The Athlone Trust Cio

The objects of the Trust (registered charity no. 277065), which was formed in 1978 with assets of the former National Children Adoption Association, are to provide financial assistance for adopted children and their families in the UK who are experiencing hardship.

In the last decade, we have received many applications to assist parents of adopted children with serious disabilities such as Asperger's Syndrome or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), often as a result of maltreatment or neglect before they were adopted. Indeed the funds are now invariably directed to help pay for school places in the private sector, where classes are small, so that children with special educational needs can receive appropriate individual help in cases where the fees cannot or will not be paid for by local authorities. In many instances the children are from single parent families where the parent, usually the mother, has decided to devote her life to caring for families of siblings with disturbed behavioural conditions.

Sadly the demand for assistance from the Trust has been increasing exponentially over the last few years. None of the Trustees receives any remuneration and administration expenses are kept to a minimum. Though still small, the charity nonetheless provides valuable funds, without which seriously disturbed children might not otherwise be able to receive the proper care and specialist teaching needed.

Funds are desperately needed to allow the Trustees not only to carry out our present commitments without dissipating much capital but also to meet the continuing anticipated demand from adopted children with special needs. All donations will be most gratefully received.