In 1981, she signed a song publishing deal with Island Music which financed her move to London. There she lived in an empty office of a local recording studio, sweeping floors and dusting consoles in exchange for rent and recording experience. While in London, Childs played with various musicians in various band configurations: David Rhodes (who had worked with Peter Gabriel), Mike Cotzi (Shriekback), Martin Swaine (The Waterboys, World Party), Steve Creese (World Party) and Duncan Kilburn (The Psychedelic Furs). During her stay in the vitally global music scene of early-80s London, the seeds of world music were planted, later to be heard on Childs's first album. In 1983, Childs provided backing vocals on Scottish band the Europeans' track "A.E.I.O.U". Band member Steve Hogarth later returned the favor by doing the same on Childs's debut album "Union".