RTÉ’s Toy Show Appeal Chooses Depaul as Recipient to

Fund Crucial Child Support Worker

 

Dublin, 23rd of June, 2026 : – Depaul, a leading cross-border charity supporting those experiencing homelessness, is delighted to announce that it has been chosen as one of the recipients of the RTÉ’s Toy Show Appeal for 2026. This award will fund the crucial role of a Child Support Worker in Depaul’s family accommodation services in Dublin and help to change the lives of children experiencing homelessness. As of April, 5,604 children in Ireland are accessing emergency accommodation with no place to call home.

Commenting on the funding, David Carroll, CEO of Depaul said: “We are so grateful for this support – the heart breaking reality is thousands of children in Ireland are living with the trauma of homelessness and the issue has never been more pronounced with more than 5,600 children accessing emergency accommodation in Ireland today.

For a child experiencing the trauma and uncertainty of homelessness, life can feel heavy and overwhelming. Our Child Support Worker does so much more than meet basic needs – they bring back the magic of childhood by creating safe spaces for joy, laughter, and play that helps these resilient children heal, grow, and simply feel like kids again. Funding like this allows us to provide them with a little more dedicated child-centred support to ease the burden that comes with experiencing homelessness – to give them some hope.

Depaul’s Child Support Worker has a transformative impact on the children in its services, allowing staff to not only meet each child’s essential support needs but also to find opportunities for fun and play that support a child’s physical, emotional and social development. Through dedicated, child-centred support, the Child Support Worker plays a crucial role in helping children heal from past trauma, find much-needed structure and routine, and achieve the best possible outcomes for their future.

Denise Charlton, Chief Executive of Community Foundation Ireland added: “Being entrusted to turn the €4.3 Million provided by generous RTÉ viewers into actions which deliver benefits for children across Ireland is both a huge honour and responsibility. The Foundation uses insights and knowledge from community partners across the country, best in class research and the insights of top child advocates to inform our decisions. The result is another year when children in every part of our country will benefit.

On behalf of the Community Foundation I want to congratulate everyone who will benefit from the latest grants. We look forward to being updated on your work ahead as we all seek to improve the lives of children and their families. To the viewers who have made all of this possible, Thank You.

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For media queries contact: Colette Campbell: Communications & Advocacy Depaul – colette.campbell@depaulcharity.net