2025-03-31-accounts - Be Free Young Carers Ltd

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Annual Report & Accounts 2024 - 2025

Registered Charity Number: 1042708 / Company No: 2989722

Contents —

Contents —		BE FREEanu YOUNG Bis CARERSa
A Message from our CEO	3-5	CARERS a
Chair of Trustees' Statement	6	Be Free Young Carers
		Charitable Non-Profit Organisation
Structure, Governance & Management	6-7 Structure, Governance & Management	No: 1042708
Our Vision, Mission & Objective	8	Company No: 2989722
A Case Study - Trials and Challenges	9	Harwell Innovation Centre
		173 Curie Avenue
Programmes & Projects	10-11	Didcot
		Oxfordshire
BFYC Service Delivery 2023 - 2024	12-15	OX11 0QG
		www.befreeyc.org.uk
A Case Study - Networks of Support	16
		Trustees
Social Return On Investment	16	David Wells (Chair)
		Loretta Light (Vice Chair)
Finance & Fundraising Strategy	17	Laurie Cooper
		Colin Mitchell
Looking Forward - Future Developments	18	Angus Horner
		Roger Eccleston
Trustees' Responsibilities	19	Parajmjit Parmar (appointed 4 October 2024) th Nicola Mellings (appointed 19 March 2025) th
Independent Examiner's Report	20	Carol Dunne (appointed 19 March 2025) th
Statement of Financial Activities	21	Independent Examiners
		UHY Ross Brooke
Balance Sheet	22	Suite I
		Windrush Court
Notes to the Accounts	23-30	Abingdon Business Park
		Abingdon
		OX14 1SY

Solicitors

Osborne Clarke 3 Forbury Place 23 Forbury Road Reading RG1 3JH

{We would like to thank Osborne-Clark for their continued support with providing us pro bono support and advice.}

Bankers

CAF Bank 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling

“Another year has flown by and in an organisation that is at the forefront of social change for young carers, it has moved fast. As well as continuing our expansion plan to become countywide, we have seen growth in terms of our beneficiary numbers and organisational structure. This has all been developed so that we can mature into the organisation that we need to be, in order to best serve our beneficiaries.”

Another 12 months has flown by and I am in awe at the development that we have undergone as a charity. This year has seen us mature and grow into our aim of becoming a countywide charity. The highlights include expanding into our 4 geographical area of West Oxfordshire, building on the internal infrastructure, building on the fundraising team and introducing a Senior Leadership Team consisting of an Operations Manager and Head of Fundraising. Alongside this, we are reaching far more young carers than before, are demand has increased not only in the new territory but also within our existing patches. Like most charities, demand still outstrips supply. We are constantly trying to make sure our work is as impactful and transformative as we have this responsibility to our beneficiaries and our donors.

Yet again, we have been wonderfully supported by new and existing funders, who recognise the value and impact of the work we do. We are contantly reviewing and tweeking services to make sure they are delivering good quality youth work, counselling, 121 emotional support and befriending. We are an organisation that is run mostly of volunteers, with 13 paid team members, we are able to reach over 650 young carers aged between 8-17 years old.

Without our incredible volunteers, we simply could not do what we do. When I reflect on the enormousity of the task in hand, I am in awe of the support we have attracted and continue to attract, from funder, corporates and the community. I would like to give my heart felt thanks to all those volunteers that make Be Free Young Carers what we are, for those that recognise our important work and give time and funds to support us – thank you.

Growth in advocacy

We continue to develop and encourage our young carers to be proud of who they are and their role. Our older young carers have played a leading part in helping change the landscape for young carers both locally and nationally. We have seen our young carers become advocates in their schools, to hold fundraisers, school assemblies to raise awareness and recognition for all they do for their families. Our young carers have taken this to a national level, with our Oxford Young carer, with the support of her Youth Worker, Lorraine, being the ambassador to the Children’s Commissioner of England. We have seen this level of influence extent with our own Be Free Young Care ambassador, Holly Cobb taking to parliament, alongside our young carer Keeyan, giving evidence at the parliamentary committee hearing which then formed part of the Cassey Committee recommendations. Our values are not just for our team, but for our young carers to, they have shown the embodiment of empowerment through our Youth Panel and getting involved politically at local and national levels.

This year has seen us work hard to establish a team of purpose and commitment. We have invested in staff through their individual development programmes, course and qualifications, which has led us to upskill staff and retain those quality employees. I am immensely proud to everyone of my team for the effort and heart that they put into our organisation. Each with a lived experience of either being a young carer or having a caring role, we lead the sector with passion, insight and expertise. A huge and unequivocal thank you to each and every member of our Be Free team.

Growth

Over the past year, we have responded to growing demand by expanding our delivery channels and increasing the availability of respite activities for young carers across all our service areas. Our mental health support has scaled significantly, with Youth Workers and our Counsellor delivering a record number of one-to-one emotional support and counselling sessions. Despite high demand, we’ve successfully maintained minimal waiting lists, bridging the gap between statutory services and community needs.

The Mindfulness Movement programme, designed to support the wellbeing of primary-aged young carers, has proven effective as an early intervention tool, helping to prevent mental health decline.

We’ve strengthened our presence in schools by establishing more young carer groups and collaborating with teachers to identify and support young carers. This has fostered peer networks and a sense of belonging within the school environment.

Our Youth Clubs for teenage carers have continued to thrive, and the development of our Young Carer Youth Panel has amplified their voices. Notably, one of our panel members was asked to give evidence at the APPG in Parliament.

In addition to our core services, we remain committed to addressing digital, food, hygiene, and period poverty. This includes providing laptops to rising Year 7s, distributing hygiene products through our office and respite trips, and ensuring food provision during Youth Clubs and respite activities.

Our dedicated staff continue to drive meaningful change for young carers in Oxfordshire. Their passion and hard work are the foundation of our success, and they should be proud of the impact they’ve made.

Growth in our income

The Mindfulness Movement programme, designed to support the wellbeing of primary-aged young carers, has proven effective as an early intervention tool, helping to prevent mental health decline. We’ve strengthened our presence in schools by establishing more young carer groups and collaborating with teachers to identify and support young carers. This has fostered peer networks and a sense of belonging within the school environment.

Earlier this year saw us expand into West Oxfordshire, were there are no young carer services currently. We were able to do this, thanks to support from our funders. We are delighted to be able to appoint staff from west Oxfordshire to fill thepositions of Youth Workers, coming from the local community. We look forward to developing this area in the years to come as we work collbratively with other organsiations. Our dedicated staff continue to drive meaningful change for young carers in Oxfordshire. Their passion and hard work are the foundation of our success, and they should be proud of the impact they’ve made.

Growth in our incomeYear ahead

In the year ahead, Be Free Young Carers will continue to strengthen its presence in West Oxfordshire, ensuring services are tailored to the needs of young carers. We aim to complete our countywide expansion and are actively seeking funding to support this pivotal growth. Once secured, we will collaborate with partners to establish a presence in North Oxfordshire. Plans are also underway to launch a bespoke service for young carers from military families, an underserved group identified through recent enquiries. We are enhancing our engagement with schools by developing a CPD-accredited training package for safeguarding and young carer leads, and will host a roundtable with our local MP and educational trust leaders to address countywide needs. Looking ahead to early 2026, we plan to host the first Be Free Young Carers Conference, bringing together school leads for recognition, training, and development. Our advocacy efforts will expand through the Young Carer Panel, both locally and nationally, and we are proud to see our ambassadors and young carers nominated for the BBC Make a Difference Award. We will continue to hold the local authority accountable for its statutory responsibilities and are preparing to strengthen our board of trustees through a skills audit and targeted recruitment. These exciting developments will be supported by a rebrand, a new website featuring school resources, and the launch of the Be Free School Award to recognise schools meeting our Young Carer standard. Like always, it’s a busy time but as a team we are resillent and tenacious in the support and advocacy that we offer young carers, 2026 is set to be another period of growth and change, as a team we are looking forward to this as we continue to serve our young carers in the most impactful and needed way possible.

We are committed to strengthening partnerships with other charities and organisations to ensure that young carers' needs are prioritised and clearly represented in strategic decision-making. It is vital that their voices are integrated into policy development and implementation. By actively involving young carers in consultations, discussions, and decisions, we can better understand their unique challenges and design tailored support. This inclusive approach not only raises awareness of their role but also fosters a more supportive environment, helping young carers to thrive both personally and academically. Collaboration remains central to our longterm vision of making Oxfordshire a leading county for young carers.

As we mark our 30th anniversary, this is a moment for gratitude, reflection, and bold ambition. Be Free Young Carers is ready to embrace the future with renewed energy and purpose, determined to create lasting change for the thousands of young carers across Oxfordshire. We invite all those who share our vision to join us in this vital mission. Together, we can make a powerful, long-term difference in the lives of these remarkable young people.

Reference & Administrative Detail

Be Free Young Carers is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England & Wales and a registered charity. The Trustees who are also Directors for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, have pleasure in presenting their report and the unaudited financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Chair of Trustees' Statement

‘I am very pleased to report the Charity continues to expand and develop our services to meet the growing need to support Young Carers in Oxfordshire . The Trustees and I are very grateful to the CEO, staff team and volunteers for their continued hard work and outstanding efforts to improve the lives of our Young Carers.

In response to the continued demand for our services, the Charity is now providing direct services in four of the five districts of Oxfordshire, with plans and funding to cover the remaining area of Cherwell. To sustain this growth, we have seen increased levels of financial support, a significant collective success for the team. A big thanks to all our funders and supporters.

I am very grateful to our excellent group of Trustee's for their continued commitment to the Charity, in particular our newer Trustees who bring fresh energy and ideas. In the coming year the Trustee Board will see some significant change with the appointment of a new Chair, and a number of our longer serving Trustee's stepping down. Thank you to all for your contributions.

I look forward to another year where we can collectively make a difference.’

Structure, Governance & Management

The Charity which during the year employed 13 people is led by a well-established, effective Board of Trustees, recruited for their complementary knowledge, skills and experience.

The Board of Trustees now meets four times a year and for the AGM. Three sub committees of the Main Board have been established to support the CEO with the day to day running of the charity. They are Quality and Performance, Fundraising and Partnerships, and Finance and Administration. Each has a Terms of reference, meets in advance of quarterly Trustee meetings, providing oversight and reporting on key activities.

Members of the board of Trustees, who are Directors for the purpose of company law and Trustees for the purpose of charity law, who served during the year and up to the date of approval of this report, are listed below:

David Wells (Chair) Loretta Light (Vice Chair) Laurie Cooper

Colin Mitchell

Angus Horner

Roger Eccleston

Paramjit Parmar (appointed 4 October 2024) Nicola Mellings (appointed 19th March 2025) Carol Dunne (appointed 19th March 2025)

Trustee Induction

A prospective Trustee is usually known to one or more of the current board members or responded to an advert, and is invited to join the board based on their background and experience. After meeting all the Trustees their election is put to the vote at a Trustees meeting. Those trustees who are involved in recruitment also undergo safer recruitment training.

All new Trustees undergo an induction programme that includes all the necessary written information on the role and responsibilities of a Trustee and an understanding of the Charity’s work and mission. All trustees undergo generalised safeguarding training and are fully DBSchecked.

The Charity’s purposes as set out in the objects contained in the company’s Memorandum of Association are to:

a) Alleviate the conditions of life among people who are caring or who have cared for elderly, sick, disabled, handicapped or otherwise infirm persons at home and who are in necessitous circumstances;

b) To promote the material welfare of such carers, to relieve and alleviate and to advance, promote, encourage and assist in the relief or alleviation of all kinds of mental and physical

infirmity, sickness, disablement or handicap including mental illness attributable to caring among carers and the persons for whom they are caring in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White horse and the surrounding areas;

c) To advance the education of the public about the part that carers and caring can play generally.

The aims of the Charity are to enable carers to better manage

their caring role through advice, information and support and to identify and raise the profile of carers and caring. Our aims fully reflect the purposes that the Charity was set up to further.

Our Vision : a

Be Free Young Carers is the only charity in Oxfordshire devoted to improving young carers’ well-being and opportunities, though the provision of recreational, emotional and social support.

Our vision is to enable Oxfordshire's young carers to achieve their full potential by delivering a far-reaching developmental and emotional support network of people and resources in their daily lives, their schools and communities.

* fl Our Objectives Pat

To consolidate on our already established services in the areas of The Vale of White Horse, South Oxfordshire and Oxford City and our grow our recent expansion into West Oxfordshire.

To establish fresh networks and connections in remote areas currently under our charity’s remit increasing our area coverage and supporting more young carers.

a! Our Mission Pk]

To build upon our strategic expansion plans to become an established countywide charity, supporting Oxfordshire’s young carers.

To relieve the mental health burden of being a young carer.

We are the only independent charity in Oxfordshire working exclusively with young carers.

We support them by widening their life options and improving their emotional and social health, resilience and development because we passionately believe they can be free to fulfil their adult potential unhindered by their childhood responsibilities.

To support Oxfordshire schools identify and support young carers, we do this by arranging school assemblies, world book day tours and by assisting them in setting up young carer clubs.

To be advocates for young carers when liaising with statutory services, families, schools and other key stakeholders.

A Case Study - Brighter futures

YC Z registered with us in Spring 2024. They live with their mum, dad and 2 younger siblings. They care for their parent, X, who has mental health difficulties and their sibling, Y, who was in the process of being assessed for ADHD and struggled to emotionally regulate. As their other parent works nights, they help a lot with their baby sibling, W.

During the home visit it was obvious to see how attuned YC Z was to W’s needs in particular, and they took it upon themselves to keep W safe and entertained. They reported feeling stressed most of the time and said they found that they got frustrated by some of Y’s behaviours. They said that they hated school and that they often made bad behaviour choices, although they also said that they got in trouble for no reason and that teachers often blamed them for things.

YC Z joined many of our respite trips and became a popular member of the group, easily making friends and keeping in touch with them in between activities. They said “Be Free Young Carers has taken me out on trips, supporting me when I’ve needed a break from caring at home, this has supported my mental well being and my mental health” They quickly found that they identified with these other young people and realised that they had a lot in common despite coming from all over Oxford and having very different backgrounds. They listened to what the others were saying about support in their schools and noticed there was a lot of variation, this was something that concerned them and they started to speak up about this. YC Z can confidently articulate what it is like being a young carer, they explained “my caring role has had both a positive and challenging impact on me, it’s taught me responsibility and patience and how to support others which has helped me grow as a person” In September I was offered the opportunity to base myself at YC Z’s school. The purpose of this was to build relationships with other adults in the school, to meet Young Carers that aren’t registered with us and to offer check-ins to the ones that are. I was also able to attend the school’s Young Carers social club. YC Z was one of the students who attended these weekly check-ins, and it was during these sessions that I first discovered their love of politics!

Over the 6 months since they first registered, YC Z had decided that they wanted to do better at school and had turned their behaviour around; they were proud to share that they had received no behaviour points in the new academic year, and they put their change down to wanting to be able to help people and had decided to start with the Young Carers in their school. This school already had an active Young Carers club, that was established with our support in September 2022, but YC Z felt that they needed more so with our encouragement they began to produce a weekly newsletter. They also introduced Young Carer cards so that the Young Carers could show other staff that they were Young Carers.

Knowing how passionate YC Z was about creating change and representing YCs, when the opportunity arose for a group of Young Carers to meet Ed Davey, they were the first person I contacted and they jumped at the opportunity. They wrote about this experience in their Young Carer newsletter. They said “I got to meet Ed Davey, this was an amazing experience.” Following on from this, they were the natural choice when we were asked to take a Young Carer to the Houses of Parliament to take part in a select committee meeting. They were thrilled and absolutely loved being given this opportunity. Since then, they have invited MPs and politicians such as Annaliese Dodds to their school to talk about Young Carers and the challenges they face and what else could be done to support them. We nominated YCZ for the BBC Radio Oxford Make a Difference Young Hero award and are thrilled that they were selected as a

finalist, they said “this has impacted me well as it’s showing me people are recognising what I’ve done.” At Be Free Young Carers we want to empower young carers and YCZ is a prime example of how we do this. We listen to their interest and then offer the opportunities to develop this; YC Z, is, like us, passionate about raising the profile of Young Carers and I strongly believe that for them, the sky is the limit.

Reported by Lorraine Nicholls Youth Worker - Oxford

= ; - FREE msiatii * : pono YOUNG O&® Main Programmes & Projects ea _ School Holiday Activity Programme We run respite activities throughout the school holidays, providing young carers with the mental health respite from their caring role and letting them be a child for a few hours. In the last year trips have included Chessington, Lasertag and a family trip to the beach . In 2024/2025 916 trip places were attended by young carers, an increase of 46% from the year before.

Befriending service

Young carers are paired up with our trained volunteers who will meet with our young carers weekly and give them a break from their role. The Befriender is also a trusted adult that the young carer can confide in.

1-2-1 Emotional Support & Counselling Service

Complex cases are referred to our youth workers who will visit the young carer in their school environment and deliver 1-2-1 emotional support. For our extreme cases, we use our trained counsellor to provide the counselling service. Each weekly session is usually for 60 minutes and is over a period of 6 weeks.

Mindfulness Movement

This is aimed at our young carers aged between 8 and 11 and is a preventative measure to aid good mental health and teach wellbeing techniques. Our qualified yoga teachers attend schools and hold 45-minute sessions with young carers teaching them breathing techniques, relaxation methods and wellbeing tools.

66 "Thank you as always for what you are doing to enrich Young Carers lives and especially all the aspirational opportunities you are offering" 99

-Parent of a Young Carer

Thankyou for everything you do for the children. It has really helped M's well-being mentally and we appreciate your hard work.

-Parent of a Young Carer

10 =

13+ Youth Groups

Aimed at our older young carers, these youth clubs meet monthly at various locations, they are user led and are a vital way that we engage with our teenagers.

Young Carer Advocacy in School

We help and support schools to set up young carer clubs, we attend assemblies, offer young carer tool kits and videos to help teachers and children identify, understand, and support young carers.

Employability and Mentoring Programme

This is targeted at our young carers of secondary school age that do not have access to work experience placements, we use our corporate partnerships to secure these and provide mentors. Every young carer in year 7 who needs a laptop is given one, so that they are on a level playing field with other children their age.

ay c * ag i 916 Young Carers provided with respite across 43 activities oe ot ia

10 Young Carers matched with Befrienders ot ia S 4 ee pe 2 oT he a - ye os pia 352 121 Emotional Support sessions provided. ka

School Holiday Respite Programme

Be Free Young Carers has continued to deliver our Respite Programme, which has grown significantly in popularity. Young carers are increasingly needing respite from their caring responsibilities and are relying on the charity in order to have this break.

We have offered an increasing amount of respite across the year with more local respite activities to further afield trips. Each session typically supports 30–40 young carers and includes enriching experiences such as theme park visits, beach days, and animal encounters.

Aims:

To provide young carers with meaningful respite from their caring responsibilities, we offer experiences designed to reduce stress and anxiety while enhancing their overall wellbeing.

By bringing young carers together, we aim to foster a sense of belonging and reduce feelings of loneliness

and isolation. These shared experiences help challenge the stigma often associated with being a young carer and reinforce the message that they are not alone.

Impact:

We have offered 1229 trip places for young carers over 43 activities in 2024/25, which were attended by 916 young carers. We have increased the hours dedicated to respite for our young carers through activities such as art activities, swimming and even a virtual reality trip .

We also have our annual family fun day, which is free for our young carers and their families. It is a chance for

all our young carers to meet up alongside our supporters and volunteers. In 2024 our fun day included circus skills, magic acts and a visit from the fire brigade.

We are committed to offering experiences that young carers might not otherwise access, encouraging them to try new activities, build resilience, and raise their aspirations, all while supporting their mental health and personal development.

—___ -Young Carer

Did you have fun and feel happy

----- Start of picture text -----
during the trip?
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
Some of the time
5.3%
Most of the time
30.4%
All the time
64.3%
----- End of picture text -----

Did you feel the trip provided a break from your caring responsibilities?

----- Start of picture text -----
No Maybe
2.2% 9.1%
Yes
88.4%
----- End of picture text -----

Mindfulness Movement

Our Mindfulness movement programme, is now an established in demand service which we offer currently to primary schools. We are in the process of offering our service to a wider range of schools.

This is headed up by our Yoga practitioner, Emma, who runs weekly sessions for a 6 week period in primary schools.

Aims:

To give our primary school age young carers the tools to promote good mental health practice by teaching them breathing techniques, yoga and mindfulness.

To increase the confidence in younger children to talk about their mental health and wellbeing in relation to

their caring role.

1-2-1 Emotional Support & Counselling Service

Our 1-2-1 Emotional Support and Counselling Service has been an area of growth mainly in response to our young carer needs and the stretched statutory services. We have taken on a counsellor who sees our young carers with more complex needs for 1-2-1 counselling sessions. All of these sessions take place over a 6 week period in the school environment.

Thank you so much, we are very grateful

for helping us and for all you do for the

families like ours.

-Parents of Young Carer

13+ Youth Groups

Our 13+ Youth Groups are a user-led programme of monthly sessions designed for young carers aged 13 to 17.

These groups are shaped by the young people themselves, they decide what activities to do, where to meet, and what topics to explore. This autonomy is key, as we found that many young carers disengaged from our services once they reached secondary school age.

We currently run successful youth groups in the Vale of White Horse, South Oxfordshire, and Oxford City.

Aims:

To increase teenage young carers engagement with us, to empower them to run workshops and activities for them, to promote their self-esteem and leadership.

I’ve pushed myself out of my comfort zone. I’m so excited to tell my family.

-13+ Be Free Young Carer

To make meaningful friendships with other young carers, to feel comfortable to address topics that they would like to know more about, to relieve the isolation that can come with being a young carer and to promote good mental health.

Cost of living support

Following 2020 we are continuing to offer laptops to young carers who are transitioning to Year 7. This support is essential to make sure that young carers have access to the same academic opportunities as their peers.

We have seen an increase in the need for support with period poverty across the years, this year we have really had a focus from our youth workers to provide period support to those young carers who need it. We have been delighted to receive donations which have allowed us to provide period underwear as part of this offering.

We have been incredibly lucky to see continued wonderful donations of Easter Eggs and Christmas Hampers!

----- Start of picture text -----
Laptops Period packs
25
20
15
10
5
0
Laptops Period packs
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
Easter Eggs Christmas bags
250
200
150
100
50
0
Easter Eggs Christmas bags
----- End of picture text -----

14 |

Volunteering

Befriending

Our Befriending Service has been a success, it provides our more complex young carers with weekly or fortnightly respite from a trained volunteer.

These volunteers become the young carers trusted adult to ‘download’ their feelings and worries. The befriending service takes place for approximately 6 months and is seen as an intervention service in the young carers' lives, to give them that much needed respite and emotional support as they continue their caring role.

In the financial year of 2024/ 2025 we have initiated 10 young carer and befriender matches.

We have a total of 19 volunteer befrienders signed up to support young carers.

"We really appreciate all you do and he is really enjoying his adventures with T. Thank you so much!" -Feedback from a parent

Corporate and community volunteers

Corporate and community volunteers have provided support across the charity, from attending trips and our family fun day to supporting with grant applications and coordinating our first young carers round table at Saïd Buisness School.

Our volunteers continue to get more supportive and creative with the way they volunteer for the charity and it has supported the charity with it’s success across the past year.

Volunteers have saved the charity "= £6158.88 in 2024/2025 Se

A Case Study - Brighter futures

A is a Young Carer for their younger sibling, B, who has a diagnosis of autism and dyspraxia. As part of their day-to-day caring role, A helps B with getting dressed, brushing their teeth, and following bedtime routines. A shared that they sometimes feel proud of the support they provide, but at other times they can feel upset about being a Young Carer. For example, when B experiences a meltdown, A is often the target of their sibling’s behaviour, which can include being hit or having things thrown at them – something that can be very hard to cope with. Despite these challenges, A is particularly proud of the fact that they read with B every day, helping to calm them down when they feel overwhelmed.

Although A manages to take part in hobbies alongside their caring responsibilities, they wish that more people understood the difficulties Young Carers face, as well as why autistic people may behave the way they do. A explained that their mum first heard about Be Free Young Carers online, and they were excited to join respite activities. Their favourite trip so far has been Wet ‘n’ Wild in Berinsfield – something they had never experienced before and may not have been able to without the support of Be Free Young Carers, due to the demands within their family. Through these respite trips, A has not only made new friends from the Vale and neighbouring areas but also reconnected with friends from school. They said that being part of Be Free Young Carers makes them feel “happy and excited.”

A described how their imagination has been inspired by respite trips, encouraging them to work with others and form new friendships. They value the chance not only to try new and exciting activities but also to have time for themselves, away from their caring role.

Looking ahead, A hopes that B will receive the support they need to manage their behaviours more easily, which would be better for B as well as for the family. As for their own future, A dreams of becoming either a footballer or a builder, and in the meantime is looking forward to taking part in more sports-related activities with Be Free Young Carers.

When asked to sum up Be Free Young Carers in three words, A didn’t hesitate: “amazing, exciting, fun.”

Reported by Rhianna Eeley - Youth Worker

Our Social Return on Investment

We have worked closely with the Carers Trust and Civil Society Consulting to create our Social Return on Investment (SROI) calculation. This is a representation of the value we have been able to create based on the attendance and services we offered between March 2024 and April 2025

An SROI calculator is an estimation of the value we have and does not include all the information on all of the services we offer and can not include the benefits of young carers repeatedly attending sessions or multiple different services.

Our SROI shows our donors that the money that they donate goes further and can have a significant impact on the lives of the young carers we support but also in creating further support systems for young careers and providing education and awareness of the challenges young carers face.

Every pound invested in Be Free

Young Carers has £9.77 of value.

Fundraising Strategy ~“s 2 tessa

Over the past year, our Fundraising team has continued to strengthen our comprehensive fundraising strategy, which is focused on growth to support our transition into a countywide organisation. At the same time, we remain committed to sustaining our services and presence in the areas we currently serve. This progress is driven by deepening the valuable partnerships and relationships we’ve built with our supporters and funders.

We take immense pride in being an independent charity, operating without statutory funding from local government or the NHS. This independence means we rely on the generosity of our community, support from corporate and business partners, and primarily on income from Trusts and Grants. I’m incredibly proud of what our fundraising team has accomplished, especially in the face of funding cuts and growing competition. Towards the end of 2025 we have expanded the fundraising team to take on a Junior Fundraiser who will be completing a fundraising apprenticeship with the charity, this has allowed the team to grow and streamline our fundraising process.

Our projects and the people we support continue to resonate strongly with funders and remain highly appealing for investment. In the year ahead, we’re committed to delivering excellent supporter engagement and stewardship, ensuring everyone who backs our work feels valued and connected. We remain deeply thankful to all our supporters, both longstanding and new, for their continued belief in our mission.

- Hannah Waugh, Head of Fundraising

Finances J LJ =~ The Charity achieved an overall surplus of £26,032 for the year ended 31 March 2025 against a surplus of £82,979 in 2024. Total funds at year end were £314,609 (2024: £288,577). Income was received from Grants, Trusts, and Donations. Total Income for the year was £421,059 (2024: £413,413). Total expenditure for the year was £396,027 (2024: £330,434). a

Reserves Policy

The Team

The Charity has £29,128 in restricted funds, and £6,348 invested in Fixed Assets, with the remaining £279,133 as Free Reserves which satisfies the requirements of the policy. However £150,000 of these funds are ring fenced for our countywide expansion project.

17 |

| Looking foward - future developments a

We have joined the network partnership of Carers Trust which will see us access new and in-depth resources to further highly our cause and collaborate with other young carer groups to advocate for young carers on a larger scale.

2024 and beyond, looks to be another period of growth and expansion as we increase our presence in West Oxfordshire and look to North Oxfordshire to complete our countywide expansion. Under pinning this is our robust fundraising strategy which will see further expansion of the team to support this growth.

Be free Young Carers are committed to deliver substantial services in Oxfordshire and will continue to advocate for young carers. We aim to put Oxfordshire County on the map as being a beacon of what young carer support should look like to other counties. We will continue to monitor our impact as we under take our bold expansion by focusing on our SROI and feedback from our beneficiaries, professionals and families.

Once expansion has been completed, we will then be able to continue our strategic ambitions to support young carers at the trigger pints in their lives, from transitioning to secondary school to the next steps after school. This is an area where there is very little support or direction and one which our young carers have stressed to us that they need help with. At age 18 they only have the option to use adult based services, we know that the transition from our services to adult carers is a huge step and one where we have the expertise to guide them, under pining this will require further investment and support from funders and supporters.

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31st March 2025 which are set out on pages 21 to 31.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your company's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act. Independent examiner's statement

Since the company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an

independent examination; or

the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. /)

Caroline Webster FCA

UHY Ross Brooke Windrush Court

Abingdon Business Park

Abingdon OX14 1SY

17/10/ …………………. 2025

Statement of Financial Activities (including income and expenditure) for the year ended 31st March 2025

The notes on pages 23 to 31 form part of these accounts.

Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2025 Be Free Young Carers

The notes on pages 23 to 31 form part of these accounts.

Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2025

1. Accounting policies

The following accounting policies have been used consistently in dealing with items which are considered material in relation to the Charity's accounts:

a) Basis of Accounting

The accounts are prepared under the historical cost convention, and in compliance with applicable accounting standards, Statement of Recommended Practice Accounting and reporting by Charities in accordance with Financial Reporting Standards applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) effective from 1 January 2019 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011 and the Companies Act 2006. The entity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

Following agreement at an Extraordinary Meeting on 21 February 2014 the Charity entered into a

Constitutional and Service Level Agreement with Guideposts Trust which enables the charity to share the resources of Guideposts Trust. Additionally, Guideposts Trust has provided financial support to enable the charity to maintain services whilst a long term strategic plan to develop and grow sustainable services to carers in the region for both organisations was researched and developed. To date Guideposts Trust has outstanding financial support totalling £26,340 to the Charity by way of an intercompany loan, repayment of which will not be requested until the Charity generates the surpluses to do so.

On the back of commissioning changes in the County which has left the charity the only provider of Young Carers respite services in Oxfordshire against growing need, the charity is seeing interest from potential funders to support expansion of their support and wider awareness of the charity's work and impact. The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties regarding the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.

b) Company Status

The company is limited by guarantee with no share capital and is a registered charity. The liability of each member in the event of a winding up of the company is limited to £10. The members of the company are the Trustees as named on page 2.

c) Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible fixed assets are stated at historical cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates which reflect the anticipated useful lives of the assets and their estimated residual value. Computer Equipment 25% straight line

d) Fund Accounting

General funds are expendable at the discretion of the Trustees in the furtherance of the objectives of the charity and for the overall administration of the charity.

Restricted funds are those upon which restrictions and specific criteria for their use are imposed by the donor. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund.

e) Pension Costs

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for its employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the Charity in an independently administered fund. The pension cost

represents contributions by the Charity to the funds, which are recognised when they become payable.

Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2025 (Continued)

1 . Accounting policies (continued)

f) Income

All income & endowments are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy and receipt is probable. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:

Donations and general grants are included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when they are received by the charity.
Donated services and facilities are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified. The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included in these accounts.
Investment income, including interest income is included when receivable.
Income to fund charitable activity; where related to performance and specific deliverables, are accounted for

as the charity earns the right to consideration by its performance. Where the charity's entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of specific performance, the grant is recognised once the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.

g) Operating Leases

Rentals payable under operating leases are charged against income on a straight line basis over the lease term.

h) Expenditure

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis when the liability is incurred and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to that category, including all applicable VAT. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with use of resources.

Charitable activities include expenditure associated with the provisions of activities and services for beneficiaries and include both the direct costs and support costs relating to these activities.
Governance costs include those costs incurred in the governance of the charity and its assets and are primarily associated with constitutional and statutory requirements.

• Support costs include administrative functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources, e.g. allocating property costs by floor areas, or per capita staff costs by the time spent and other costs by their usage.

i) Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid after taking account of any trade discounts due.

j) Creditors

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2025 (Continued)

Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2025 (Continued)

Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2025 (Continued)

Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2025 (Continued)

01235 838554

yc@befreeyc.org.uk

www.befreeyc.org.uk

Charity Number 1042708 | Company Number 02989722