4Children
Encyclopedia
4Children is a charity
in the UK focusing on children and families. Formerly the National Out of School Alliance and then the Kids' Club Network, the organisation was formed in 1981 to develop after-school provision following research conducted by Bassac
.
4Children currently runs 40 Sure Start
Children’s Centres across the country, 22 nurseries and provides services in 28 activity centres at Royal Air Force
bases in partnership with the RAF Benevolent Fund
. 4Children aspires to ensure that all children, young people and families have access to a creative, safe and child focused environment; inspiring activities; and the range of support they need to flourish.
and Wales
. By 1992 10 regional development projects were operational and the number of kids’ clubs had risen to 600, and in 1994 the 1000th kids’ club was opened in alsall] - an important milestone for the kids’ clubs movement. Kids’ Clubs Network had expanded rapidly in Wales and a Welsh Head Office was established in Cardiff
with a national manager heading up a team of local project managers. Tony Blair
attended the opening of the 2000th Kids’ Club at Sedgefield
Out of School Fun Club. The first ever national campaign day - National Kids’ Clubs Day was launched in on June 7, 1995. Over 600 delegates attended at the 1998 Kids’ Clubs Network’s biggest ever conference. The key note speaker, David Blunkett
, spoke about the National Childcare Strategy to improve the provision of childcare in the UK. A
In 2000, Kids’ Clubs Network set up the Childcare Commission – an independent inquiry into the future for childcare and family support. Chaired by the Harriet Harman
MP, the Commission published its findings in January 2001.
The newest of 4Children’s campaigns, Give Me Strength, was launched in May 2011. It calls on government, communities and families to take action to solve problems early to prevent family breakdown. The campaign is also calling on central and local Government to provide: A new family friendly approach to services, support for all families with specialist support for those families with complex and multiple problems, a new approach to services to put families first with practical help and support to tackle problems early as they develop
Make Space for Health
Make Space is the charity’s longest-running campaign, managed in conjunction with Nestle’s Healthy Kids programme, and helps to spread the message about the importance of healthy lifestyle choices among young people. The campaign looks to do this through youth centres and other out-of-school settings as young people told 4Children’s Youth Review they wanted advice about healthy living from respected adults in informal settings. As well as working directly with young people through Make Space ambassadors, the campaign provides resources for all youth workers to use for free.
Shout out for a sure start
The ‘Shout out for a sure start’ campaign was launched in February 2010 to ensure that Sure Start Children's Centres were kept at the top of the agenda through the 2010 election and beyond. A coalition of more than 30 charities and other organisations along with children’s TV character Peppa Pig backed the campaign and Sure Start funding was protected in cash terms in that autumn’s Comprehensive Spending Review. The campaign later released research on projected Sure Start Children's Centre closures and received widespread national media attention before issuing guidance for parents on how to campaign against local cuts and closures to Sure Start.
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
in the UK focusing on children and families. Formerly the National Out of School Alliance and then the Kids' Club Network, the organisation was formed in 1981 to develop after-school provision following research conducted by Bassac
Bassac
Bassac may refer to:* BASSAC, the British Association of Settlements and Social Action Centres - a membership body for British community organisations, including members of the settlement movement...
.
4Children currently runs 40 Sure Start
Sure Start
Sure Start is a UK Government initiative applying in England, originating with HM Treasury, with the aim of "giving children the best possible start in life" through improvement of childcare, early education, health and family support, with an emphasis on outreach and community development...
Children’s Centres across the country, 22 nurseries and provides services in 28 activity centres at Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
bases in partnership with the RAF Benevolent Fund
RAF Benevolent Fund
The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is the Royal Air Force's leading welfare charity, providing financial, practical and emotional support to serving and former members of the RAF - regardless of rank - as well as their partners and dependents.They help members of the RAF family deal with a wide...
. 4Children aspires to ensure that all children, young people and families have access to a creative, safe and child focused environment; inspiring activities; and the range of support they need to flourish.
National Out of School Alliance (1980-1987)
- In 1980 a number of research and pilot projects set up during the International Year of the ChildInternational Year of the Child* Maureen Millicent Bomford founded International Year of The Child and it was endorsed by the United Nations. Maureen was born in Canterbury Punchbowl in 1930 and had four brothers. Her father was a Mayor and she always learned to appreciate the value of leadership. As the wife of a prominent...
in 1979 led the following year to the formation of the Out of School Project which aimed to support and encourage community-based out of school schemes and local authority provision in schools, youth clubs etc, through advice, information, training and research. Through its work with the Thames Television Telethon and the support it provided to new and existed local groups, this eventually led to the formation of the National Out of School Alliance, which became an independent organisation in early 1982. The Alliance aimed to promote the care and education of children during the out of school hours and school holidays. - By 1987 National Out of School Alliance was working at the national level to advocate for the need for out of school provision and was working with the European Commission Childcare Network on its review of provision throughout Europe and on follow-up action.
- The number of staff employed had doubled by 1989 and the Alliance published its Guidelines of Good Practice for Out of School Care – the first such guidelines to be issued which were awarded the 1989 Prince of Wales award.
Kid's Club Network 1990-1999
In 1990 the Alliance was re-registered as the Kids’ Clubs Network. There were 300 kids’ clubs in the UK, but the organisation estimated that a total of 25,000 clubs – one in every neighbourhood or near every primary school – were needed. A year later the first regional offices opened in MerseysideMerseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. By 1992 10 regional development projects were operational and the number of kids’ clubs had risen to 600, and in 1994 the 1000th kids’ club was opened in alsall] - an important milestone for the kids’ clubs movement. Kids’ Clubs Network had expanded rapidly in Wales and a Welsh Head Office was established in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
with a national manager heading up a team of local project managers. Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
attended the opening of the 2000th Kids’ Club at Sedgefield
Sedgefield
Sedgefield is a small town and civil parish in County Durham, England. It has a population of 4,534.Sedgefield has attracted particular attention as the Member of Parliament for the wider Sedgefield constituency was the former Prime Minister Tony Blair; he was the area's MP from 1983 to 2008,...
Out of School Fun Club. The first ever national campaign day - National Kids’ Clubs Day was launched in on June 7, 1995. Over 600 delegates attended at the 1998 Kids’ Clubs Network’s biggest ever conference. The key note speaker, David Blunkett
David Blunkett
David Blunkett is a British Labour Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, having represented Sheffield Brightside from 1987 to 2010...
, spoke about the National Childcare Strategy to improve the provision of childcare in the UK. A
In 2000, Kids’ Clubs Network set up the Childcare Commission – an independent inquiry into the future for childcare and family support. Chaired by the Harriet Harman
Harriet Harman
Harriet Ruth Harman QC is a British Labour Party politician, who is the Member of Parliament for Camberwell and Peckham, and was MP for the predecessorPeckham constituency from 1982 to 1997...
MP, the Commission published its findings in January 2001.
4Children
In 2004 Kids’ Clubs Network changed its name to 4Children to help identify the work it does for children and families. The newly named organisation was officially launched at the organisation’s annual policy conference ‘Tomorrow’s World’ at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster. The following year the charity announced plans to expand their work by running children's centres in partnership with local government. In May, 2011 4Children launched its new campaign, Give Me Strength, which demands that more be done to strengthen families and prevent them falling into crises.Campaigns
Give Me StrengthThe newest of 4Children’s campaigns, Give Me Strength, was launched in May 2011. It calls on government, communities and families to take action to solve problems early to prevent family breakdown. The campaign is also calling on central and local Government to provide: A new family friendly approach to services, support for all families with specialist support for those families with complex and multiple problems, a new approach to services to put families first with practical help and support to tackle problems early as they develop
Make Space for Health
Make Space is the charity’s longest-running campaign, managed in conjunction with Nestle’s Healthy Kids programme, and helps to spread the message about the importance of healthy lifestyle choices among young people. The campaign looks to do this through youth centres and other out-of-school settings as young people told 4Children’s Youth Review they wanted advice about healthy living from respected adults in informal settings. As well as working directly with young people through Make Space ambassadors, the campaign provides resources for all youth workers to use for free.
Shout out for a sure start
The ‘Shout out for a sure start’ campaign was launched in February 2010 to ensure that Sure Start Children's Centres were kept at the top of the agenda through the 2010 election and beyond. A coalition of more than 30 charities and other organisations along with children’s TV character Peppa Pig backed the campaign and Sure Start funding was protected in cash terms in that autumn’s Comprehensive Spending Review. The campaign later released research on projected Sure Start Children's Centre closures and received widespread national media attention before issuing guidance for parents on how to campaign against local cuts and closures to Sure Start.