NCH
Encyclopedia
Action for Children is a national children’s charity in the United Kingdom that supports and speaks out for the most vulnerable and neglected children, young people, families and their communities.
The charity’s website states We believe all children and young people have unique potential and that they should have the support and opportunities they need to reach it.
Action for Children helps over 156,000 children, young people and their families through around 420 projects across the UK. It also promote social justice by lobbying and campaigning for change.
Founded in 1869 by Methodist minister Thomas Bowman Stephenson, it was originally called The Children’s Home, and later National Children’s Home and NCH. It changed its name to Action for Children in September 2008 as the new name better represented its work.
Its national headquarters is in Watford
and it is a registered charity
under English and Scottish law. In 2009/10 it had a gross income of £200 million, making it one of the 20 largest charities in the UK.
as The Children’s Home, in response to the plight of homeless children. Stephenson’s vision was for small homes with a Mother and Father figure where children were treated with affection and respect, in contrast to the hated workhouses.
Action for Children now works directly in communities in four areas:
across the UK and children’s centres in England. It works with over 80 per cent of local authorities to provide, at the earliest opportunity, a range of flexible services to support all children, young people and their families, particularly those who need help the most.
It also states that there is no upper age limit for adopters, though they will be asked to pass medical examinations and be assessed as suitable by social workers. The charity notes that:
It also places children in short and long term foster care, including emergency care and remand fostering for young people awaiting a court appearance.
The charity’s website states:
Recent reports include “Backing the Future” (September 2009), “Deprivation and Risk: the case for early intervention” (March 2010) and studies of the impact of work with children who have been sexually abused.
The recent “Backing the Future” report makes a strong case for the need to focus government spending on long-term, preventative and early interventions rather than short-term responses to problems. “As Long as it Takes” looks back at the last 21 years of policy around children and makes recommendations for the future.
The charity’s website states We believe all children and young people have unique potential and that they should have the support and opportunities they need to reach it.
Action for Children helps over 156,000 children, young people and their families through around 420 projects across the UK. It also promote social justice by lobbying and campaigning for change.
Founded in 1869 by Methodist minister Thomas Bowman Stephenson, it was originally called The Children’s Home, and later National Children’s Home and NCH. It changed its name to Action for Children in September 2008 as the new name better represented its work.
Its national headquarters is in Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
and it is a registered charity
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...
under English and Scottish law. In 2009/10 it had a gross income of £200 million, making it one of the 20 largest charities in the UK.
History
Action for Children was founded in 1869 by Methodist minister Revd Thomas Bowman Stephenson in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
as The Children’s Home, in response to the plight of homeless children. Stephenson’s vision was for small homes with a Mother and Father figure where children were treated with affection and respect, in contrast to the hated workhouses.
Action for Children's work
Action for Children works in partnership with statutory bodies to deliver services for children, young people and their families. Currently it manages 420 separate projects, including family and community centres, children’s centres, respite care facilities and schools.Action for Children now works directly in communities in four areas:
Disabled children
Action for Children currently runs 57 specialist projects for disabled children, as well as assisting 9,000 other children with a range of learning and behavioural difficulties through its other services. These include residential care, short breaks, support for families and carers, and advocacy.Supporting families
Action for Children is the major non-government provider of family support services such as Sure StartSure 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...
across the UK and children’s centres in England. It works with over 80 per cent of local authorities to provide, at the earliest opportunity, a range of flexible services to support all children, young people and their families, particularly those who need help the most.
Children in care
Action for Children now runs nine residential homes for children with complex and challenging needs. The charity runs five schools; two are residential, one offers day and residential placements and two offer day placements only for children and young people with challenging behaviour (including social or emotional problems) and profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD). The charity also provides services to adults with PMLD. In addition, the charity runs homes for disabled children and residential short breaks services.Schools
Action for Children runs a number of special schools in the UK:- Cotswold Community School, Ashton KeynesAshton KeynesAshton Keynes is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, near the border with Gloucestershire, about 6 miles south of Cirencester and 4 miles north of Cricklade. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,420. The village lies within the Cotswold Water Park and is...
, Wiltshire - Headlands School, PenarthPenarthPenarth is a town and seaside resort in the Vale of Glamorgan , Wales, 5.2 miles south west from the city centre of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff and lying on the north shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay...
, Vale of Glamorgan - Parklands Campus, BesselsleighBesselsleighBesselsleigh or Bessels Leigh is a village and civil parish about south-west of Oxford. Besselsleigh was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred to Oxfordshire.The village is just off the A420 road between Oxford and Swindon....
, Oxfordshire - Penhurst School, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
Fostering and adoption
Action for Children is an approved Adoption Agency. It states that:It also states that there is no upper age limit for adopters, though they will be asked to pass medical examinations and be assessed as suitable by social workers. The charity notes that:
It also places children in short and long term foster care, including emergency care and remand fostering for young people awaiting a court appearance.
Young people experiencing severe difficulties
The charity’s work includes employment projects such as Youthbuild, crisis intervention services that aim to keep children in the family, and accredited Youth Justice programmes in Scotland.The charity’s website states:
Research
Action for Children commissions research into issues around children and families as well as to assess the impact of its own work.Recent reports include “Backing the Future” (September 2009), “Deprivation and Risk: the case for early intervention” (March 2010) and studies of the impact of work with children who have been sexually abused.
Campaigning
The charity campaigns and lobbies on behalf of vulnerable and neglected children and young people and their families. Current campaigns include, "Take your action for children", which aims to raise public awareness of child neglect, an issue which studies suggest affects up to 10 per cent of all UK children, and “Growing Strong”, which focuses on the importance of children and young people’s emotional wellbeing.The recent “Backing the Future” report makes a strong case for the need to focus government spending on long-term, preventative and early interventions rather than short-term responses to problems. “As Long as it Takes” looks back at the last 21 years of policy around children and makes recommendations for the future.
External links
- Action for Children website
- Action for Children Facebook
- Action for Children Twitter
- Extended Family website
- History of NCH Branches and File History of a child in care in the 1960s.
- National Children's Home - Branches, a Flickr photoset
- Forum for former residents
- Methodist Church page on the charity
- Guardian gallery of photographs of the charity’s history