Press releases

Agency wins major award for BAAF poster campaign revealing harm caused to thousands of children in care

Issued: 13 June 2006

The British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) is today delighted to announce that FCB London has been awarded a Big Tick in the prestigious Business in the Community Awards for Excellence.
The creative agency won the award for its pro bono billboard campaign launched at the start of National Adoption Week 2005. The billboards were unveiled at key sites in London, Manchester, Cardiff and Glasgow, and read: “This poster has no permanent home. Like thousands of kids in care, this poster will be moved again tomorrow.” As the billboards were moved from place to place, they became increasingly damaged – mirroring the harm caused to children moved too many times.
Working with BAAF, the poster campaign was designed to highlight the lack of stability for thousands of children in public care when they move from placement to placement without good reason. The campaign generated enough exposure to get support for an Early Day Motion in parliament and was supported by 131 MPs.
Harvey Gallagher, BAAF Director of Marketing & Communications, says: “Many children in public care have suffered abuse or neglect and all are in desperate need of stability – a stable place to live, a warm and supportive home environment, and if they are old enough a stable place at school. Children in care need time to recover from the circumstances that brought them into care in the first place. Too often they will move from one placement to another because we are unable to find the right carer at the right time to meet that child’s individual needs.
“Placement moves can affect children of all ages. We are especially worried about babies – 12% of babies in England under two move three or more times each year. There is growing evidence that a traumatic change like moving to live with a stranger you don't recognise can cause damage to a baby’s developing brain and this may lead in turn to a range of problems in later life. FCB London not only came up with a brilliant idea to help us get this message across, they also gave their time and resources for free.”

Mark Barnard, FCB’s Client Services Director says: "We are delighted that the campaign has helped to improve the situation of so many children in public care. The recognition of the Business in the Community Awards for Excellence is an added bonus."

Ends

1. FCB London is a UK top-30 advertising agency principally producing TV, radio, press and poster campaigns for clients including SC Johnson, General Motors, Beiersdorf NIVEA and Heal’s. For more information contact Victoria Findlay, new business director, on 020 7947 8082.
2. The Business in the Community Awards for Excellence are run in association with the Financial Times sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry and supported by BHP Hiliton, Company of the year 2005 independently assured by Arthur D. Little.

For more information, contact Daisy O´Clee on 020 7421 2632/3 or email daisy.oclee@baaf.org.uk or email lucy.handford@baaf.org.uk. For out of hours enquiries, call the press office mobile on 07767 444 589.