Our wish is that children only know tears of happiness.

The charitable organization Sunray for Children was founded based on personal experiences and the experiences of many families living abroad.

Its history dates back to 2015, when the initiative first appeared under the name A Ray of Sunshine for a Child. The first public mention was made in May 2015.

As a formal organisation, A Ray of Sunshine for a Child was officially registered with Companies House on 7 November 2016 under company number 10465193.

In 2022, the organisation naturally evolved, expanded its mission, and transformed into today’s charity, Sunray for Children, registered with the Charity Commission under number 1201206.

From the very beginning, we have operated entirely on a voluntary basis.

We are the only charity in the United Kingdom that specialises in international cases involving Slovak children and provides expert advice in proceedings concerning the return of minors to the Slovak Republic.

We work with families who are at risk of having their child removed, as well as with those whose child has already been removed.

We consider it essential to preserve the continuity of the child’s life, identity, and family ties. We strive to ensure that children do not have to leave their natural environment at all, or that they are able to return to it as soon as possible.

We provide support to parents throughout proceedings, communicate with courts and authorities, help them understand legal documents, and guide them through a system that is very complex for many families.

At the same time, we address systemic and legislative issues that may directly affect children’s lives. Our aim is to contribute to better rules for the protection of children and families.

We communicate openly about the differences between family life in the United Kingdom and in Slovakia or the Czech Republic, seek to break down prejudices, and open up discussion about the reality of children who have been removed from their families.

Our work is in line with the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Charter of Family Rights.

Our main mission is to reunite families, protect children, and support their right to:

grow up in their biological family,

know their identity,

remain part of their culture and community.

Our core value is expressed by the principle:

“A child is a GIFT, not a commodity.”

Our sister organisation Lúč pre dieťa (https://lucpredieta.com/) helps families after their return to Slovakia, so that children who come back home can find safety and support.

We also provide advice in the areas of domestic violence, separation, divorce, parental rights and responsibilities, and inform families about the differences between the systems in the UK and EU countries.

We participate in conferences and training sessions and organise charity collections for children in material need.