The three press ads, created by Bartle Bogle Hegarty, attracted 467 complaints after they appeared in newspapers including The Sun, The Mirror and The Times.
The ASA upheld complaints that the images were offensive, shocking and unduly distressing. It acknowledged the ads' serious message, but said the pictures were likely to cause serious and widespread offence. But it did not uphold complaints that the ads would encourage emulation. The ASA said they ran in newspapers aimed at adults to which children were unlikely to have access.
Barnardo's said it had intended to draw attention to child poverty and encourage donations for its work. It defended the images, saying its work was often distressing.
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