The Life Matters

Children’s Self-Harm and Suicide Prevention Charity
Registered Charity No: 1193469

“Every Child Deserves Hope. We’re Here to Help.”

No childhood suicide is ever acceptable — even one is one too many

Other Talk--We Act to Prevent

At The Life Matters, we do more than just talk — we take meaningful actions to protect the lives and futures of children and young people. Our work is rooted in real, proactive self-harm and suicide prevention.

**The Only Accredited 10 week self-healing mental health programme in the UK that connects clinical research to social work practices

We are committed to preventing self-harm and suicide through:

A Child’s Voice – a unique, 10-week self-healing workbook programme. As the only accredited programme of its kind in the UK, it provides a safe, compassionate space for children to begin their healing journey by
integrating clinical research with front-line social work, ensuring our approach is both evidence-based and practical.
Offering holistic support tailored to both the child and the family, recognising the importance of healing together.
Empowering families and communities, equipping them with tools and understanding to foster resilience and hope.
Creating real, lasting impact through early intervention and dedicated care.
Promoting Accessible Mental Health Support: Committed to providing equitable mental health resources and services, ensuring all individuals—regardless of socioeconomic status, race, gender, or background—have access to the support they need for their well-being.

"Clear evidence from our ‘A Child’s Voice’ workbook programme indicates that participating children often demonstrate a cessation of self-harming behaviours and a significant reduction in suicidal thoughts or attempts either during or by the completion of the programme."

Access the most recent data for A Child's Voice outcomes

Don’t just take our word for it — hear what schools safeguarding leads have to say about the impact of our programmes

"In Just 10 Weeks, The Life Matters Transformed What Others Couldn't in Years ""From Silence to Strength — A 10-Week Journey of Healing and Hope"
Real Story from the 'A Child’s Voice' Programme

Young person, age 15, Victory Academy School, Chatham, 2025

“Before starting A Child’s Voice, I was self-harming and struggling with suicidal thoughts. After making a self-pledge in week 1, I stopped self-harming and began to feel supported. I know my thoughts might come back, but now I have safety planning tools and know how to get help. I haven’t had an FND episode in two weeks, which used to happen every day. I feel less stressed and more confident, and I’ve even been able to return to school. I really enjoyed the programme and will keep using my workbook for support.”
Parent feedback:

Mum: “My daughter has become more confident and learned how to express her feelings. The Life Matters has done more for her in 10 weeks than CAMHS has in four years.”
Dad: “She now understands mental health better and is a more confident young lady. This programme has been fantastic—I just wish more children had access to this kind of support. There simply isn’t enough out there.”

Learn More About Our Work ; See Testimonials

Sponsor A Child To Participate In A Childs Voice Programme

Our Mission

Our mission is to transform the lives of children, young people, and families by delivering high-quality, evidence-based services that promote emotional wellbeing and mental health across the entire family unit.

Central to our work is the unwavering belief that every child deserves to be heard—especially during times of crisis. We focus on prevention, early intervention, and empowerment by actively listening to children and providing them with the tools to understand, express, and manage their emotions.

Through direct support, educational resources, self-help programmes, and practical advice, we work to safeguard and strengthen the mental and physical health of young people and families.

We also deliver targeted training for educators, professionals, and corporations to enhance safeguarding and wellbeing practices.

Every Child Deserves Hope. We’re Here to Help.

Every Child Deserves a Voice. Every Child Deserves the A Child’s Voice 10-Week Self-Healing Programme Workbook.

Since 2021, A Child’s Voice has been transforming the lives of children in crisis—those struggling with self-harm and suicidal thoughts—through a clear, compassionate, and evidence-based approach. What makes this programme truly unique is that it was co-created by the very children it was designed to support, in partnership with The Life Matters charity.

Over the course of the 10-week programme building initial programme;

94% of participants reported a reduction or complete cessation of self-harming behaviours
91% reported no suicidal thoughts or attempts following the programme
100% of participants stated they will continue using the workbook strategies introduced during the building processes of The Building of A Child’s Voice wellbeing programmes
Family members were also supported through this programme, creating a positive impact on the wider family and helping address shared challenges together

These exceptional outcomes reflect not only the programme’s clinical effectiveness, but the power of listening to young people and valuing their lived experiences. By involving children directly in its creation, A Child’s Voice became a programme that truly resonates—offering real tools, real hope, and real change.

With your support, The Life Matters can continue this life-saving work—reaching more children, changing more lives, and ensuring that every child feels heard, valued, and safe.

Access the most recent data for A Child's Voice outcomes here

Who can refer a child or young people to the charity
Referrals can be made by:

· Schools

· Professionals working in a profession that also involve children

· Social services

· Early help

· Parents and carers

· Young people themselves

· GP Practices via the Joy APP service

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"Driving Change Through the Power of a Child’s Voice"

"I want my voice to be heard"

We listened to you and with your help designed a programme just for you.

1. Child-Led Development

The programme was co-created with young people who contributed ideas, feedback, and real-life experiences. For instance, 15-year-old Eliza helped shape the workbook, sharing that she wished she had such a resource during her own struggles with emotional well-being.

Her involvement exemplifies the programme’s commitment to empowering children to use their voices to guide its creation

2. Evidence-Based and Multi-Agency Framework

A Child’s Voice bridges clinical research with social work practices, aligning with UK safeguarding standards and safety planning protocols.

It also adopts a multi-agency approach, involving schools, social services, and mental health professionals to ensure comprehensive support for each child.

3. Engaging and Reflective Activities

The programme incorporates psychology experiments, educational games, brain teasers, and self-reflection exercises.

These activities are designed to help children build resilience, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness, fostering a deeper understanding of their mental health and well-being.

4. Measurable Impact

Well-being scales are used to track each child’s progress, allowing them to visualise improvements in their mental health over the course of the programme. This approach not only empowers children but also provides tangible evidence of the programme's effectiveness

5. Real-Life Testimonials

Young participants have reported significant positive changes. For example, Maggie-Mae, a 17-year-old who participated in the programme, shared that it helped her understand her emotions, stop self-harming, and inspired her to pursue a career in mental health nursing

A Child’s Voice was designed for children, by children, ensuring that their needs, voices, and experiences are at the heart of the programme. This approach has proven effective in supporting children and young people to navigate their mental health challenges and build a brighter future.

"Your voice is powerful. It deserves to be heard"

"Clear evidence from our ‘A Child’s Voice®’ workbook programme indicates that participating children often demonstrate a cessation of self-harming behaviours and a significant reduction in suicidal thoughts or attempts either during or by the completion of the programme.

Children Are Our Future

We now turn to Maggie Mae for her thoughts on the 'A Child’s Voice' programme — a reminder that children and young people are, indeed, the foremost experts in their own experiences.

"My name is Maggie-Mae Darcy, and I started the A Childs Voice programme when I was seventeen, The Life Matters came to see me weekly at my school which is Chatham Grammar school.

Every child / young person should have access to this type of programme as schools do not have time or resources to offer to every child. Before this programme I was struggling with no way to cope with such feelings, but the programme helped me to break these down and understand myself in new ways.

Each week I had something to do, each day that helped me to broaden my understanding of my feelings and gain deeper knowledge of myself and why I think the way I do.

Before the programme I felt as though my voice didn’t matter, and that I was wrong in feeling the way that I did, but over the 10 weeks it has helped me to gain my confidence with the ability to share how I feel which helped me to validate my emotions, it also helped me to stop self-harming two weeks into the programme which was something I was struggling with.

I was lost before I started this programme at where I wanted to go in my future but after the first week of the programme, I realised my dream would be to help people. This will allow me to use my life experience to help others and that same week I started to apply for university for a placement studying mental health nursing".

07 February 2025

"I am so proud of my daughter achieving her CPD certificate for A Childs Voice.

So, I would like to say that when you started to see the wellbeing officer, you were probably at the most depressed and lowest point in your life, I had ever seen, with you being taken by me to the hospital due to fear of self - harm.

The course has proved to be everything you needed and more to understand your emotions. You have shown a real interest and understanding in every part of the course even passing on your knowledge to me.

I strongly believe this course has been invaluable and has taught you the tools in understanding your emotions going forward, to be able to cope with life’s challenges, I also believe it has given you clear direction on wanting to pursue a career in mental health to help other teens.

I’m so grateful to the charity and Mary for her kindness, understanding and professionalism throughout.

I’m not sure where Maggie would be now if this course had not been available, thank you for everything Mary and team".

What Maggie Mae's mother had to share

The school shares its reflections on the ‘A Child’s Voice’ programme.

Chatham Grammar school's voice

"Maggie has been more focused and it is transparent that she has been able has build her confidence and resilience whilst studying this course. She has not relied on the pastoral team at all throughout the 10-week programme and certainly has a new focus on her future with a new mindset. Maggie- Mae would be at our office every day on some weeks seeking emotional support.

Well done Maggie - Mae with your latest achievement, it is of my opinion that you will definitely be an amazing mental health nurse and we wish you all of the best for the future. A real credit to our school.

Thank you to The Life Matters for supporting our student"

07 Feb 2025

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