Rabobank in Ireland & Little Foot Forward

For the next 3 years Rabobank in Ireland will work with Barnardos in supporting 217 young children from the age of 2 to 5 years of age as part of the Little Foot Forward programme.  The primary focus of the programme is to prepare these children for school and build a structure around education.

We’d like you to meet Chloe

Chloe is three years old. She lives with her mum and dad in a one-bed flat. There is no space outside to play. Chloe hasn’t had a chance to meet other children or to play outside. Chloe’s lived in this flat for 2 years now, having moved around hostels and temporary accommodation. Read more of her story to see how the Little Foot Forward programme works to help her and many more like her. Read More >>

What you can do to help

RaboDirect has been working with Barnardos since 2007 and in that time with the help of you, our customers, we have raised over €50,000 through various initiatives which have gone towards supporting Barnardos educational programmes in various centers around the country.

As a new customer joining RaboDirect, you can elect to have us donate €20 to Barnardos on your behalf. As an existing customer you can donate directly to Barnardos from your secure account with us. Click on Like to Donate below to find out more.

Education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty

Securing an education is invaluable and an inevitable journey that most children and parents take together. And yet so many of us take that journey for granted.   Did you know that there are in excess of 1,000 children in Ireland each year who fail to make the transition from primary school to secondary school, dropping out of the education system before the age of 14?

The majority of these children grow up in communities where poverty levels are high and serious social issues abound.  Education is not a priority.  The earlier a disadvantaged child has access to the kind of educational support Barnardos can offer, the greater the probability that the child will remain in the education system and develop essential skills that will ensure they are better placed to secure a future full of opportunities. The Little Foot Forward initiative at Barnardos is one such programme.