they would otherwise miss out on. Additionally, Music Cares provides a rare opportunity for children in care to engage positively with other people, particularly adults not involved in their care provision, an essential skill for when they leave the care system.

Music making helps vulnerable children knock down barriers that they either face or put up themselves. It builds their confidence and communication skills, empowering them to transform their lives for the better. Perhaps more importantly, for many it develops a sense of pride, value and belonging to something that they’ve been missing.

music cares image

Photographs are posed by models to protect the identities of the young people we’re supporting

Want to support children in care, in Birmingham? Make a donation to fund life-changing projects today.

Page Last Modified:  04/10/2023 07:55