- The Presbyterian Children’s Society exists to support Presbyterian children in Ireland. It works mainly through Ministers to alleviate poverty and financial hardship for these children and their families. This is done mainly through regular and exceptional grants.
- Regular grants are paid to families on a quarterly basis throughout the year while exceptional grants, are one-off payments made to families as a result of challenging circumstances and immediste financial pressures.
- The Society is currently assisting approximately 910 children in 440 families in over 200 Congregations throughout Ireland.
- We help families with children from a wide range of circumstances including the death of a parent, divorce or separation, parental illness or disability, where a mother is single, where a parent is in hospital or prison and where parents are unemployed or on low income.
- Families who may be considered eligible for help must be:
Under the pastoral care of their local Presbyterian congregation
Have income within the Society’s income limits (usually this will mean families with average earnings or receiving benefits)
Children are under the age of 23 and currently in either full time or part time education, training or apprenticeship
- Whilst the Society is not under the control of the General Assembly it works closely with the Church through its Ministers. The Society also works in co-operation with a number of relevant General Assembly councils to ensure congregations have appropriate resources to equip them in supporting families in financial need.
- The Society has produced a range of resources including DVD's which are available to download. A book about the Society's history can be requested from the Society's office free of charge. Furthermore, two sets of eleven pop up stands which tell the story of the Society's history over 150 years are also available (on loan).
- The Society is registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (NIC101444) and Scheme No. 58 under the Educational Endowments (Ireland) Act, 1885. Its audited accounts can be viewed here.