Following successful projects to combat the cost of living earlier this year, the ALMT has extended crisis support for a further three months in order to support families living in poverty during the summer months.

This year, families have seen a dramatic rise in the cost of living with core expenses in London higher than anywhere else in the country. London still has the highest rate of child poverty in the UK with over a third of London’s children living in poverty – more than 700,000.

Miracles receives referrals to work with families facing poverty and crises, when families really need help. They have learnt first-hand about the depression, loneliness and isolation brought on by job loss and an insecure financial future and how this impacts on the general well-being of children and their families.

Miracles works with multiple hospitals as well as children’s charities, social work teams, refuges and Citizens’ Advice to support families who are both living in poverty and facing a major crisis – such as funds to cover travel to and from hospital following a child’s diagnosis. Those families experiencing a major crisis, such as a child needing treatment in hospital, are far less likely to have any kind of financial resource or back up to rely on.

Miracles has seen a dramatic rise in the need for crisis funding this year. This funding will support three crises cases per week for 12 weeks referred to Miracles from partners including Great Ormond Street, Hackney Ark, Royal Marsden, Young Lives v Cancer and Hestia domestic abuse service.