Break the cycle campaign - your questions answered

If you have questions or concerns regarding our television advert, we hope the following FAQs will help. If not, please email breakthecycle@barnardos.org.uk.

What is the aim of the campaign?

The aim of the advertising campaign is to increase the public’s awareness of Barnardo’s, and drive our Believe in Children message. We want to reinforce our repositioning as a modern, relevant, contemporary charity that tackles today’s most pressing issues for children and young people.

Caught in a cycle of deprivation, neglect and abuse, for many vulnerable children and young people life can spiral out of control. Problems such as violence at home or educational difficulties can lead a child to substance misuse and even crime. At Barnardo’s, our work and intervention can break this cycle – but we need the public’s help to do this.

The overall message of the campaign is that Barnardo’s believes in all children and young people, no matter what they have done, or what they have been through. Our work can reach out to vulnerable children and young people, breaking the cycle and giving them the chance to turn their lives around.

When and where will the TV advert be shown?

The advert will run from 10 June – 4 July on mainstream TV (i.e. ITV, Channel 4 and Five) as well as a variety of satellite channels, after 9pm. Programmes that may have a younger viewership will also be avoided.

I’d like to support Barnardo’s. How can I do this?

We need the public’s help to continue helping more children to break the cycle. This may be through donating, fundraising or just lending us your time.

Donations can also be made in the following ways:

Post: Supporter and Donor Services, Barnardo’s, Tanners Lane, Barkingside, Essex, IG6 1QG

Tel: 0800 027 3439

I find the advert confusing and I don’t understand the sequence of events.

The advert highlights the cycle of disadvantage that many of the children and young people we work with are trapped within. Each scene depicts another area of the young girl’s life. The purpose of the footage repeating itself is to demonstrate that for some children, these events will continue to repeat until someone stops it.

I complained last time this advert was on air. Why is it being run again?

The Advertising Standards Authority investigated all the complaints they received, and decided to uphold the advert concluding that the hard-hitting content was justified, given the issues being tackled. The advert was therefore not banned as a result. Whilst it is true we did receive some complaints, comparatively we also received a great deal of support for the campaign, both from the public and other professionals.

The repeated hit over the head is very disturbing. Why have you used such violence?

Unfortunately, the elements of the ad that may seem disturbing to some people are everyday occurrences for many of the children and young people we work with. While we realise that this is hard to see, we feel it is important to reflect the true experiences of our service users, so that people understand that this is the sad reality for many, many children in the UK. We need to raise awareness of this, to prevent this happening to more children and young people. Although we do recognise the advert is hard-hitting, in no way is it intended to cause offence or distress. Instead, we want people to recognise that with intervention through organisations such as Barnardo’s, things can change.

What do you say to victims of abuse who are distressed by the advert?

It is not our intention to distress victims of abuse. Our intention is to highlight such issues and demonstrate that Barnardo’s can help children trapped in such situations. We need to raise awareness of this cycle, to prevent this happening to more children and young people. If you are affected by the issues and would like to speak to someone for support through these issues, please contact the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90.

The girl in the advert does not look like a child. Why have you used a young adult when you are a children’s charity?

Barnardo’s works with children and young people from a range of ages, and the young person in the advert reflects some of the older children we work with. At the time of filming, the actress was just sixteen years old.

Why is the perpetrator of abuse a man? Are you suggesting men are the only ones capable of abuse?

We know through our work with children and young people that both males and females commit child abuse, so our intention was not to typecast either gender. By casting a male in this role, we are in no way suggesting that all abuse is committed by men. The advert instead aims to show that young people can be caught in a cycle of disadvantage and need help to get out of it.

By portraying such violence, do you think you are encouraging this kind of behaviour?

We take the issue of violence extremely seriously. Many of our projects deal with the affects of such issues and for this reason we would never use material which we felt could encourage such behaviour.

My children were very upset by the advert. Surely you must realise children still watch television post-9pm?

The advert is not intended to be viewed by children, and for this reason, it will only be aired post-watershed. We are also extremely responsible when placing the advert and avoid programming which would have a high proportion of child viewers and ensure a later break time in some other programmes.

I am angry that the money I have donated is being spent in this way.

Of every pound that is donated to Barnardo’s, 94p goes directly towards our work with children and young people. Barnardo’s spends a considerably small amount on marketing in comparison to many organisations, including other charities. We were able to make significant savings throughout the production process of this advertising campaign, as many of the production team, including the director, worked for free.

Why is there no helpline on the advert?

Unfortunately, Barnardo’s does not run a helpline. However, should you be affected by any of the issues in the advert and would like to speak to someone please call:

Childline on 0800 11 11, or the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90.
You can also email jo@samaritans.org