Railway Children

Who we are

We provide protection and opportunity for children with nowhere else to go and nobody to turn to.

Every year thousands of children across the UK, India and East Africa run away or are forced to leave homes that have become unbearable through poverty, abuse, violence and neglect.

Reaching a child as soon as possible is crucial to getting to children on the streets before an abuser can, and before they become entrenched in street life. We race to get to children before the streets get to them.

We believe in a world where no child ever has to live on the streets

Founder David Maidment tells our story in a short film

This year, Railway Children celebrates 20 years of fighting for children alone and at risk on the streets. During that time, we’ve reached more than 275,000 children in India, the UK and East Africa. 

We know there is still so much more to do. Millions of children still live alone on the streets where they suffer abuse and exploitation. In the UK, society often denies their existence, and in other countries the problem is so prevalent that it has become ‘normal’.

With the help of our supporters and partners we've provided protection and support to thousands of children in India, East Africa and the UK. For any jobs with Railway Children, see below: