Helping families in a high-deprivation area

Background: A community in need 

At Time for Bed, we are committed to ensuring that every child has a comfortable place to sleep. One of our referral partner schools is located in an area identified as having high deprivation, where many families are struggling with unemployment and financial hardship. 

Throughout the ongoing cost of living crisis, school staff have witnessed families prioritising essentials such as food over household items, including beds. As a result, many children have been left without a proper place to sleep, affecting their well-being and school performance. The school has sent multiple referrals requesting support for their pupils in desperate need of beds. 

How Time for Bed helped 

In response to the school’s referrals, Time for Bed provided new beds for 11 children. This included 10 single bed bundles, each complete with a comfortable mattress, duvet, pillow, and cosy bedding sets. Additionally, we supplied a bespoke bed for a child with a health condition, ensuring their specific needs were met. 

As always, our skilled transport team delivered and fully assembled the beds directly in the families’ homes, removing all packaging and making the process seamless and stress-free for parents and caregivers. 

The positive impact 

The impact of this intervention has been significant. The school’s learning mentor reported several positive outcomes, including: 

• Improved attendance and punctuality – With better-quality sleep, children are arriving at school on time and ready to learn. 

• Better focus and engagement – Teachers have noticed that pupils are more attentive and able to concentrate during lessons. 

• Happier, more social children – With improved well-being, children are more confident in social settings, forming friendships more easily and feeling less isolated. 

• Enhanced parent-school relationships – Parents are now more engaged with the school, recognising the importance of working together to support their children. 

• Overall improved health – A proper night’s sleep has contributed to better overall well-being for the children. 

Feedback from families and school staff highlights the difference a bed can make: 

“I can’t thank you enough, things at home feel and seem much easier and everyone is happier.” – Mum 

“My bed is snuggly and I don’t need to sleep with mummy anymore because I am a big girl with my own bed.” – 7-year-old child 

“I feel like we are meeting the needs of children and families by being able to provide this service.” – Learning mentor 

Help us create a brighter future 

This family’s story is just one example of how something as simple as a bed can make a world of difference. At Time for Bed, we continue to work towards our mission of ensuring no child has to sleep without a proper bed.  

Here is how you can get involved: 

Information for schools – referring a family for support 

If you represent a primary or secondary school, you can apply for your institution to become a Time for Bed referral partner, allowing you to refer families for support. For more information on becoming a referral partner visit our referrals guidance page, where you can find all you need to start the registration process. 

Support Time for Bed 

There are many ways you can support Time for Bed and make a real difference to the lives of children in Merseyside. From making a donation, to fundraising, to becoming a corporate partner, your support will help us to ensure every child in Merseyside has their own bed. Find out more about ways you can support us via our support pages.