Case study: Action for Children United Kingdom
Overview
Founded: 1869 (originally as National Children's Home)
Headquarters: Watford, UK
Chief Executive: Paul Carberry
Staff: Approximately 7,000
Volunteers: Over 4,000
Services: Operates over 475 services across the UK
1. Action for Children UK
Mission & Goals:
Action for Children is a UK-based charity dedicated to supporting vulnerable children, young people, and their families. With a history spanning over 150 years, the organization focuses on providing practical and emotional care, ensuring children's voices are heard, and campaigning for lasting improvements in their lives.
Strategic Goals (2022–2025)
Action for Children's strategy for 2022–2025 centers around four core service areas:
Family Support
Children in Care
Disabled Children
Mental Health and Wellbeing
The organization has outlined seven strategic goals to enhance its services and impact:Action for ChildrenGrow Services: Expand services in the four core areas while building financial stability.
Increase Impact: Improve services focusing on impact, quality, and innovation.
Influence Policy: Build evidence to influence public policy and integrate children's voices into all work.
Develop Staff and Volunteers: Foster an inclusive environment and support professional development.
Inspire Support: Engage staff, supporters, and networks to champion the cause and fundraising efforts.
Increase Financial Contribution: Enhance fundraising activities and grow nursery and childcare services.
Improve Efficiency: Simplify and integrate technology and processes to reduce workload and lower costs. Charity Commission+4Action for Children+4Civil Society+4
Impact Highlights (2023/24)
In the fiscal year 2023/24, Action for Children achieved the following:Action for Children+1Action for Children+1
Children and Families Supported: 687,755
Services Delivered: 372 across the UK
Mental Health Support: Reached 54,878 children struggling with mental health.
Parent Talk Digital Service: Supported 468,786 families.
Foster Carers: Over 418 foster carers provided safe homes for more than 350 children.
Children's Centres: Supported over 102,000 children and families.
Residential Growth: Opened four new children's homes, with plans for ten more in the next two years. Salford Repository+8Action for Children+8Action for Children+8Investors in People+5Action for Children+5Action for Children+5Action for Children+2Action for Children+2Charity Commission+2
Financial Overview (2022/23)
| Category | Amount (£) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total Income | £149.8 million | |
| Total Expenditure | £149.4 million | |
| Income Sources | ||
| - Government Contracts | £84.43 million | Largest source of income |
| - Donations and Legacies | £18.6 million | Includes individual and corporate donations |
| - Charitable Activities | £129.86 million | Income directly tied to service delivery |
| Fundraising Highlights | ||
| - Secret Santa Campaign | £1.7 million | Including gift aid |
| - John Lewis Partnership | £630,000+ | One of their top corporate partnerships |
| - Boycott Your Bed Initiative | £600,000+ | National fundraising event |
| - Legacy Income | £4.6 million | Bequests from wills and estates |
Despite inflationary pressures, the charity managed to offset increased costs through careful financial management and exceeded fundraising targets.Charity Commission+2Civil Society+2
Recognition and Awards
In 2023, Action for Children was shortlisted for the Investors in People Awards in two categories:Investors in People
UK Employer of the Year: Silver (250+ people)
Best People Team
The organization achieved the Silver accreditation from Investors in People in November 2022, reflecting its commitment to staff development and inclusive practices. Investors in People
Research and Evaluation
A four-year longitudinal impact evaluation of Action for Children's UK Neglect Project demonstrated significant improvements in children's welfare:Salford Repository
Improvement in Neglect Levels: 79% of cases showed improvement, with 59% showing complete removal of neglect concerns.
Parental Engagement: The assessment tool used fostered better engagement by parents.
Outcomes: When parents were unable or unwilling to respond positively, children benefited from expedited moves into care. Salford Repository+1Investors in People+1
