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← The National Appropriate Adult Network Limited

2025-03-31-accounts

COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE NUMBER: 04680035 REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1104765

Annual Report

2024|25

Report of the Trustees and

Unaudited Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

The National Appropriate Adult Network Ltd

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TN24 8LF

Accounts independently examined by Xeinadin - Chartered Accountants

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THE NATIONAL APPROPRIATE ADULT NETWORK LTD REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Reference & Administrative Details

Company number 04680035 (England and Wales)
Charity number 1104765
Registered ofce 19 North Street, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8LF
President The Lord Patel of Bradford OBE
Patron Professor Gisli Gudjonsson CBE
Chair Penelope Gibbs
Treasurer Linda Chebib GCMA
Other trustees Angelika Pastuszko (from 10.09.2024)
Chris Hilliard (untl 18.06.2025)
Donna Bufong
Jacq Whitelock
Laura Hornby (untl 13.07.2025)
Matthew Haynes
Michelle Dixon
Sarah Connelly
Sharrel Collman
Sandra Wheatley
Suzanne Nash

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THE NATIONAL APPROPRIATE ADULT NETWORK LTD

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Reference & Administrative Details (continued)

Chief Executive Christopher Bath & Company Secretary Independent examiner Rosanna Turner ACA DChA Xeinadin (formerly Calcutt Matthews), 19 North Street, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8LF Bankers Unity Trust Bank, 9 Brindley place, Birmingham, B1 2HB

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the Year Ended 31 March 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2022).

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Structure, Governance & Management

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

Trustee recruitment and appointment

The charity is governed by a Board consisting of up to thirteen trustees. Trustees are primarily elected at the AGM by, and from within, the full membership of the organisation. However, a maximum of six trustees can be co-opted by the Board to ensure a diverse mix of skills, experience and perspectives.

All trustee appointments are time-limited under the governing document. Individuals are appointed for a three-year term, after which they may be elected or co-opted for a further threeyear term. They must then take a minimum oneyear break. No person may be a trustee for more than nine years in total.

Organisatonal structure

NAAN is a registered charity governed by a trustee board. Major decisions on strategy, policy and expenditure are made by the board. Day to day decision-making is delegated to the chief executive.

Remuneraton policy

Remuneration policy is guided by the need to attract and retain high performing people, ensure financial sustainability, and fairness in the context of the market. The chief executive’s salary is reviewed by a special committee of the board and changes must be approved by the board. Staff salaries are determined by the chief executive in line with annual budgets approved by the board.

Risk management

The Board maintains a detailed risk register, which was reviewed during the year. The major risks to which the charity is exposed have been considered, with particular focus on events that would seriously impede its operations. Steps to mitigate risks are summarised below.

NAAN’s treasurer is a qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. Financial records are maintained on a secure cloud-based system. Monthly, accounts are reconciled, and cash flow and budget are monitored. Management accounts are reviewed by the Board quarterly. Payroll is calculated by an external company. NAAN has dual authorisation for all bank payments. NAAN is annually subjected to an Independent Examination by external accountants.

To preserve NAAN's reputation, the charity exercises great care to ensure that communications are factually accurate and in line with organisational policy.

Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined by the Board in writing and reviewed annually. Rules for the appointment and retirement of Board members are clearly defined in the governance document. New trustees sign a formal agreement covering conflicts of interest.

NAAN complies with data protection law and is registered with the ICO. Data is held within the secure cloud-based systems which are compliant with data protection legislation. Where required, physical copies of information are stored in secure storage units.

Appropriate insurance policies are in place and are reviewed annually.

The primary risks are: loss of income (inability to secure charitable grants; AA scheme consolidation reducing membership numbers; reliance on a key Home Office grant agreed annually); and the loss of staff members.

These risks are mitigated via our reserves policy, annual reviews of membership fees, seeking multi-year grants, and a strategic focus on generating earned income diversification where it is in line with our charitable objectives.

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Objectives and activities

The charity has referred to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit when reviewing aims and objectives in planning future activities. In particular, the board considers how planned activities contribute to the aims and objectives they have set.

Charitable Objects

The charity aims to benefit the public by achieving the objectives as set out in its constitution. These are:

a) To promote the care of children and young people under 18 years and the care of people of any age who are mentally vulnerable as a result of mental ill health, learning disability,

neurodevelopmental disorder or any other reason and who are detained or otherwise questioned under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 by the provision of support and guidance for, and the promotion of best practice amongst appropriate adult services.

b) To promote or assist in the promotion of, the sound administration of the criminal justice system by the provision of support and guidance for, and the promotion of best practice amongst appropriate adult services.

Vision

Every child and vulnerable person detained or questioned as a suspect is treated fairly with respect for their physical and mental welfare, can exercise their legal rights and entitlements, and can participate effectively.

Mission

To maximise the effectiveness of appropriate adults as a safeguard for children and vulnerable people by strengthening local provision, informing the public, and contributing to a fairer system.

Strategic Objectves

  1. Strengthened local provision

  2. Informed children, vulnerable people, and supporters

  3. A fairer system

  4. Increased impact.

Actvites

NAAN seeks to achieve its objectives through:

Professional Development

National Standards

Information, Advice & Guidance

Informing Policy

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Membership on 31st March 2025

England (excluding London)

ACS International Schools Anglia Care Trust Bedford Borough Council Bedfordshire and Luton EDT Bedfordshire Youth Offending Service Berkshire Emergency Duty Service Birmingham Children’s Trust Blackpool AA Service Bracknell Youth Justice Team - new Bradford Youth Justice Service - new Bristol Youth Justice Service Cambridgeshire Youth Offending Service Caring for Communities and People Central Bedfordshire Council Child Action Northwest Cloverleaf Advocacy Cornwall Council Coventry Children’s Services Coventry Youth Justice Service Crest Manor Ltd Dudley Youth Justice Service East Sussex Youth Justice Service Gateshead Youth Justice Service Grimsby Youth Justice Service Hampshire Constabulary Hertfordshire Youth Justice Service Leicestershire Police Leicestershire Youth Offending Service Liverpool Targeted Services for Young People - new Luton Borough Council Luton Youth Partnership Service Milton Keynes Youth Offending Team Nini Social Care North Lincolnshire Youth Justice Partnership North Yorkshire County Council North Yorkshire Youth Justice Service Northumberland Youth Justice Service - new Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust Northumbria Local Appropriate Adult Scheme Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire - new Open Road Appropriate Adult Service Oxfordshire Youth Justice Service POhWER Advocacy Prilam Ltd Sandwell Children's Trust Sefton Youth Offending Team Serenity Welfare Solihull Youth Justice Service

Somerset Youth Justice Service St Helens Youth Justice Service - new Surrey Appropriate Adult Volunteer Scheme Teesside Mind Warwickshire Youth Justice Service West Berkshire Council, Mental Health Team West Berkshire YJST West London NHS Trust, Forensic Social Work West Sussex Youth Offending Service AA Service Westminster AA Volunteer Service Wiltshire Youth Justice Service Wirral Youth Justice Service - new Wokingham Borough Council York Youth Justice Service Young Lives Foundation

London

Islington Youth Justice Service - new Hammersmith & Fulham Youth Offending Service Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) - new Southwark Appropriate Adult Service Wandsworth Youth Offending Team Windsor & Maidenhead Youth Offending Team

Wales

Adferiad Recovery Blaenau Gwent & Caerphilly Youth Offending Service Cardiff Youth Justice Service Carmarthenshire Youth Support Services Ceredigion Youth Justice Service Digartref Cyf Gwynedd & Mon Youth Justice Service Monmouthshire & Torfaen Youth Offending Service Neath Port Talbot Youth Justice Service Newport Youth Justice Service Swansea Youth Justice Service - new Vale of Glamorgan Youth Justice Service

Northern Ireland MindWise

UK wide

Appropriate Adults UK Headway, the brain injury association The Appropriate Adult Service Ltd

Other territories

Childline Gibraltar Isle of Man Government States of Guernsey Home Affairs

Individual members

Debbie Stobbs - new Scarlett Pickford - new Chloe MacDonald - new Lauren Naisby - new

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Achievement and performance

Our strategic objectves

1. Strengthened local provision

We will strengthen local community organised schemes to deliver more effective, efficient, consistent and sustainable appropriate adult support for children and vulnerable people.

3. A fairer system

We will work with others to make the wider system of rights and safeguards work in a fairer way for children and vulnerable people.

2. Informed children, vulnerable people and supporters

We will empower children, vulnerable people, parents, family, friends and professionals to make well informed choices and increase the effectiveness of familial and other non-scheme appropriate adults.

4. Increased impact

We will make the charity more effective, efficient and sustainable.

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Strategic objective 1: Strengthened local provision

We will strengthen local community organised schemes to deliver more effective, efficient, consistent and sustainable appropriate adult support for children and vulnerable people.

Membership network

Training

On 31[st] March 2025, NAAN had 95 members.

The Board was pleased to accept membership applications from 14 organisations during 2024-25 (up from 6 in 2023-24).

During the year, we introduced a new system, adding individual memberships , alongside bronze, silver and gold ters membership tiers for all members. Gold tier full members have access to the new natonal training course for all AAs within their organisation.

Member support

During the year:

“Excellent support, always able to answer my questions… nothing is too much!”

“I have found the NAAN Management team particularly knowledgeable and informative. I have received detailed well considered responses to my questions, which are clearly well researched, referenced and validated.”

2024-25 member advice satisfaction survey respondents

In September 2024, we launched the first ever national training course (NTC) for AAs: Being an Efectve Appropriate Adult.

By 31[st] March 2025 we had seen:

“I thought [the course] was easy to use and easy to navigate. I learned a lot of stuff and I really liked the interactive bits, like the layout of the custody suite and the videos.”

“I really loved it. The quizzes are great. I loved the videos with Grev in - I think it gave that real personal touch to it.”

National training course feedback

In addition to the NTC, we delivered tutor-led AA training to 170 people, across 13 organisations.

98% of learners said their knowledge or skills had improved following the training.

“BRILLIANT. So fun, educational, relevant and really good at meeting everyone’s learning needs. I really enjoyed this training and feel that I am so much more knowledgeable!”

“Training was good, trainer was engaging. Lots of examples and case scenarios. Really interesting.”

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Professional development events

Thirty-eight people from our membership attended our in-person annual professional development day . Speaker and panel discussion topics included: diversion vs “no comment” in police station interviews, research on AA welfare, the risks and opportunities of embedding AAs in custody, and the value of AAs for people with a personality disorder diagnosis.

NAAN chair Penelope Gibbs with panellists Darren Trollope, Fleur Hann, Rebecca Stump and Claire Ely.

75 appropriate adults attended our expert webinar about supporting people with complex emotional needs/personality disorder with Dr Sue Wheatcroft.

Attendee feedback included:

“Many thanks to NAAN for putting on this event and particularly to Sue for her openness about her lived experience.”

“I felt Sue was brilliant and very knowledgeable. Sue was so open about her personal experiences it was quite humbling.”

“Sue was an absolutely amazing speaker, and it was great to feel part of the community, both with fellow AAs and medical practitioners, and with people who have BPD. Overall, an amazing opportunity that will help me be a better AA hopefully, and help me with my university studies.”

89% of attendees plan to do something different because of the event, including:

“To follow Sue's checklist - Boundaries, Transparency, Honesty and particularly exhibiting Kindness & Validation as much as I can.”

“More aware of personality disorders when acting as AA.”

Superintendent Michael Hodder (NPCC) provides a police perspective on the embedding of AAs in police custody.

100% of event attendees reported improved knowledge after the event, and 76% planned to do something different in their work as a direct result of attending.

“Thanks for coming to Wales! Hope you all enjoyed and thanks for the day which was very useful.”

“Amazing event, always worthwhile attending and it is great to network with others.”

“It was a great event and I came away with my brain buzzing with ideas.”

Natonal volunteering portal

We provided online information for prospective AA volunteers , and organised our public list of member services by geographical area, allowing potential volunteers to identify local schemes.

During the year:

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Qualifcatons

During 2024-25, nine learners achieved a Level 2 Ofqual accredited appropriate adult qualification via our partnership with awarding body Gateway Qualifications.

However, following several years of uptake and completion rates significantly below our aspirations, we undertook a review of our qualification’s initiative, including a full-costrecovery analysis of the programme.

The review found that the model was heavily subsided by NAAN and not financially sustainable without increases in learner volumes and price per learner; and that these are not achievable within the current funding environment for AA schemes.

Development and commissioning

We continued our partnership with YPO, the local authority-owned purchasing body with whom we developed a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) commissioning platform for AA services. The DPS has now been used to commission over 30 contracts.

In London , our partnership with MOPAC (Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime), helped secure and focus £5.4 million of funding for AAs , with the first ever pan-London (Met) provision for vulnerable adults.

We determined that the national training course better fits the most pressing needs of AA schemes. It can be delivered by NAAN at a price that is lower, sustainable, includes the cost of training, and provides assurance of learning.

In October 2024, the Board made the difficult decision to wind down the qualifications service responsibly by the end of July 2025, enabling all current learners to complete.

We communicated this decision to the local tutors at member services delivering the qualification. They spoke with their learners and this was followed up with an email from NAAN to all learners communicating the deadlines for submission.

We gave notice to the awarding body and began working with them and our members to manage the closure of the project.

We received extremely positive feedback from learners, and continue to believe that accredited qualifications have great potential in delivering better outcomes for children and vulnerable people. We remain open to the potential for sustainable models and partnerships that could enable this in the future.

In West Yorkshire , we supported the Mayor’s office to respond to the challenges of demand and the lack of a statutory duty for vulnerable adults. A new volunteer scheme commissioned by the Mayor and run by the organisation Restorative Solutions, has joined NAAN as a Gold member and adopted the new national training course for all AAs.

We continued to provide online national guidance. Our page for AA scheme developers and commissioners attracted 281 views.

Our 3-year impact review found that: we supported 17 commissioning projects ; and of all published tender specifications (including those where did not provide active advice):

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Objective 2: Informed children, vulnerable people and supporters

We will empower children, vulnerable people, parents, family, friends and professionals to make well informed choices and increase the effectiveness of familial and other non-scheme appropriate adults.

Web pages

Downloadable resources

Video resources

Advice calls

“Thank you very much for your recent email. It has helped me a lot, and it has helped me to go forward to help my son with his present situation with regards to the way he was treated by the police, and his ongoing situation… it is very much appreciated.”

Feedback from family member following query

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Objective 3: A Fairer System

We will work with others to make the wider system of rights and safeguards work in a fairer way for children and vulnerable people.

Improving identfcaton of need

National data, national change

Our advocacy led the Home Office to introduce mandatory national police data collection on the use of appropriate adults (AAs) in police custody. For the first time, we can track whether the police are identifying adults as needing an AA using official national statistics, instead of relying on Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. We began analysing the new data, with an indication of continued increase in the proportion and total volume of adults in police custody identified as needing an AA. Once analysis is complete, these data will be added to our Tracker.

Embedding learning with practical resources

12 police forces have told us they are using our animated PACE vulnerability training videos for police and healthcare staff. The videos were viewed 884 times.

Making data visible

Our Vulnerability Identfcaton Tracker visualisation continued to support accountability by making the vulnerability data gained by our FOIs accessible to police and public. It displays the percentage of adults identified as needing an AA, split out by force and tracked over time. It was viewed 563 times during the year.

Custody deaths and missed safeguards

We secured new data on police custody deaths from The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Initial analysis indicates that AAs were not provided to those who were known to have mental health needs.

The Preventing Post-Custody Suicide Working Group (Ministerial Council on Deaths in Custody) expressed interest. In 2025/26 we hope to publish a report based on these data, and to work with the IOPC to improve the effectiveness of IOPC investigations into police conduct where suspect vulnerability is a factor.

Influencing national policy and practice

We actively seek opportunities to improve AA safeguards across the system. In 2024–25, we:

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Improving availability and accountability

AAs now part of youth justice inspection

From January 2025, HM Inspectorate of Probation will assess AA provision for children in custody. This landmark change followed our sustained advocacy and support to develop methodology, inspection questions, and training.

Heads of Youth Justice Services have reported increased awareness and engagement with their AA duties — with several joining NAAN as a result.

Statutory provision for vulnerable adults

A lack of statutory AA provision continues to leave vulnerable adults at risk. Pressing this issue across national forums, we:

Strengthening the evidence base

A growing academic community

We launched individual academic membership of NAAN and established an AA research community. This is chaired by Sarah Connelly, who is an academic at Sunderland University, a NAAN board member, and an AA scheme leader in Northumbria). The group supports rigorous, coordinated research with real-world impact.

Understanding and evidencing effectiveness

In partnership with Cardiff University, we continued to co-supervise Chloe MacDonald, a former AA scheme leader, as she undertakes a doctoral study on the effectiveness of AAs.

Chloe will also conduct an evaluation of the new national training course (NTC).

Positve collaboraton

We continued to provide national representation for AAs in both strategic operational and policy spaces, including those held by government and civil society.

In addition:

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Maintaining and strengthening rights

Improving strip search protections

Planned 2025 updates to PACE Code C now reflect our call for all strip searches — not just ones exposing intimate body parts— to be covered by AA protections.

Challenging use of force

Following an alert raised by one of our member services, our intervention in a case where a child was handcuffed for 17 hours awaiting an AA for a strip search led the NPCC to write to all Chief Constables.

Working with the Independent Custody Visiting Association (ICVA) we supported the NPCC to reinforce the message that the police should use alternative methods to manage waits.

We also highlighted the case within our network, to underscore the importance of 24/7 AA provision and ASAP response times.

Legal privilege and confidentiality

Children and vulnerable adults have a right under PACE Code C to decide whether to have their AA present in a legal consultation.

This is often not honoured in practice, in due to concerns over the statement in Code C that “AAs are not subject to legal privilege”. However, this contradicts case law form 2008.

As a member of the PACE Strategy Board we submitted a paper proposing the removal of this line from Code C. This is now under consideration by the Home Office and other members of the board.

Non-PACE detentions

Police custody is regularly used for a wide range reasons outside of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE). For example:

We identified significant uncertainty over whether the AA safeguard applies to children and vulnerable adults who are in custody for these reasons.

PACE Code C says it does not apply to some detention types, but also that “sections 8 and 9 must be considered as the minimum standards of treatment for such detainees”. While most provisions relating to AAs sit outside these sections, both sections refer to AAs. There appears to be no relevant case law.

One example is the holding of people sentenced to prison, which came to prominence due to Operation Safeguard – a response to the recent prison crisis. We asked the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) whether they believed police had to secure an AA for detentions under Operation Safeguard. After seeking legal advice, the NPCC has advised us that they consider it “best practice” for any vulnerable adult being held under Operation Safeguard to have an AA, and we communicated this to our network.

We raised the wider issue formally, by researching and presenting a paper to the PACE Strategy Board.

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Evidencing our policy impact

This year we asked small group of senior decision-makers and policy makers, we asked “In your role, have you felt better informed as a result of NAAN’s contributions?”. 100% of respondents (n=16) said “Yes”. Their comments on how NAAN’s contributions inform their work included the following.

“Very knowledgeable/experienced and an invaluable critical friend. Displays a real passion and care - very good at collaboration, professional challenge and looking at solutions”.

Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet (National Police Chiefs’ Council)

“An absolute asset to my role…always been quick to respond and provide advice, guidance and historical knowledge. I enjoy an effective working relationship with NAAN as a key stakeholder.”

“As a result of NAAN's contributions, I have become better informed around key issues surrounding children and vulnerable adults in police custody which has helped drive key areas of work, and will greatly aid scrutiny activities for Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) across England and Wales. In particular, NAAN have highlighted the unstable nature of statutory provision for vulnerable adults, and the complexities surrounding the various forms of strip searches for children and vulnerable adults. As a result, this has helped the development of scrutiny questions PCCs can raise directly with their Chief Constables with regards to strip search. In addition, the issue of statutory provision is now in-focus again with PCCs, with nearly all PCCs (40/43) responding to a call to evidence on local appropriate adult provision for vulnerable adults, which was in part informed by renewed calls for statutory provision from NAAN."

Ollie Marshall (Association of Police and Crime Commissioners)

DCI Simon Barnes (National Police Chiefs’ Council)

“The NAAN network / material have played a pivotal in supporting my work as the custody policy lead at the College of Policing. Their reports are comprehensive and have a firm evidence base to support their statements and recommendations. If I ever require support with any particular topic, Chris is a trusted 'critical friend' who I know will approach anything with meticulous thought and reasonable comment - a valuable partner”.

Anton Menzies (College of Policing)

“ [NAAN] always provide useful checks and challenges on legality, rights and also the whole fairness to vulnerable people. By continually informing and educating they are slowly changing attitudes to the need for AAs not based purely on availability but as right under PACE…NAAN is a key national partner for police custody, and have contributed greatly in the interest of improving the safeguards available to children and vulnerable people who are detained in police custody.

Ivan Trethewey (NHS England Liaison and Diversion)

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“NAAN is critical in helping us to understand the support children get in one of the most critical parts of the youth justice system. [They] not only deliver critical frontline work but support our intelligence gathering to help us provide evidence based advice to ministers on how the youth justice system is performing, where best practice is occurring and where we need to focus our efforts to drive further improvements”.

Stephanie Roberts-Bibby (CEO, Youth Justice Board)

“NAAN is a valued stakeholder who work tirelessly to promote a fair justice system for children and vulnerable adults through an appropriate adult safeguarding approach. Led by an extremely experienced and knowledgeable CEO, NAAN has been instrumental in providing us with expert advice on matters regarding PACE and the importance of safeguarding children in police custody, particularly those detained overnight… NAAN also sat as experts on a main panel discussion regarding 'how to better understand the factors that influence decisions of whether children are detained in police custody overnight', at the 2024 Youth Justice leader's event attended by over 200 multi-agency professionals working across the youth justice sector.”

Sharon Healy (Head of Stakeholder Engagement & Advice, Youth Justice Board)

“NAAN has been instrumental in improving our knowledge in relation to all things for appropriate adults. NAAN has supported us in the development of our victims standard, has helped us shape what we can include and guided us as to how best to include a focus on appropriate adults in our inspection programme. It has also supported us in developing our rules and guidance (clarifying the detail of what we should expect to see) and providing information and guidance to support our inspectors in undertaking inspection activity of appropriate adult arrangements.”

Andrea Brazier (Head of Youth Inspection Programme, HM Inspectorate of Probation)

“Huge expertise and knowledge and a collaborative approach which was helpful in developing the piece of work I was delivering” .

Helen Mercer (Head of Policy and Standards, HM Inspectorate of Probation)

“[We] work closely together on many issues covering police custody, and NAANs resources are invaluable in assisting to highlight the role and function of the AA to ICVs across the UK. We use the work of NAAN to inform our training and policy work to excellent effect. As organisations we are stronger together and NAAN is a fantastic organisation, dedicated to the effective protection of vulnerable suspects in police custody.”

Sherry Ralph (Chief Executive ICVA, Chair of the National Preventative Mechanism)

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Objective 4: Increased Impact

We will make the charity more effective, efficient and sustainable.

Adoptng social enterprise for sustainability and independence

In recent years, NAAN has been able to secure charitable funding to supplement its grant income from the Home Office and selfgenerated income. This allowed us to grow to team of three full time staff and resulted in greatly increased impact.

With our significant Esmee Fairbairn Foundation (EFF) grant due to be spent down by December 2024, alongside high inflation, securing funding was a priority from the start of the year.

However, by July 2024 we concluded that the outlook was very poor or charitable funding. Continuation funding from EFF was not possible due to their amended objectives and criteria. We had re-scanned the funding environment, updated our grant application pipeline, checked this with an expert fundraising consultant, and made several unsuccessful applications to trusts and foundations with closely matching objectives. Conversations with other charities confirmed our assessment of the funding landscape.

With most remaining grant funder opportunities being low in value, long in timeline, and unlikely to be successful, we concluded that a continued focus on raising charitable funds was not the best use of the charity’s time and resources.

If we were to secure the charity’s financial future, and maintain our staffing level, our efforts would be better spent on generating our own income. As a result, we quickly developed a new funding strategy.

As part of this ‘social enterprise approach’ we:

As a small charity, NAAN can make such strategic changes rapidly. However, these changes are not a ‘golden bullet’. Developing our social enterprise approach involves uncertainty and risk. The community that we serve is deeply under-funded and not all AA schemes will be able to invest in our offers. Change also takes time, and significant charitable grants cannot be instantly replaced.

For this reason, we were deeply grateful to the Hadley Trust. In December, after other fundraising efforts were unsuccessful, this trust enabled us to maintain our third staff post, without which we simply could not deliver the social enterprise plan.

Staf healthcare

During the year we established a salary sacrifice scheme to enable staff to purchase Benenden Health cover, at no cost to the charity.

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Financial Review

Financial performance

The Statement of Financial Activities is shown on page 21.

The surplus for the year was £5,099 (2024 deficit of £36,340). The net assets amounted to £184,079 (2024: £178,980).

Restricted funds

Home Office

The Home Office has supported NAAN with grants since 2004, although funding is agreed on a single year basis. While restricted, the objectives are developed to reflect NAAN’s mission, as detained in the report below. The current grant level (£110,000) has been in place since 2021/22.

Reserves policy

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

NAAN’s policy is to maintain sufficient level of designated reserves to enable normal operating activities to continue over a period of 6 to 9 months. This policy is a medium-term measure to mitigate the risks of the charity’s historical current reliance on a single grant funder that makes decisions on an annual basis, as well as risks associated with past difficulties in obtaining physical receipt of grant funding in a timely fashion.

Thus, for the sake of transparency guidelines from the ‘CC19: Charity Reserves –Building Resilience' have been adopted and a reserve of £110,000 designated. This equates to 6.2 months of expenditure at 2024/25 levels. As expected, this marks a swift return above 6 months, following last year’s planned technical breach of our reserves policy (5.6 months) caused by the oneoff expense of developing the e-learning course.

This reserve would allow NAAN the opportunity to secure alternative funding or, if necessary, to wind down its programme of support. The charity has a plan in place to diversify funding and increase staffing and will continue to review appropriate reserves levels annually to ensure funds are used effectively to support the charitable objectives.

General funds

The general fund enables the charity to respond quickly to opportunities and to support its longterm development. The board has decided to reduce the size of this fund. A rolling 3-year budget is in place, setting out how it will be reduced responsibly and effectively, with a focus on investment in the charity’s financial sustainability.

Between April and December 2024, the final £28,921 of a three-year grant from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation (totalling £105,000) was spent down. This grant enabled us to create the new role of Operations Manager and so release capacity for the Chief Executive.

Designated funds

Hadley Trust

An unrestricted grant of £50,000, received in January 2025, enabled the charity to maintain the Operations Manager post created under the Esmee Fairbairn grant. The NAAN Board has designated the full value for this purpose, in recognition of the criticality of this role to the charity’s plans for increased financial sustainability.

E-learning

The board previously re-designated £45,000 from the General Fund to support the completion of the first national training course for appropriate adults. £11,226 was spent (£31,015 in 2023/24), enabling the charity to continue working with Nifty Fox Creative to ensure high-quality, engaging, interactive content for learners. With the launch of the course, the initial development project is complete. However, a proportion of ongoing income from the national training course is being allocated to the E-learning Fund to ensure funds are available to update and improve the course.

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Funding sources

Our deep and sincere thanks to the following for their support this year:

Investment policy and performance

The Board has decided that at present, funds should continue to be retained in Banks and Building Societies. Any change in such banking arrangements should be agreed by the Board. As far as possible, funds will be retained in interest bearing accounts. Income from interest amounted to 1.2% of income.

In pursuit of our strategy, we continue to work to increase and diversify the charity’s funding. This includes:

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 7.07.25 and signed on its behalf by:

ABChabsi's

............................................. Linda Chebib Treasurer

This approach will increase the charity’s sustainability and independence.

Processes have been put in place to clearly delineate between the work undertaken under the Home Office grant and other projects and activities. For example, any work undertaken to engage with Parliamentarians is conducted outside of that grant, in line with its terms.

The breakdown of funding in the year to 31[st] March 2025 was:

Fundraising

The Charity engaged the services of Leah Selinger to the value of £500 to check our research into which charitable trusts and foundations have matching objectives. No complaints have been received in respect of the Charity's fundraising activities during the financial year.

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT

TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE NATIONAL APPROPRIATE ADULT NETWORK LTD

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of The Nationanl Appropriate Adult Network Ltd

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 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

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:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. 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

  4. 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.

Signed: 07/11/2025

==> picture [88 x 35] intentionally omitted <==

……………………………………… Rosanna Turner ACA DChA Xeinadin South East Ltd 19 North Street Ashford TN24 8LF

………………………………………

20

THE NATIONAL APPROPRIATE ADULT NETWORK LTD

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

31.3.25 31.3.25 31.3.24
Unrestricted


Restricted Total


Total
Notes £ £ £ £
INCOME FROM
Donations & legacies
2		 50,285 110,000 160,285 145,040
Charitable activities
3		 55,032 - 55,032 49,754
Investments
4		 2,607 - 2,607 2,542
Total income 107,924 110,000 217,924 197,336
EXPENDITURE ON
Charitable activities
5,6,7
Member Support 20,200 48,622 68,822 42,065
Policy & Standards 14,658 87,983 102,641 55,448
Professional Development 39,046 2,316 41,362 136,163
Total expenditure 73,904 138,921 212,825 233,676
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) 34,020 (28,921) 5,099 (36,340)
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward 150,016 28,964 178,980 215,320
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED
FORWARD 184,036 43 184,079 178,980

21

THE NATIONAL APPROPRIATE ADULT NETWORK LTD

BALANCE SHEET at 31 March 2025

BALANCE SHEETat 31 Ma
 rch 2025
31.3.25 31.3.24
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
funds
1,572		 funds funds
£
1,572		 funds
Notes
8		 £
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets - 2,256
9 32,402
183,096		 32,402
183,096
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors - 66,831
Cash at bank - 142,004
Total current assets 215,498 - 215,498 208,835
CREDITORS
Amounts falling due within one
year		 10 (32,991) - (32,991) (32,111)
182,507 182,507
NET CURRENT ASSETS - 176,724
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT
LIABILITIES 184,079 - 184,079 178,980
NET ASSETS 184,079 - 184,079 178,980
FUNDS 11 31,908
4,042
38,129
110,000		 31,908
4,042
38,129
110,000
Unrestricted funds
General funds - 26,164
E-learning Fund - 13,895
Hadley Trust -
Reserves - 110,000
Total unrestricted funds 184,079
-
-
-		 - 184,079
-
-
-		 150,059
Restricted funds
Home Office - -
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation - 28,921
Allen Lane Foundation - -
Total restricted funds - - 28,921
TOTAL FUNDS 184,079 - 184,079 178,980

22

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the Year Ended 31 March 2025. The members have not required the charitable company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006. The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for:

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small charitable companies.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 7.07.2025 and were signed on its behalf by:

Chebsi's

Linda Chebib Treasurer

23

THE NATIONAL APPROPRIATE ADULT NETWORK LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2022)', and the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Income

All incoming resources are included on the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.

Expenditure

Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings, they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Support costs are those incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charity and include project management carried out at Headquarters. Governance costs are those incurred in connection with administration of the charity and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirement.

Going concern

The trustees and management have considered possible events or conditions that might cast significant doubt on the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern for at least one year from the date of approval of the financial statements

They have concluded that, together with the reserves, there is a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future, and therefore, the charity continues to adopt the going concern basis.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Fixtures and fittings - 25% on straight line basis Computer equipment - 25% - 50% on cost

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

24

THE NATIONAL APPROPRIATE ADULT NETWORK LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees. Restricted funds can only be used for restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for restricted purposes. Designated funds are only used for a specific reason at the discretion of the trustees and reviewed annually. Further explanation of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Debtors

Debtors are amounts owed to the charity. They are measured on the basis of their recoverable amount.

Creditors

Creditors are amounts owed by the charity. They are measured at the amount that the charity expects to have to pay to settle the debt.

2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES

2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES 2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES 2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES 2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES
Unrestricted
£		 Restricted
£		 31.3.25 31.3.24
Total Total
£ £
Home Office Police Powers Unit - 110,000 110,000 110,000
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation - - - 35,000
The Hadley Trust 50,000 - 50,000
Donations 285 - 285 40
50,285 110,000 160,285 145,040

25

THE NATIONAL APPROPRIATE ADULT NETWORK LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (continued)

3. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

Restricted
£		 31.3.25
Total
£		 31.3.24
Unrestricted Total
£ £
Income from
Training and training
material
11,242		 - 11,242 18,574
Membership
subscriptions		 25,078 - 25,078 24,342
Commissioning support 9,829 - 9,829 4,986
Qualification 1,421 - 1,421 1,808
National Training Course 7,072 7,072
Other income 390 - 390 44
55,032 - 55,032 49,754
4. INVESTMENT INCOME
31.3.25
Total
£		 31.3.24
Unrestricted Restricted Total
£
Deposit account interest 2,607 0 2,607 2,542

5. NET INCOMING/(OUTGOING) RESOURCES

Net resources are stated after
charging/(crediting):
31.3.25 31.3.24
£ £
Independent examiner’s fee 1,050 848
Depreciation - owned assets 1,200 1,169

26

THE NATIONAL APPROPRIATE ADULT NETWORK LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (continued)

6. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There was no trustee remuneration or other benefits provided for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024. No Trustee had any beneficial interest in any contract with the charity.

Trustees’ expenses

Trustees’ expenses 31.3.25
£
510		 31.3.24
£
459

7. STAFF

The average number of full-time equivalent employees during the year was as follows:

Staff
The cost of employing those staff were:
Salaries and wages
National insurance
Pensions		 31.3.25
3
31.3.24
£
148,384
11,711
21,155
181,250		 31.3.24
3
31.3.24
£
150,875
12,055
12,070
175,000

1 employee received total employee benefits (excluding employer national insurance and employer pension contributions) between £60,000 to £70,000 (2024: 1 employee above £60,000).

The total remuneration (including gross salary, pension and employer’s national insurance before reductions due to employer’s allowance) of key management personnel during the year was £81,170 (2024: £79,133) of which £14,107 was employer’s pension contributions (2024: 12,055).

Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme, with an employer contribution of 8% of gross salary. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund. Contributions payable to the pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate. A salary sacrifice scheme is in operation, allowing staff to reduce their salary in exchange for increased employer pension contributions, with a net zero effect on the charity. Contributions payable by the charity amounted to £21,155 (2024: £12,070).

27

THE NATIONAL APPROPRIATE ADULT NETWORK LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (continued)

8. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

8. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
Fixtures and
fittings
£
COST
At 1 April 2024
1,088
Additions
368
Disposals
-
At 31 March 2025
1,456
DEPRECIATION
At 1 April 2024
639
Charge for year
226
At 31 March 2025
865
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31 March 2025
591
At 31 March 2024
449
9. DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
Trade debtors
Prepayments
10. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
Trade creditors
Other creditors
Deferred income
Credit card
Accrued expenses		 Office
equipment
£
9,503
374
-
9,877
7,696
1,200
8,896
981
1,807
31.3.25
£
31,442
960
32,402
31.3.25
£
575
2,120
28,910
322
1,064
32,991		 Totals
£
10,591
742
-
11,383
8,335
1,426
9,761
1,572
2,256
31.3.24
£
65,922
909
66,831
31.3.24
£
10,444
879
19,592
271
924
32,111

28

THE NATIONAL APPROPRIATE ADULT NETWORK LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (continued)

11. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

11. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS
Unrestricted funds
General fund
E-learning fund
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Hadley Trust
Reserves
Restricted funds
Home Office
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
TOTAL FUNDS
Net movement in funds, included in the above
Unrestricted funds
General fund
E-learning fund
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Hadley Trust
Reserves
Restricted funds
Home Office
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
TOTAL FUNDS		 At 1.4.24
£
26,164
13,895
-
-
110,000
-
-
28,921
-
178,980
are as follows:
Incoming
resources
£
56,510
1,414
-
50,000
-
110,000
-
217,924		 Net
movement
in funds
£
5,744
(9,853)
38,129
-
-
-
(28,921)
-
5,099
Resources
expended
£
50,766
11,267
-
11,871
-
110,000
28,921		 At 31.3.25
£
31,908
4,042
-
38,129
110,000
-
-
-
-
184,079
Movement
in funds
£
5,744
(9,853)
-
38,129
-
-
(28,921)
212,825 5,099

29

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (continued)

11. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS (CONTINUED)

The purposes of the funds are as follows:

Restricted

Home Office: To:

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation: To build a just and inclusive criminal justice system that prevents miscarriages of justice, by transforming safeguards for vulnerable people detained or questioned by police (those most at risk of having their rights denied). While year one of a three-year grant agreement was unrestricted as part of the Foundation’s Covid-19 response, year two and this final third year were restricted.

Designated

Hadley Trust: This unrestricted funding has been designated by the NAAN Board for the purposes of maintaining the Operations Manager staff post, originally created under the three-year Esmee Fairbairn grant fund.

General fund: To enable the charity to respond quickly to opportunities and to support its long-term development. The board has decided to reduce the size of this fund (see below).

E-learning fund: To develop a national e-learning course to support local appropriate adult scheme leaders with the initial training of AAs.

Reserves: NAAN’s policy is to maintain sufficient level of designated reserves to enable normal operating activities to continue over a period of between 6 and 9 months. This policy is a mediumterm measure to mitigate the risks of the charity’s historical current reliance on a single grant funder that makes decisions on an annual basis, as well as risks associated with past difficulties in obtaining physical receipt of grant funding in a timely fashion. Thus, for the sake of transparency guidelines from the ‘CC19: Charity Reserves –Building Resilience' have been adopted and a reserve of £110,000 designated. This equates to 6.2 months of expenditure at 2024/25 levels. This would allow NAAN the opportunity to secure alternative funding or, if necessary, to wind down its programme of support in a controlled manner. NAAN has a desire to increase staffing levels, a plan in place to diversify funding, and will continue to review appropriate reserves levels annually to ensure funds are used effectively to support the charitable objectives.

30

THE NATIONAL APPROPRIATE ADULT NETWORK LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (continued)

11. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS (CONTINUED)

Comparatives for movement in funds

Comparatives for movement in funds
At 1.4.23
Net movement
in funds
£
£
Unrestricted funds
General fund
26,846
(682)
E-learning Fund
45,000
(31,015)
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
-
-
Reserves
110,000
-
Restricted funds
Home Office
-
-
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
32,474
(3,553)
Allen Lane Foundation
1,000
(1,000)
TOTAL FUNDS
215,320
(36,340)
Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
Incoming
resources
Resources
expended
£
£
Unrestricted funds
General fund
52,336
42,382
E-learning Fund
-
31,015
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
-
-
Reserves
-
-
Restricted funds
Home Office
110,000
110,000
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
35,000
38,553
Allen Lane Foundation
-
1,000
197,336
233,676
TOTAL FUNDS		 At 31.3.24
£
26,164
13,895
-
110,000
-
28,921
-
178,980
Movement in
funds
£
(682)
(31,015)
-
_
-
(3,553)
(1,000)
(36,340)

12. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

There were no related party transactions for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (2024: none).

31

THE NATIONAL APPROPRIATE ADULT NETWORK LTD

DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS
Donations and legacies
Donations
Grants
Charitable activities
Membership subscriptions
Training and training material
Commissioning support
Qualification
Other income
Investment income
Deposit account interest
Total incoming resources		 31.3.25
£
285
160,000
160,285
25,078
18,314
9,829
1,421
390
55,032
2,607
217,924		 31.3.24
£
40
145,000
145,040
24,343
18,574
4,986
1,808
44
49,754
2,542
197,336

This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements.

32

THE NATIONAL APPROPRIATE ADULT NETWORK LTD

DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 (continued)

EXPENDITURE
Charitable activities
Wages
Social security
Pensions
Travel and subsistence
Training, Events and Groups
Staff training
Support costs
Management
Administration
Fixtures and fittings
Computer equipment
Fundraising
Premises
Printing and stationery
Professional Fees
Recruitment
Travel and subsistence
Sundries
Finance
Bank charges
Information technology
Communications and IT
Governance costs
Trustees’ expenses
Professional fees
Independent examiners’ remuneration
Accountancy and legal fees
Total resources expended
Net income/(expenditure)		 31.3.25
£
148,384
11,711
21,155
912
4,902
265
187,329
274
226
-
-
1,255
160
4,313
-
-
1,294
7,522
196
16,149
510
-
1,050
69
1,629
212,825
5,099		 31.3.24
£
145,875
17,055
12,070
1,611
7,899
90
184,600
400
77
-
-
1,601
47
5,462
214
-
1,978
9,779
171
37,784
459
-
848
35
1,342
233,676
(36,340)

This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements.

33

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