Our impact
Our impact & insights
In our 25th anniversary year we have brought together over 50 stories of change for children, through the incredible work of our partner charities. You can find out more in our new report which also tracks the policy landscape for children since 2000.
The environment for charities continues to be challenging and we are inspired by our partners, who remain dedicated to their core purpose with children and families.
We are proud to be supporting and using the Common Outcomes - a collaborative effort to improve outcomes for all babies, children and young people.
Detailed information about our grants can be found in an open and accessible format through 360 Giving.
We are also pleased to share the summary findings from a grantee perception review, from 2023, along with our response to the survey.
We have been on a journey of improving our transparency, accountability and diversity, following our random selection into the first Foundation Practice Rating. To help track our progress, we opted in, and in 2023/24 were proud to have been rated 'A' overall.
Our grants
We make grants of different types at different stages to support initiatives in our priority themes. We also occasionally invest in other related and compelling initiatives for children, where we believe the Foundation can add value.
Start up
Testing new ideas or organisations
Testing new ideas or organisations
Step up
Building on evidence with potential
Building on evidence with potential
Step Together
Supporting collaboration for greater impact
Supporting collaboration for greater impact
Research
Analysing data to take action and influence systems
Analysing data to take action and influence systems
Our current priority themes are:
- Care experienced children and young people or on the 'edge of care', and the adults who can help make the most positive difference in their lives.
- Children under 5, including the first 1001 days, in families and communities facing the toughest challenges.
- We occasionally make grants for related issues of importance, where we feel we can add value
2025 Impact Facts & Stats
New grants awarded to partners in our main programme in 2023/24 and 2024/25
*Scroll the table to view
| Theme | Start up | Step up | Step together | Research |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Care Experienced Children and Families | Now Foster £150,000 | Family Rights Group £225,000 | Safe Families-Home for Good £120,000 | |
| Project Change (Scotland) £30,000 | ||||
| CARE EXP. £525,000 (32%) | ||||
| Early Years | Think Equal £75,000 | 50 Things to do £300,000 | Birth Companions £100,000 | Education Policy Institute £51,190 |
| Words Matter £75,000 | Childhood Trust £92,000 | |||
| Happy Baby Community £45,250 | ||||
| EARLY YEARS £738,440 (45%) | ||||
| Other – all children | The Difference £300,000 | Dartington Design Lab (Common Outcomes for all children) £70,000 | ||
| OTHER £370,000 (23%) | ||||
| NEW GRANTS TOTAL £1,633,440 | START UP £330,000 (20%) | STEP UP £825,000 (50%) | STEP TOGETHER £290,000 (18%) | RESEARCH £188,440 (12%) |
We also made 25 grants of £25,000 to 25 other charities.
£4.09m
Total value of the current grants portfolio
We are committed to supporting work in Scotland, Wales and England.
We look at the indicators of ‘multiple deprivation’, in choosing where to focus our support.
Some initiatives are ‘place based’ with potential to be adapted in other services, communities or localities. Others aim for national significance and influencing policy and systems.
Total ‘live’ grants portfolio £4.09m
Grants allocation by theme
Grants allocation by model
Reports
Read more about some of the work we've been supporting here:
EPI
This research investigates food poverty in the early years. It explores national policies and learning from local place-based initiatives (Dec 2024)
Download
The Fostering Network
The research findings on Foster Carer Retention and Recruitment in England, are now in practice in fostering services across the country, through the Fostering Network’s child focused Toolkit (2025)
Download
Buttle UK
Surviving Estrangement; young people's direct experiences of the pandemic and cost of living crisis (a report co-produced with estranged young people)
Download
Exeter University (in partnership with the National Association of Virtual School Heads)
Improving the Effectiveness of Virtual Schools
Download
Lucy Faithfull Foundation
Everyone's Safer: supporting effective leadership responses to harmful sexual behaviour in schools (July 2024)
Download