Helping Children Walk Into School With Confidence: Lilly's Story

When Lilly* and her three sons lost their home after their landlord sold the property they were renting, they were forced to move into a single room in temporary hostel accommodation.

Overnight, everything changed. Alongside finding somewhere safe to live and supporting her family through the uncertainty of homelessness, Lilly was still trying to make sure her children could go to school each day with the things they needed.

Lilly was trying to rebuild her family's life while facing impossible decisions about what she could afford. Every purchase meant something else had to wait. She worried constantly that her boys would stand out because they didn't have the right clothes, toiletries or school essentials. She feared they would be bullied for being different and that everything they had already been through would follow them into the classroom.

Through our partnership with Herts Young Homeless we provided the family with clothing, school bags, stationery and a care package containing essential toiletries.

"Thank you for your kindness. It means a lot to know someone cares. I worry the boys will get bullied because of what they wear to school. I could never have afforded the amazing things you gave us and they were over the moon to have new things for school."

For Lilly, the support removed some of the pressure at one of the most difficult times in her family's life. For her sons, it meant walking into school with confidence instead of worry, able to focus on learning, friendships and simply being children.

Why this matters

Lilly's story reflects a wider challenge we're seeing across our Schools For Good programme.

For families facing financial hardship, everyday toiletries and hygiene products can become one more impossible choice alongside food, rent, travel and energy bills. Yet these are the very items that can influence how a child feels when they walk through the school gates each morning.

Feeling different from classmates, worrying about being judged or bullied, or lacking the confidence to take part can all affect a child's experience of school and their ability to make the most of the opportunities education provides.

That's why this year's Back to School appeal is placing a particular focus on toiletries and hygiene products. By providing these everyday essentials, we're helping remove practical barriers that can affect confidence, participation and a child's sense of belonging, so they can focus on what really matters: learning, building friendships and looking forward to the future.

Source: In Kind direct 2025

Lily's story is real and based on true events however, in order to protect her identity her name has been changed and the photos used are stock imagery courtesy of Getty images and photographer Michael Heiss.