"The Breck Foundation sessions were our highest scoring sessions, both for overall marks and in terms of giving people actionable advice"
- A global financial services
Breck Foundation corporate partner
“I learned from the Breck Foundation what the word grooming meant and what impact it can have on people who are affected by it.”
- Kai, age 11.
“I learned all the signs of grooming and I think it was very helpful as I can tell my friends outside of school about it and feel safer. It was scary but I know how to be aware of it now.”
Year 6 pupil.
By donating £5 a month you can protect a whole class of primary school children with online safety lessons
"He was a good boy right from the start … as he grew up, he was my right-hand man."
- Lorin LaFave speaking about her son, Breck.
We are at the forefront of efforts to safeguard children and young people online
Our organisation was founded in 2014 in response to the tragic loss of Breck Bednar, a 14-year-old boy who was groomed and murdered by someone he met online. Our work aims to prevent this from ever happening again. Our work saves lives.
Breck Foundation is a Southeast England based charity, with national relevance and impact. We reach thousands of children and young people in schools and other community settings every year with Breck's story. Our talks and educational materials fill a gap in the current UK curriculum that otherwise leaves children vulnerable to online grooming and exploitation.
With 98% of young people now active internet users, current and future generations grow up having to navigate new and evolving digital dangers. Our priority is to help them develop the resilience and skills they need to
live, play and thrive online in safety.
Scroll down or use these buttons to explore our work
Breck Foundation was set up in 2014 in response to the tragic murder of Breck Bednar, aged 14
Over the course of a year, Breck was groomed online by an 18-year-old man who ran the internet gaming server that Breck and his school friends used every day.
The groomer used lies, manipulation and false promises to gain Breck’s trust. Despite many attempts by Breck’s parents to stop Breck’s communication with the groomer, he ignored the safety advice he had been given by friends and family and was lured to the groomer's flat.
On February 17, 2014, Breck was murdered by his online groomer.
As a result of this tragedy, Breck’s mother, Lorin, founded Breck Foundation. Lorin was determined that no other family should suffer the same fate.
Lorin believes that had her son seen a Breck Foundation talk,
he would still be alive today
Help us save lives by donating today
Give the gift of Breck's story to young children who need to hear it. By donating in Breck's memory you can make sure more children are safe, happy and at home this year.
What could be more important than our children's safety?
Our history
Breck’s mother, Lorin LaFave, founded Breck Foundation in 2014. Lorin started Breck Foundation because she was determined that no other family should suffer the same fate. For years, Lorin travelled around the UK visiting schools, community groups, police departments, conferences and corporate companies to share Breck's story. Since 2014 Lorin has been dedicated to improving the digital resilience of everybody's children through the work of Breck Foundation. As an organisation, we are proud of our history and we are grateful for all those who have supported us.
Watch this video to hear from Lorin why she started Breck Foundation
Our mission
To empower the digital generation to be smart and safe online and advocate for their wellbeing to be at the centre of internet safety policies and practices across government, business and the wider society, by:
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Educating and empowering children and young people to build digital resilience and protect themselves, and to champion positive online engagement among their peers.
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Raising awareness and increasing knowledge among adults with safeguarding responsibilities (parents, teachers, police, community leaders and others) and the wider public, and equipping them to take appropriate actions to support and protect children and young people.
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Engaging government, businesses and other relevant agencies in campaigning for improvement in online safety policies, systems, processes and practices, to better protect children and young people.
Our values
Young people first
Our priority is the safety and wellbeing of children and young people; they are the main beneficiaries of everything we do. Every action, approach and strategy is aimed at keeping them safe. We LISTEN, react and change based on what we learn from them.
Honesty
We do not shy away from the difficult conversations, even with younger children. We believe that age-appropriate knowledge is power.
Inclusivity
We recognise that some young people are more likely to be affected by online harm than others, including those from deprived backgrounds and those with a range of protected characteristics, our work seeks to target these children above others.
Pro-tech & Gaming
We don’t and will never try to limit or shut down technology in the lives of children and young people. We value and embrace the power it can have to create positive experiences for young people. Find out more about our pro-gaming approach here.
Co-production
We recognise that what we can learn from the lived experiences of young people is vital in being a more effective organisation. Due to this we also prioritise co-production.
Become our BFF
Our amazing supporters, known as our Breck Foundation Friends (BFFs) make our work possible. Without them we would not be able to keep reaching children with Breck's story. Our goal is to reach all children irrespective of their backgrounds. This means we must be able to offer our services free of charge to those communities and schools
Read in our strategy why we focus the delivery of our free sessions to schools that exist in the lower 50% of the Index of Multiple Deprivation
who do not have the resources to pay for it.
As our BFF, you will receive our newsletters and new research reports before anyone else. You'll get important updates on how children and young people are experiencing the digital world, as well as tips to help keep them safe online.
You'll be the first person to hear about upcoming Breck Foundation events, conferences, jobs or fundraising opportunities to get involved in.
We will let you know how much we appreciate your support by involving you in our work when opportunities come up and by holding a BFF reception at our AGM.