Rainbows helps children and young people feel less alone, more understood, and better able to cope with bereavement and parental separation.
Across our Rainbows sites, children and parents consistently tell us that Rainbows makes a real difference. Again and again, one message stands out:
“I am not the only one going through things.”
That moment of realising they are not alone is often where healing begins.
Children describe Rainbows as a place where they feel safe, listened to, respected, and understood. They tell us Rainbows helps them to talk about feelings, calm down, and feel less alone.
Children said:
- “It helps me talk about my feelings.”
- “I am not the only one going through things.”
- “Others have the same problems.”
- “Instead of shouting, I can use what we learned to calm me down.”
- “Everyone in Rainbows listens, respects and understands me.”
Parents consistently report positive changes in their children after Rainbows. They notice improvements in wellbeing, behaviour, and communication.
Parents told us:
- “It’s great to get my daughter back.”
- “He was proud of completing it and always left happy.”
- “She doesn’t feel different to others now.”
- “Rainbows hugely helped my child to feel less alone.”
- “My child is more relaxed and happier. It’s been an overall success.”
Rainbows supports children and young people to:
Express feelings
Children gain the language and confidence to talk about big emotions.
Feel less alone
Meeting others with similar experiences helps children feel understood and accepted.
Build coping skills
Children learn positive ways to respond to difficult feelings, including talking to someone they trust, taking space, and using calming strategies.
Understand change
Rainbows helps children make sense of bereavement, separation, divorce, and family change.
Reduce self-blame
For some children, one of the most important outcomes is understanding that what happened was not their fault.
Improve wellbeing
Children report feeling happier, calmer, and more hopeful. Parents also notice better emotional regulation and improved wellbeing over time.
One of the most powerful parts of Rainbows is the peer experience.
Children often come to Rainbows believing they are the only one going through loss or family change. In the group, they meet others who understand.
That shared experience helps children move from:
- isolation to belonging
- confusion to understanding
- silence to expression
- distress to coping
Rainbows also helps children identify who they can turn to when they are struggling. Children who take part in Rainbows become more able to ask for help when they are not okay.
Rainbows Facilitators play a vital role in creating a safe, respectful and supportive environment. Children and parents highlight the importance of having trusted adults who listen, understand, and help children feel comfortable enough to talk.
That sense of safety is at the heart of the programme’s impact.
Rainbows is more than a programme.
It is a place where children and young people feel seen.
Where feelings begin to make sense.
Where they realise they are not alone.
And where healing can begin.
Support Rainbows
Help more children and young people feel understood, supported, and less alone.