Thè What About The Children? 'Raising awareness of the never-changing emotional needs of children under three in our ever-changing society. Trustees. Annual Report for the period 1st January 2024 to 31st Dec 2024 Registered Charity Number 1108816 Principal Registered Address.. Feldon House, Chapel Lane, Newbold on Stour, CV37 8TY. Website.. w*M. ataboutthechildren. .uk Names of the charity trustees who managed the charity during this period Mrs C Armstrong (Acting Chair as from 20th March 2024} Ms Libby Caulfield ( resigned 7 May 2024) Dr E Bland {resigned 7 May 2024} Mr A Joint Mrs L Keyte Mrs J Reddish Dr C Ulanowsky Dr L Wood Prof. Jacqueline Bames (resigned 18 December 2023 to take effect from March 2024) Structure, governance and management Type of governing document Constitution adopted 2811112019 amended 2910412020 How the charity is constituted Foundation Charitable Incorporated Organisation Trustee selection method Trustees are appointed at the AGM Trustees are appointed or re-appointed for a period of 3 years There must be at least 3 charity Trustees The maximum number of Trustees is 12 New Trustees are selected after an informal interview by the Chair and other Trustees. In appointing Trustees, due consideration is given to ensuring that the Trustees have, belween them, the skills and experience ne$sary to manage the charity effectively and in acrdanCe with charity law. New Trus- tees are inducted by attending as an observer at least 2 trustee meetings prior to appointment and are provided with a trustee induction pack. Additional Govemance Issues
What About The childn? is a national charity concemed with the period of infant brain development and secure infantlparent attachment from conception to age three. Science confirms that this period of development impacts on future physical and mentsl health out of all proportion to the rest of child- hood. The charity has no paid stafP. all the Trustees give their time voluntsrily to the day-to-day manage- ment of the charrty, contributing to development working groups and leadership of charity activities, publication of research summaries and the annual conference. The charity has no office base. Trus- tees work from home, using their own computers" communication is via email and telephone, and meetings are hosted using video-conferencing. There is a Safe-Guarding Policy and an Equal Opportuntties Policy. Press & Media, Cyber Security, and Website Content Protocols are in place Objectives and activities Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document To raise awareness of the emotional needs of all children under three, by increasing public understanding of infant brain development and the importance of secure infanvparent attach- ment for fijture physical and mental health To advance the education of professionals, policymakers, parents and the public about infant brain development through the organisation of conferen$ and seminars, and publishing on the website summaries of recent research on topics connected with the brain develop- ment from conception to age three, the period of most rapid brain development To assist in the promotion of research into all aspects of such matters and to disseminate the results of such research for the benefit of the public Summary of the main activities undertaken for the publlc benefrt in relation to these objectives free access to information from research on infant brain development and infant parent attachment on charity's website w4.whatabOuttheCh[ldren.O .uk hosting of national conferences with a focus on emotional needs and wellbeing of under- threes publication of summaries of recent. relevant research related to infant brain development publication of quarterly E News, Blogs, Research Summaries the use of media, interviews, articles and social media submissions to Parliamentary and other national consultstions relevant to under-threes contribution to the work of Early Childhood Forum (ECF) and the First 1001 Days Movement commissioning the charity's own SUNeys for analysis, publishing reports and recommenda- tions on the findings ststutory Declaration of Public Benefit The Trustees declare they have complied with their duty to have due regard to guidance on public benefit published by the Charities Commission in exercising their powers or duties. Achievements and perforniance Further development of the webstte & addriional 'in-house' training of members of the Digital Group in day to day management of the new website. Elizabeth Bland took over leadership of the Digital Group responsible for uploading new content to the website and editingfor the website editing its content un- til her resignation in March 2024 What About The Children? archive of Research Summaries and archive of Goodman lectu$ all available on the website.
Our Aspirations campaign document, 'Putting the emotional needs of children under three at the heart of policy and practice, which highlighted policy issues relevant to children under three and their fami- lies, was prompted on social media relevant organisations, interested individuals as well as prospec- tive parliamentary candidates in the July 2024 General Election Building followers on Social Media @WATCthechildrenTwitter account. Regular monitoring of Twitter Analytics data. In addition to the above- Ongoing contribution to the wort( of the Fit 1001 Days Movement Coalition. Ongoing contribution to the work of Earty Childhood Fonim (ECF) Ongoing attendance at relevant meetings and Gonferences of organisations providing ser- vices for families with infants and young Ghildren Participation in campaigns relevant to our mission (e.g. maintaining existing statt."child ratios in childcare Financial review Brief statement of the charity's policy on reserves Cash at the Bank at 31st December 2024 was £12283.11 The main financial risk to the charity is a reduction in value of donations,- however, the operational costs are minimal. The main regular ex- penditures are those associated with maintaining the website, and annual membership fee for Early Childhood Forum. Details of funds materially in deficit: not appllcable. Further financial review detsils What About The Children?'s main source of funding is from donations,. the majority are small, but reg- ular, donations from individuals. HMRC Gift Aid claim for past year received. All the funds support the charity's key objectives and enable research summary writers to be commissioned. Future Plans Draft and approve a three year Strategic Plan, establish a working party to develop the plan for approval by Board of Trustees during 2024 (Attached ) The Digital Team of Trustees will continue to develop theirwebsite management skills, regu- larly up4ate website content, publish new Blogs, Research Summaries and latest news and will use material already on the website The page for parents will be added to the website providing details about freely available re- sources designed to support parents-to-be and parents with young children. Insert The reach of the quarterly E News was enhanced by inserting a link on the website for subscribers to sign up to receive the E News By increasing our use of digital and social media communication. we seek to ensure that'the whole of society, is aware of the findings of research, and the importance of appropriately re- sponsive loving care of the under-threes for their future physical and mental health The Trustees will develop ideas for other campaigns spectfic to Vthat About The Children? To enable us to share our messages in a focused manner. Insert Given several Trustee resignations it was imperative to recruit new Trustees in order to sustain the work of the charity, appoint a new Chair of Trustees and to ensure Board of Trus- tees represented a broader cross section of society and especially those those who Currently parent or provide care for young children. A Working Paty of Trustees was established. The Working Party developed and published a Recuitment Pack, and publicity campaign to recruit new Trustees.
As thr recruitment plan failed to secure prospectNe trustees it was agreed unanimously that we should start the process of closing the charity. The fomial motion proposed was as follows 'That the charity What About the Children? Should be dissolved and any assets remaining be distributed to another charity or charities with a similar purpose, In November the process for closing the charity was agreed. The closure will take pla in 2025 Declaration The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees. Report above Signed on behalf of all the Charity's Trustees Signature Full Name Catherine Armstrong e 6. Acting-chair of Trustees Position Date 11 03. 101
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES lknat About The Chlldrten? Receipts and payments accounts For the period from CC16a To LEce.DÈT J18'. Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds Rostsicted funds Endowment funds totrw reSt£ Total funds Last year A1 Recel ts to thtr r*arest £ to tho wrest £ to thè nBare¥t £ nation5 R8ceived a)anlable Activi118S 88nk Interest P£c&ived 1,476 1,476 1,996 198 19 131 Sub total(Gross income forAR) A2 Asset and investment sales. see table 1.674 1.674 2,127 Sub total TotaIrecets 1,674 1.674 2.127 A3Pa mènts Truslae Expenses R8se8rch SumnBnes Website Costs Virtual C<)nferenc& Costs Cbnation Expens - Just Giving TruslÈe fvtssiiTrg Expenses Sundries Adtrinistration Ex 1,185 1.185 260 155 157 260 155 35 216 204 354 1,230 1,230 Sub total 3,QB8 1,766 A4 Asset and Investment purchases, (see table) Sub total Totalpayments 3.088 1,766 Net of re¢eipts/(paymentsJ A5 Transfars between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end 1.414 1,414 361 14.655 13.241 14.655 13.241 14,294 14,655 CCXX Rl accounts ISSI 2910312025
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrnstricted funds to rarest £ Restricted funds Endowment f unds to n8are5t £ Categorie$ Detalls to rnare8t £ B1 Cash funds BartyS Bank- 2(PgM1 50741698 Bare&ys Bwk. 20-W61 - 3181 12.341 Totalcash funds 13,241 Unffgstrlcted funds Restricted fund5 Endowment funds to ntrare$t £ DetaÈls to rare5t £ to n•ar8st £ Fw¥Jto whl¢h a$5•t t*loffjs CLrrgnt valuè Details FWAI to which a88et Detai15 C(st lfvlthll Cwrent valu lcptloIl B4 Assets relainedtort charity's own use Fwrfl to ¥thich Ilat411ty rglatss Detalls B5 Uabilities leMiono11 Signed by one ortM> tnjstees on behaFf of all th9 trustees SvJnature Prnt Name Date of approval CCXX R2 accounts ISSI 2910312025