Child begging drops by nearly 50%

The ISPCC Leanbh programme was founded in 1997 to tackle the emerging issue of child begging on the streets of Dublin. At its peak, over 2,500 children were reported begging in just one year, robbing them of their childhood while posing a grave risk to their health and well-being.

For 12 years now, the Leanbh programme has relied on a small army of volunteers led by a minimal staff who reflect the diversity of the children and families with whom we work. Together, they provide 24-7 monitoring, intervention and support for children at risk of begging and their families.

We can now report that the number of child begging cases in recent months has more than halved and continues to decline. There is no question that this is largely attributable to Leanbh’s years of engagement with children and families to convince them of the dangers of the streets and the merits of formal education for all children.

Please donate now to help us continue our vital work.