REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 06380082 (England and Wales) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1129513 Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30th April 2025 ## Kids Inspire Contents of the Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 **Page** Report of the Trustees ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 Independent Auditor’s Report ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 33 Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities ----------------------------------------------------------------- 39 Consolidated Balance Sheet ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40 Balance Sheet ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 41 Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 42 Notes to the Financial Statements -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 43 1 ## REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025 The Trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the audited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 30 April 2025. The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and 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 2019). ## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS** Registered Company number 06380082 (England and Wales) Registered Charity number 1129513 ## **REGISTERED OFFICE** Hargrave House Hollycroft Molrams Lane Great Baddow Chelmsford Essex CM2 7FW ## **TRUSTEES** N Tesseyman (Appointed Chair on 23.07.2024) L Loon D Price (Appointed Treasurer on 17.09.2024) S White G Box C Dollery (Vice Chair) L Hornagold (appointed 28.04.2024) ## **TRUSTEE RESIGNATIONS BETWEEN 1ST MAY 2024 – 31ST AUGUST 2025** M Carpenter (resigned 17.09.2024) R Serrelli (resigned 17.09.2024) Y Spence (resigned 24.06.2025) D Monk (resigned 24.06.2025) S Carpenter (resigned 28.11.2024) ## **CEO AND CLINICAL DIRECTOR** Sue Bell OBE DL ## **INDEPENDENT AUDITOR** Edmund Carr LLP 146 New London Road Chelmsford CM2 0AW **BANKS** CAF Bank NatWest 25 Kings Hill Avenue 5 High St West Maling Chelmsford Kent ME19 4JQ Essex CM1 1FZ ## **SOLICITORS** Backhouse Solicitors Ltd 17 Duke Street Chelmsford Essex CM1 1JU 2 ## Contents of the Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30th April 2025 |1.|Introduction and Overview from the Chair of the Trustees ......................................................... 4| |---|---| |2.|Objectives and Activities ............................................................................................................... 6| |3.|Achievements and Performance – Our Impact in Numbers ......................................................... 7| |4.|Services and programmes .......................................................................................................... 13| |5.|Therapy Service and Team .......................................................................................................... 18| |6.|Staff Wellbeing ........................................................................................................................... 19| |7.|Case Study – a therapeutic journey ............................................................................................ 20| |8.|Premises...................................................................................................................................... 21| |9.|Staffing Structure ........................................................................................................................ 21| |10.|Improving Environmental Impact ............................................................................................... 22| |11.|Marketing & Communications .................................................................................................... 22| |12.|Fundraising ................................................................................................................................. 24| |13.|Financial Review ......................................................................................................................... 25| |14.|Risk Review ................................................................................................................................. 27| |15.|Plans for the Future .................................................................................................................... 28| |16.|Constitution and Governance ..................................................................................................... 29| |17.|Statement of the Trustees’ Responsibilities ............................................................................... 31| |18.|Appendix A: Staffing Structure ................................................................................................... 32| 3 ## 1. Introduction and Overview from the Chair of the Trustees ## Growing our impact and footprint This is my first year as Chair of Trustees so I have had the joy of being exposed as a complete newcomer to Kids Inspire’s work. What has struck me most of all is the amazing commitment to the charity’s mission from everyone involved with Kids Inspire – staff, an army of volunteers, trustees and all our supporters and donors. An enormous thank you to everyone who contributes to making Kids Inspire such a purposeful charity. It’s this dedication that allows us to be ambitious about the impact we want to have: the charity continues to grow and to reach more children, young people and their families. The external environment, of course, remains challenging and the provision of mental health support for young people across the country is insufficient to meet demand, but Kids Inspire is committed to serving its communities and it continues to grow year-on-year. While the total number of beneficiaries reached in 2024-25 remained broadly in line with the previous year at just over 4,500, there was a significant increase in the complexity of the profiles of the young people referred to our services, with 83% having four or more presenting issues. This complexity inevitably requires more resource-intensive support from the therapy teams but is very much in line with our mission to maximise our impact and support those most in need. And more broadly, our efforts to extend our outreach and improve our visibility are reflected in a sharp rise in the number of individuals who benefit from all Kids Inspire support programmes, up to close to 15,000 in the year. We have taken our first careful steps outside of our home county of Essex into neighbouring Suffolk and are developing and refining our approach to be able to serve families in the targeted communities. We believe that we have a model that is scalable, without losing our individual approach, and we are determined to enhance our impact as well as our footprint; with this in mind we have strengthened our impact team to ensure that we utilise our data effectively to produce robust, evidence-based insights, as described further in section 5 of the report. ## Financial sustainability Income for 2024-25 increased by 2.5% to £2.36 million, despite the pressures on funding which are prevalent across the whole charity sector. We know that our grant funders and other donors are seeing greater demand for their support than ever before and we are truly grateful for their continued backing. Our fundraising efforts are critical to our ability to deliver our ambitious impact plans. As noted above, the charity has committed to invest in expanding its reach and increasing its focus on beneficiaries within our newly defined target population; this can be seen in our costs for the year, which increased by 13.0%. This contributed to a deficit in 2024-25 of £199,493, which was covered from reserves. The charity remains committed to prudent management of its finances and has an appropriate level of reserves for the coming period, in line with its plans for further growth. 4 ## Future plans Kids Inspire has always been an agile charity which develops services to respond to the changing needs of its beneficiaries. There is a clear plan in place in the coming years for carefully planned geographic expansion and rigorous measurement of the impact of the charity’s services. We are confident in our ability to develop further so that we can positively affect the lives of more young people. We expect that this coming year will bring the beginning of a construction project which will finally see Kids Inspire move into purpose-built premises. Those of you who have visited our offices will know how much the charity will benefit from its own home! This capital investment represents a serious financial undertaking but a dedicated fundraising initiative will underpin this project so that our regular services can continue to be financed from our existing income streams. I’m pleased to present my first annual report which confirms another successful year for the charity. None of it would be possible without the whole Kids Inspire team, thank you to everyone who plays a part both front-of-house and behind the scenes. ## _Nick Tesseyman_ 5 ## 2. Objectives and Activities Kids Inspire supports children, young people, and families to build their futures and reclaim their lives. Since 2007 our qualified, experienced specialist team has delivered bespoke mentoring, trauma informed therapy, training and activity packages which empower children and the adults in their lives to make positive choices and reach their potential. Our service is child-centred, and we offer evidence-based, cutting-edge therapies alongside innovative interventions and communitybased support. ## Policies and objectives The charity has been established to: - Enhance the emotional health of its service users through counselling, support and trauma informed therapeutic use of the arts. - Support schools and individuals working 'on the front line' with children and young people (CYP), in addressing their emotional and psychological needs appropriately. - Undertake any other related charitable activity. These objectives are pursued through several activities, some of which are funded by local authority grants, but the bulk of which are made possible through the generosity of charitable trusts, companies and individuals, including many volunteers. ## Activities fulfilling the Charity's objectives General core services of Kids Inspire are: - Trauma informed creative therapies - Therapeutic group work - Systemic family therapy - One-to-one counselling/psychotherapy - Parent/child therapy - Relational social work - Emotional wellbeing training for young people, carers, and school staff - Workshops - arts and physical activities to enhance wellbeing - Coaching - strengths based - Holiday activities - Trips - Bereavement support in schools - Anti-bullying initiatives and support - Mentoring - Family support (a varied range of support packages delivered 1:1 and in groups) - Specialist trauma resolution interventions - Multi-disciplinary assessments 6 These services focus on healing and empowerment (with a desire to increase the focus on prevention) for children and families affected by the following: - Abuse (neglect, physical, sexual, and/or emotional) - Bullying - Personality disorder, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and other mental health difficulties Eating issues (such as bulimia, anorexia, ARFID) - Bereavement and loss - Separation / divorce - Self-harm - Depression - Anxiety - Suicidal ideation - Emotional and behavioural difficulties leading to a risk of school exclusion. - Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other Neurodivergent presentations. ## Public benefit The Trustees paid due regard to The Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit throughout the year. Providing educational, practical, and emotional support to vulnerable young people has a direct benefit both to the children and the wider public as it strengthens relationships, reduces crime, and creates responsible citizens capable of participating in their communities. There are no unreasonable restrictions that would prevent children in Essex and beyond from benefitting from Kids Inspire’s services, and the charity does not charge children or their parents/carers for services and support offered. The benefit provided to the public is consistent with the charitable aims of Kids Inspire. ## 3. Achievements and Performance – Our Impact in Numbers ## Support and therapy beneficiaries From 1226 new referrals for CYP, we supported a total of 4556 people: - 2429 people were offered direct therapeutic support - 2127 people received brief initial consultation or benefited from family treatment plans - 14,712 individuals were supported across all programmes of support, from therapy to mentoring, community events and training. ## Presenting issues **83%** of referred children have four or more presenting issues, a **27.7% rise** on last year. With this number growing so much over the past few years, we now monitor those referred with 10 or more presenting issues, which stands at **29%** . This is a close reflection of the national story around the mental health profiles of young people becoming more complex. This increase in number may also be a reflection of our data gathering, which has become more nuanced and accurate over recent years. 7 ## Referrals, Demographics, and Diversity: understanding our context ## Referrals Kids Inspire receives referrals from a range of sources. This year, the trend remains similar to previous years. With a combined total of 81.4%, most referrals come from schools or directly from families. Kids Inspire has well established relationships with the Essex and Southend school network. This year, that network has expanded as we began our pilot project in Suffolk. Signposting is very important to Kids Inspire, and we are part of a network of mental health and wellbeing services that work best alongside one another. Many families contact us seeking support, and we will always try to signpost if there is a more appropriate service to meet their needs. Referrals split by percentage: - Self-referrals/families: 34.6% - Education/schools: 46.8% - Health/GPs/CAMHS/: 4.2% - Family Solutions / Social care: 8.4% - Other (police, justice, third sector): 6% ## Ages The largest proportion, 91%, of the young people we support are between the ages of 5-15. This remains consistent year on year. **----- Start of picture text -----**
6% [1%] 2%
36% 55%
0 to 4 5 to 10 11 to 15 16 to 18 19+
**----- End of picture text -----**
## Ethnicity This year our impact data shows that the largest proportion of service users who chose to disclose their ethnicity are English/Scottish/Welsh/Northern Irish, at 67.6%. Disclosing ethnicity is a personal and subjective decision, and while it helps us understand who is accessing our service, its disclosure is optional. 8 - English/Scottish/Welsh/Northern Irish – 67.6% - Prefer not to say – 12.3% - Mixed ethnic background - 3.8% - Any other white background - 2.6% - Other – 1.7% - Indian - 0.2% - Any other Black/African/Caribbean background - 0.5% - Any other Asian background - 0.6% - African – 0.4% - Irish – 0.2% - Chinese – 0.2% - Bangladeshi – 0.1% - Caribbean – 0.2% - Pakistani – 0.2% Not Stated – 9.4% ## Gender This year the gender balance of our beneficiaries remains consistent with previous years. - Female – 51.9% - Male – 47.5% - Other – 0.1% - Prefer not to say – 0.5% ## Disability, additional needs and neurodiversity 42% of people referred for support reported a disability, additional needs and/or neurodiversity on their referral form. This is a 14.7% rise on last year and follows a year-on-year increase. These include: - ADHD/ADD - Autistic spectrum Dyslexia/dyspraxia/dyscalculia - Hearing impairment - Medical conditions - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - Oppositional Defiant Disorder Pathological Demand Avoidance SEND - Sensory Processing Disorder - Somatic syndromes - Speech and language difficulties - Tourette’s Tics Visual impairment 9 Our therapists incorporate awareness of disabilities and neurodiversity in their work, adapting their approach to meet the child’s additional needs while improving their emotional wellbeing. In response to this rise in young people presenting to our service with additional needs and/or neurodiversity we have created, and continued to build, a team of neurodiversity specialist therapists. They provide regular in-house training to support our clinical team, and ultimately support the families and young people accessing our service ## Identifying our new target population As reported last year, through the driving impact workshops delivered by Impetus in early 2023, we identified and refined our target population as young people who are socio-economically disadvantaged, and those who are disengaged from learning. Data this year shows that 30% of the CYP referred to Kids Inspire were ‘persistently absent’ from school (below 90% attendance). This is higher than the national average of 21.2%. For context, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2018/19 the persistent absence rate was 10.9%[1] . While school attendance percentage adds texture to the picture of engagement with learning, it is not the only data point we are concerned with. According to the most recent data (June 2025) 45% of open Essex cases and 67% of open Suffolk cases align with our income criteria. This criterion is a household income of less than £35,000, and is self-disclosed at referral or initial telephone call (ITC) stage. These percentages are a good indication that we are progressing well towards our target number. We know that engagement in learning looks different for each child, and that attending school full time doesn’t necessarily equate to engaging with learning. By developing nuanced data collection, including narrative data, we can tell a richer story of this complex and layered issue in such a way that enables us to support young people and their families in the most impactful ways. Kids Inspire remains primarily committed to improving the mental health and wellbeing of CYP. Through this, we know that an increase in the capacity to engage fully with life often follows suit. We support families to understand their child’s needs and to advocate confidently for them. ## Geography – Long established and new ground Kids Inspire continues to grow in response to service users’ needs and demands in the communities where we work, across Essex as well as Southend and Thurrock. 2024-25 has seen the roll out of Talk Together Suffolk and we now have therapists supporting children in 19 schools, with supported focus on Ipswich. Future growth planning has sensitively assessed where else in Suffolk our service might be needed without duplicating. This has been identified as West Suffolk, in areas such as Bury St Edmunds. 1 https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england/2023-24 10 Percentages in the graph below are for referred children: **----- Start of picture text -----**
6% 1%
11%
37%
15%
30%
Mid South North West Suffolk Out of Essex
**----- End of picture text -----**
## Comparison with Previous Impact Reports Referral and Beneficiary Numbers: 5-Year Comparison 2024-2025 numbers - Referrals – 1221 - Total beneficiaries - 4556 Primary beneficiaries – 2429 Secondary beneficiaries – 2127 Data from the last two years shows a levelling out of referrals and a slight increase in total beneficiaries this year on last year. The increase in indirect beneficiaries may reflect our drive to involve more than just one parent at the ITC and assessment stages. Again, this reflects our commitment to involve as many parents as possible in the treatment plans of CYP aged 16 and under. This shift in beneficiary demographics tracks with the changes that we are committed to through the driving impact workshops. For example, in the cases of children 8 years old and under, we are increasingly working with parents first before the child to provide stabilisation and strong therapeutic engagement that will ultimately support the effectiveness of the child’s therapy. Occasionally however, through the parental support, the child work is no longer needed as the difficulties have been addressed. 11 **----- Start of picture text -----**
Referral and beneficiary numbers: 5-year comparison
5000
45324556
4500
4023
4000 3755
3500
2861
3000 2777
2509
2429
2500
2127
1856 1899
2000
1658 1671
149115551473 1514
1500 1221
1077 1119
1000
500
0
Referred CYP/families Primary beneficiaries Secondary beneficiaries Total number of
beneficiaries
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
**----- End of picture text -----**
## Presenting issues This year, 83% of referrals report four or more presenting issues, which is a 27% increase on last year. 28% of referrals have 10 or more presenting issues. Anxiety remains the most common reasons for referral, representing 78.2% of all referrals. This is an increase from last year’s 66%. Other reasons for referral with significant increases since the last report: - Abuse 20.6%, from 14.5% - Anger problems 43.6%, from 35% - ADHD 10.5%, from 1.3% - Autistic Spectrum Condition 13.6% from 8.6% - Challenging behaviours 42.3%, from 13.6% - Child to parent violence 4.2% from 1.2% - Traumatic experiences 40.5%, from 29.5% - Domestic violence 17%, from 11.2% - Eating issues 18.5%, from 12.4% - Health issues 25.6%, from 1.8% - Issues with friends 32.6%, from 26.4% Alongside these we also see a jump in young people presenting with low mood, from 38.4% to 48%, and low self-esteem, from 43.5% to 60% this year. Year on year increases across a range of presenting issues signals a worrying upward trajectory in the difficulties faced by young people and mirrors the national story. CYP are struggling with their mental health and wellbeing as they continue to process and make sense of the COVID-19 pandemic, whilst being increasingly impacted by other major issues such as climate anxiety and family financial pressures. 12 ## 4. Services and programmes Kids Inspire offers support under several projects and programmes. The largest is our Talk Together programme, created in April 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This programme has remained under regular review to ensure it continues to meet the needs of our community. We now offer Talk Together as a 5-level programme, incorporating more options for group work, and higher level 1:1 trauma therapy. - 75.2% of service users are under our Talk Together programme comprising: - Early intervention and groups (Level 1a and b) - Trauma (Level 2) - Complex trauma (Level 3) - Long-term complex developmental trauma (Level 4) - 10.3% of our service users are under CYP specialist support (CCG) - 7% school projects - 5.4% Social Care / Adoption Support Fund - 2.1% Inspire Wellbeing Service / private / other ## Individual therapy Therapy sessions for young people largely take place in person. However, we also offer online sessions where appropriate for young people and parents, including online group work. Kids Inspire provides support ranging from early intervention to complex trauma resolution. We do this through trauma informed creative 1:1 therapy including: - Art, Drama, Play, Music and integrative therapy - Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (joint parent and child sessions) - Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) - Somatic Experiencing - NeuroAffective Touch ## Parenting support We offer parenting support to almost all parents and carers who come to us. Parenting support is offered as individual and group support, online and in person, to ensure an accessible service. 1:1 support takes place with an adult trained therapist. We run three parenting group programmes, Empowering Parents Improving Connection (EPIC), Neurodiverse EPIC and Non-Violent Resistance (NVR). ## _NVR participant feedback_ - 100% would recommend the NVR group to other parents 13 - 100% felt the techniques were effective in improving their child’s behaviour ## _EPIC participant feedback_ - 95% found the group engaging & insightful - 92% would recommend the group to other parents - 88% of attendees found the support helped to improve the relationship with their child - 91.7% of attendees found their ability to respond positively to their child’s emotional needs had improved ## _EPIC participant feedback_ - “The information was easy to understand and useable in everyday scenarios”. - “Hearing other parents reflect on their experiences was helpful. It was good to know - that there were other parents in the same position, and that we are not alone” - “I’ve learnt things I didn’t know, and I’ve learnt how to help my child when they’re dysregulated” ## Mentoring We have a dedicated team of 51 trained and active volunteer mentors, and peer mentors who are young people aged 16 to 19 from local schools and colleges. 74 young people have been supported this year through mentoring. Mentoring is an essential and vital step-down service for children after they have completed their therapy. Our mentors also support siblings when needed, or when an adult outside the home environment is needed to re-introduce the child into activities in the community. We have trained new mentors in hard-to-reach areas across Essex and continue to focus recruitment in areas such as Clacton, Harwich and Ipswich to ensure that we can offer mentoring as step-down support where the need is great. ## _Views from families_ - I just wanted to thank you for the mentoring that he received with Shelia. They built up a lovely relationship and it really seemed to help with his confidence and social skills. - Thank you again for everything, Kids Inspire have been a great help to him and in turn our family. Thank you once again for everything you and the mentoring service have done for E, it’s a fab service and team! ## Outcomes Star Analysis and our impact this year ## Our Impact this year This year our My Star outcomes show that over the course of their therapeutic journey: - 94% of CYP made 1 or more positive changes 14 - 89% of CYP made 2 or more positive changes - 79% of CYP made 3 or more positive changes Outcomes from the Family Star also reflect positive therapeutic journeys: - 93% of parents/carers experienced 1 or more positive change - 86% of parents/carers experienced 2 or more positive change - 76% of adult parent/carers experienced 3 or more positive changes Additional breakdown of outcomes showing the percentage increases in the outcome areas in which we aim to see a journey of positive change through the interventions we offer. _My Star_ - Confidence and Self-esteem – 67% - Feelings and behaviour -75% - Relationships – 52% Education and Learning – 41% Friends – 52% ## _Family Star_ - Boundaries and Behaviours – 59% - Your Wellbeing – 63% - Family routine – 45% - Meeting emotional needs – 63% Education and learning – 50% ## Impact Beyond Clinical ## Trauma Training – delivered to professionals and parents We are dedicated to developing the knowledge, skills and confidence of people who support or parent children. Over nine dates this year, 359 participants attended our trauma informed practice training. These sessions are free and open to parents, carers and professionals working with children and families. _Feedback (averages created using feedback responses from all training sessions)_ - 95% would recommend the training they attended to others - 80% felt the training helped them to understand the subject of trauma - 80% felt the training helped them to understand the reasons for the behaviour of children impacted by trauma - 76% felt the training increased their confidence to support a child who may have experienced trauma ## _Training attendee feedback_ “I have taken so much from the workshop. I'm new to all the information [and] I've learned some great tips to help my own children, and later into my career to support children with trauma” - “I’ve gained a more in depth understanding of how stress/anxiety affects the brain and body and the role the nervous system plays” - “The training was really thorough and interesting, and the trainers were really kind and supportive especially around the sensitivity of the training” - “It is always important to extend knowledge and understand all behaviour is a 15 form of communication. This course was informative and relevant to my role” ## Community Engagement Our Community Engagement Team (CET) builds and nurtures relationships with the community and other organisations. This year they have maintained our social and community presence in Essex and continued to raise Kids Inspire’s profile in Suffolk, where they have hosted a number of workshops and mental health assemblies. Alongside this they have been fundamental in establishing the referral pathway for schools in Suffolk to access the support of Kids Inspire. ## _This year CET have also:_ - Delivered 25 mental health assemblies to 6103 children – 15 in Essex and 10 in Suffolk. - Co-designed a secondary school programme with a group of year eight students in Ipswich, which will be rolled out in the 2025/26 academic year. - Run 8 activity-based holiday clubs for 156 children aged 6 to 10 - Hosted our second PROM-Unity event, supporting 90 school leavers in accessing pre-loved dresses, suits, and accessories, completely free of charge. PROM-Unity offers young people the opportunity to celebrate their milestone in style, while easing financial pressure for families who may otherwise struggle to afford formalwear. The initiative also promotes “slow fashion,” encouraging ethical, sustainable choices and mindful consumption. - Continued to run The Voice Adolescent Support Youth group, 80% of whom have self-reported as neurodivergent, supporting young people who lack confidence, self-esteem and feel a sense of isolation. - Delivered 4 Mindful And Creative Kids (MACK) workshops ## The Voice Adolescent Social Group The long running Voice group continues to support young people who struggle with low confidence and selfesteem and who are also feeling a sense of isolation. 80% of the Voice members report that they are neurodivergent, and many of the group members find communicating with their peers a real difficulty. However, by going at their pace and recognising the strength it often takes to come along to the group, the Voice facilitators have been able to support them to join in, observe their growth and acknowledge the friendships they’ve made. 16 ## _Success spotlight_ Our Voice Champion, Gwen, was referred to Kids Inspire as she was struggling to look after her own wellbeing. She attended therapy with Kids Inspire and when the time was right, was referred into The Voice. Initially Gwen was very quiet, and it took her a while to gain her confidence. Two years later, Gwen is now supporting us at events, sharing her inspiring journey and has her own 3D Fidget Toy printing business which has won awards. She has even been invited to pitch it in San Francisco. Her business is formally recognised as a Kings Trust supported business - an amazing achievement! ## Volunteering Our committed team of wonderful volunteers continues to help us reach more people and make an incredible impact – we could not be without them. In the last year over 500 volunteers have gifted their time through: - Fundraising - Mentoring - Holiday clubs - Gardening - Improving the outdoor environment at our head office - PROM-Unity - and Community Engagement events. - Our Trustees 251 of these volunteers helped with our Christmas appeal which allowed us to support 3374 young people across Essex. In total, 7275 volunteer hours have been given to Kids Inspire. ## What’s next? Following a successful year’s partnership with Impetus we now look forward to the next three years of partnership with them, during which our focus is considered, purposeful and sustainable organisational growth delivering deep impact. 17 ## 5. Therapy Service and Team ## Growth, Innovation and continuous improvement This year has been one of growth, innovation, and continuous improvement for Kids Inspire. We’ve refined how we deliver therapeutic support, strengthened our systems and partnerships, and deepened our commitment to measuring and communicating impact. With the Impact Team fully embedded and a richer evidence base guiding our decisions, we move forward with confidence, ready to further our mission of improving lives through compassionate, informed, and effective support. At the start of the year, our focus was on enhancing group-based interventions. Building on the success of earlier pilot programmes, we launched a second round of both the Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) group and the Nurturing Attachment Therapeutic Group (NAGs). These groups, designed to strengthen family relationships and improve emotional regulation, have continued to be well received. At the same time, we began a major restructuring of our flagship parent programme, Empowering Parents, Improving Connection (EPIC). The new format extends the programme across more weeks and now incorporates targeted surveys and questionnaires throughout, enabling us to gather richer feedback and adapt the programme in real time to meet the needs of participating parents. We have also brought improvements in our internal systems and documentation, to ensure we capture the most meaningful information, and generate valuable insights for our team and our funders. ## A new Impact Team A major strategic focus has been the development of our Impact area. Recognising that we hold a wealth of valuable data, but we have historically lacked the capacity to fully harness it, we took steps to restructure the Impact Team and plan for the recruitment of a dedicated data analyst. We have centred our data work around three essential questions: _Who are our clients? What services do we provide? What difference does our support make in their lives?_ This clarity of focus has guided the creation of a more effective framework for analysis and reporting. This difference has been transformative. We launched a comprehensive integrated dashboard that captures a wider range of assessment-stage data, enabling us to map the journey of a client with far greater accuracy. We also aligned our reporting with the financial year, giving us better synergy with funding cycles and improving our ability to produce evidence-based insights for service planning and funding applications. The results of this renewed approach have been striking. Our use of Routine Outcome Measures (ROMs) has increased dramatically over the year: My Star completions are up 168%, Family Star completions up 228%, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQs) up 311%. This means we can now provide a more detailed picture of the progress our clients make, and better tailor our interventions to individual needs. ## Reaching a wider audience This has also been a year of building visibility and influence at high profile events: - We participated in _Who’s Losing Learning_ policy launch at The King’s Fund where our work was met with strong interest from London-based services, leading to invitations for collaboration in the capital. - We delivered a presentation on Trauma-Informed Services and Emotional Regulation at Capital City College to over 40 professionals. 18 - We attended the Ipswich Education and Mental Health event, forming new connections and sharing our expertise with partners across the sector. ## A Successful Year Kids Inspire stands in a stronger position than ever before. We have deepened our understanding of the children, young people, and families we support, enhanced the quality and variety of our interventions, strengthened our capacity to measure change, and expanded our influence beyond our immediate region. ## The Therapy Team The therapy team continues to support our new client demographic, with a strong focus on individuals within lower income brackets. With this we remain committed to delivering a high-quality, bespoke service tailored to the unique needs of each client. This personalised approach continues to be central to our work. We prioritise in identifying each client’s needs from the outset, allowing us to tailor our support effectively and ensure they receive the most appropriate care from the very beginning, and our uniquely designed matrix enables us to do this with confidence. ## Training that enhances our practice and provision As a trauma-informed organisation, we have been grateful this year for the gift of additional specialist training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) and NeuroAffective Touch. Many team members have described these trainings as the missing part of their practice and have seen meaningful change in their clients. These opportunities support our team’s skills and strengthen our ability to support clients in their healing and recovery from trauma. ## Team Expansion and utilisation Our team continues to grow, and with each new member bringing valuable knowledge and perspectives we are able to expand the range of approaches we offer our clients. With this growth, the management team remains focused on ensuring staff are working to full utilisation, maximising our capacity to support clients while maintaining a supportive environment for our staff. Collaboration within our management team has strengthened our ability to work as a team, taking joint responsibility for making sure we are keeping the process from referral to allocation as smooth and as timely as possible. Alongside this, we have created opportunities for professionals from other teams to spend time with our therapy team, sharing learning, and accessing CPD opportunities — an exchange which has enriched our work and strengthened relationships across our network. ## Team culture We also continue to cultivate a strong sense of pride among our staff in being part of a charity, highlighting the freedom and flexibility this offers compared to working in more rigid statutory frameworks. Supporting our team’s physical and emotional wellbeing remains a top priority. Initiatives such as emotional wellbeing days and the additional Christmas holiday have been warmly received, providing valuable time away from the office to rest and recharge. The summer holidays bring a different rhythm to our work, especially for those based in schools. This period allows the team to catch up on outstanding reports and offers space for reflection and renewal. A few of our core team members have opted to take unpaid leave over the summer, returning in September refreshed and ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the new term. ## 6. Staff Wellbeing The wellbeing of our staff team continues to be a constant agenda item for senior leaders. As the organisation continues to evolve and grow to meets the needs of its beneficiaries, it remains a focus to ensure the team are confident and included in the decisions being made about the future of the 19 organisation. We meet twice a year as a whole team, weekly in individual teams as well as having a bimonthly newsletter to keep everyone up to date with developments. ## Staff Survey A recent staff survey demonstrated that the team are positive about the direction of travel: I enjoy my work - **100%** I understand my responsibilities - **100%** Does your team operate in a supportive and collaborative way? - **100%** I would recommend Kids Inspire as a good place to work - **89%** My workload is reasonable - **83%** I feel that my opinion matters and is taken into consideration at work - **83%** I am told about changes and why they are being made - **83%** I have regular meetings with my manager that are helpful - **83%** The culture at Kids Inspire matches its vision and mission - **83%** My manager is open to change - **83%** Does your line manager provide actionable and relevant feedback? - **78%** ## Continual Professional Development Continual Professional Development is a priority for the therapy team and therefore, Kids Inspire’s investment in the team is extensive and includes regular in-house professional development in embedded internal activities, such as: - Case management: monthly or fortnightly meetings (depending on the size of the caseload) that aim to support the therapist on top of their own mandatory external clinical supervision. - Therapy Team meetings: weekly group sessions where specific topics are covered with theory and experiential activities. Space is given for reflective practice and sharing of good practice. - Case Group Consultations: monthly group sessions to explore challenging cases and learn from each other. - Sharing Learning: all therapists are encouraged to attend external workshops and conferences and bring back the learning to share with the therapy team. - A programme of internal CPD is delivered, and participants can earn CPD hours, which encourages attendance and supports professional body registration requirements. Additionally, all staff are encouraged to seek professional development opportunities outside the organisation, and they may be supported with paid study leave to do so. The new learning is shared within the wider team, enhancing colleagues’ professional development and a collaborative way of working. As a result, individuals’ professional resources are broadened, which contributes positively to what the organisation can offer its beneficiaries. ## 7. Case Study – a therapeutic journey ## Claire – Level 2 case Claire, 14, was referred by her parents who noticed she was increasingly anxious, presenting with low selfesteem, and had started picking the skin on her arms. She had also expressed suicidal feelings to her mother. Bullying at school brought Claire to withdraw socially and she avoided attending school. Claire had also started to engage in some risky behaviours such as absconding from school and staying out late in the local park. Although she did not have a formal diagnosis, it was noted that Claire presented with some neurodiverse traits. Claire found it difficult to express or explain how she felt, and what was affecting her. 20 After a detailed assessment, Claire was offered 20 sessions of 1:1 art psychotherapy sessions in school, and her parents attended the EPIC parenting group. In early sessions, verbal communication was difficult for Claire. However, she engaged readily with the art materials laid out. There were often silences, and little eye contact during sessions. The therapist suggested making art alongside Claire, and this became a way that Claire and the therapist connected. Side by side art making can reduce anxiety and create a safe bond as well as exhibit equality in the therapeutic relationship. Claire’s finished images were viewed together. This ‘joint attention’ helped build a strong therapeutic relationship, and Claire’s confidence continued to grow in the art making process, experimenting with art materials and exploring her feelings. The images Claire made had depths of meaning with themes of school, loneliness, and isolation arising. Over time, Claire grew to recognise her style of communication and selfexpression via her art making. She reflected on this, and how it could obstruct her school life, peers and friendships, with awareness around her identity and how this impacted her self-esteem and feelings of isolation. Verbal communication became increasingly easier for Claire, and she shared difficult feelings alongside her images. Being able to reflect and describe her emotional world, in a safe and contained space, meant that feelings did not overwhelm her and could be processed. Claire’s self-awareness developed over time, making room for self-acceptance and change, which contributed to a stronger sense of self and belonging. While experimenting provided a sense of self efficacy and strengthened her capacity for emotional regulation, she was able to express, understand and process how she feels alongside her images. Feelings associated with school were explored, allowing perspectives to shift, and reducing feelings of isolation. Ultimately this made the school environment more tolerable. At the review meeting Claire’s mother shared that she had noticed positive changes at home. Claire was more willing to go into school, her school attendance improved, and things were generally easier at home. Claire’s mother added that Claire used to slam the car door and was silent when going into school at drop off, but recently Claire had said ‘have a nice day mum’ as she left. Overall, her communication with her parents, and their relationship, improved, and her parents are less worried about Claire as a result. ## 8. Premises Since May 2019, Kids Inspire has been operating from Hargrave House in Great Baddow and paying a monthly rental fee to Essex County Council (ECC). ECC notified Kids Inspire in 2020 of their intention to redevelop the site on which Hargrave House is situated to build 10 residential dwellings and a community facility. The Kids Inspire Trustee Board agreed that the charity would be interested in progressing with discussions around the community facility becoming the new HQ for Kids Inspire. Following a delay due to the pandemic and planning discussions taking longer than anticipated, this project is now progressing again. Owning premises secures Kids Inspire from the risk of being moved on again which causes significant disruption to the strategic development of the charity as it draws so many hours from our day-to-day roles. The location in Great Baddow is desirable as it has easy links from the A12; we already have clients coming to us from all four quadrants of Essex as well as from Suffolk. ## 9. Staffing Structure Staff turnover was 7% for this reporting period – lower than the national average and lower than the NHS (our biggest competitor when it comes to recruitment). The organisation builds on stability and security by 21 the ongoing employment of a core team of therapists and utilising contracted sessional staff for short term work. The whole team structure is shown in Appendix A. ## 10. Improving Environmental Impact While Kids Inspire’s primary focus is mental health and well-being, staff recognise the connection of environmental factors to mental health, with service users describing fears linked to eco-distress, which is a chronic fear of environmental doom. Kids Inspire is committed to minimising its environmental footprint by implementing eco-friendly practices within its operations. This year’s focus has been adopting the waste hierarchy which is a framework that prioritises different waste management options, aiming to minimise environmental impact. We have prevented waste being created by implementing refills on cleaning and bathroom products. We have introduced new recycling streams and now food waste from the building is collected and turned into energy and fertiliser to be used in Essex. These actions, and more, have been taken alongside user education. Our next steps are to introduce water coolers and hand driers to reduce our reliance upon single use items. ## 11. Marketing & Communications Building on the strong foundations of our first year - a new team structure, three-year strategy and early investment in skills - 2025/26 was about maximising our skills, systems and data to extend reach and increase impact. Professional development remained central, leading to a change in the team. Our Communications and Marketing Manager completed a Level 3 Data Literacy apprenticeship. This improved decision making, for example in targeting training promotion to high-conversion audiences. In fact, the benefits were so clear that she successfully applied for a role as Senior Data Analyst and moved into our newly created Impact Team, applying her skills to organisational insight and evaluation. 22 ## Focus for marketing and communications Guided by the development of the growth implementation plan during the year our core goals were to continue to raise visibility of our work, look for new opportunities to bring in funding, and begin the work around our new target population. This led to the team: - delivering the first year of our online training income stream, identified in our 2024–27 strategy. This generated £2,460 in its first year, with attendees from across the UK and Ireland, building national awareness of our work and the expertise of our therapists. - maximising training reach, using newsletters we now have access to thanks to our membership of national coalitions and campaigns. Attendees have come from Scotland, Wales, Ireland and major cities and towns in England (see map) Following on from that the team overhauled our newsletters. Since moving to a new provider we have introduced new subscriber/unopener automations and new segmentation, leading to: - growth and refining our list by 400 (removing inactive contacts, best practice in email marketing) welcoming 200 of these new subscribers through the automated onboarding function achieving an open rate average of 47.5% (non-profit average is 27.9%) This has led to increased event sign-ups, knowledge on their interests and supporter actions, including donations to campaigns such as the Big Give and during Children’s Mental Health Week. ## Achievements Our work was recognised nationally when we were highly commended as **Team of the Year** at the CharityComms Awards, with praise for our campaign and social media work. This recognition led to team members presenting on national webinars, further raising our profile in the sector. To strengthen our visual storytelling, we ran a photography day involving therapists, mentors, young people and volunteers. Over 5000 photos were taken, giving us authentic new content for use on all our platforms, (moving us away from old or stock imagery) such as the website, social media and newsletters but also across bids and reports to funders and commissioners. The team will share their experience in 25/26 on a charity sector webinar to an audience of roughly 400 people. Core work alongside this during the year has included: - beginning a refresh of the website, with fundraising and HR pages completed and therapy and volunteering pages to follow in 25/26 - conducting a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)audit, identifying target keywords and weaving these through web pages - embedding the CRM system, now streamlining supporter journeys and enabling better data sharing across engagement, fundraising, finance and volunteering - supporting key campaigns and events, including the match-funded Big Give Christmas appeal, PROMUnity, volunteering and mentoring work, and growing our “help content” using therapist and young people’s voices. 23 ## Future plans Work has begun on a major campaign, supported by a film scheduled to shoot over the summer of 25/26 with delivery in autumn 2026. The team are working with an external filmmaker and over 15 young people to highlight the impact mental health concerns is having on children; and will serve as a national call to action to audiences to support Kids Inspire as we seek to grow and work with more children and families. As our work expands across the country, we are continuing to target a wider population to engage with us. Our training has already proven our ability to reach a UK wide audience. Our goal will be to increase support, through volunteering, recruitment and funding. Growth priorities for 2025/26 include: - growing our newsletter subscribers and refining content to increase engagement and conversion, building on our above-average click-through rate of 3%. - exploring a new strand of income through digital fundraising marketing, including streaming and gamification, as part of a new digital marketing strategy. - supporting the Beyond Behaviour: Understanding Trauma and Neurodivergence conference with marketing and logistics (January 2026). - working with schools, partners and therapists to embed referral criteria changes and maintain referral rates from our priority population. - collaborating with the Impact Team to analyse our first full year of benchmark data, focusing resources where they deliver the greatest return Our focus is on stronger systems, richer content, an increased national audience and a data-led approach to support the next phase of Kids Inspire’s growth. ## 12. Fundraising ## Fundraising Highlights: A Year of Strong Growth The Fundraising Team achieved a total of **£1,347,359** in 2024/25, marking an impressive **11.6% increase** over the previous year. This significant growth is a direct result of our diversified fundraising strategy, with strong performances in events and community engagement that exceeded our targets. This year, we were delighted to secure multi-year partnerships with a number of key funders, providing a solid foundation for our future income. Our partners include: |National Lottery|Help for Children|Leathersellers| |---|---|---| |Provide|Tuixen Foundation|Charles Hayward Foundation| |Essex Community Foundation|Henry Smith|Hollick Family Foundation| |Fidelity Foundation|Garfield Weston|Hollyhock Charitable Trust| |Childwick Trust|Jack Petchey|Credit Agricole| |Impetus|VVU Essex|Matchroom| Looking ahead, we're confident that our proven events and community programs will continue to drive excellent results. We remain committed to adapting to the evolving landscape, refining our strategies to address challenges in major donor fundraising and the competitive funding environment to ensure sustainable growth. 24 ## 2024/25 Event Highlights - Cycling from Essex to Amsterdam: In June, 30 cyclists completed a remarkable 140-mile journey from Essex to Amsterdam, raising over £35,000. Participants included local business leaders and individuals cycling for a cause close to their hearts, all united in their goal to support children's mental health. - Autumn Ball: Our gala event in October brought together 183 attendees at Pontlands Park, raising an incredible £28,000 for our mission. - Big Give Christmas Challenge: We surpassed our £10,000 target in less than five days and went on to secure an additional £5,000 in match funding, thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our supporters. - Golf Success: Our annual Golf Day at Thorndon Golf Club raised a record £14,000. We also received generous contributions from the Chelmsford Golf Club ladies’ team and various corporate golf days. We are so grateful to our ambassadors, volunteers and supporters who participate in events, helping to elevate our profile within our community and support our fundraising initiatives. ## 13. Financial Review ## Review of financial position The charity experienced a year of steady income but rising expenditure during the 2024–25 period amid continued economic pressures. The charity’s income increased slightly by £57,926, representing a 2.5% 25 growth from £2,306,558 to £2,364,484, reflecting ongoing success in securing donations and charitable activity funding. However, expenditure rose from £2,268,607 to £2,563,977, representing a 13.0% increase, primarily due to increased delivery of charitable activities and the continuous hike in costs of living. This resulted in a net deficit of £199,493 in 2025, compared with a surplus of £37,951 in 2024. Restricted income constituted 63.9% (£1,511,469) of total income, slightly down from 67.3% in the previous year, demonstrating continued but slightly reduced reliance on specific contracts and project funding. Unrestricted income stood at £853,015 from £753,859 in 2024, representing an increase of 13.2%, which has been essential in offsetting rising operational costs and providing financial flexibility. The charity remains successful in securing large and longer-term contracts with funding bodies and local authorities, which continue to provide a strong base for future income. However, the wider economic context, high inflation, cost-of-living pressures, and slower economic growth, continues to pose challenges and operational risks. To mitigate these risks, the charity plans to use internal financial resources prudently, strengthen cost-control measures, and diversify its fundraising to sustain support for beneficiaries and their families. The charity maintained cash balances of £1,139,482 as of 30th April 2025, compared with £1,329,649 at 30th April 2024, reflecting planned use of funds during the year. In line with its strategic planning, the charity has maintained its designated reserve at £500,000, earmarked for potential property acquisition and to ensure operational stability. Permanent staffing levels will continue to be monitored and adjusted in line with the growth of service provision and the organisation’s overall strategy. Any resulting increase in staff costs will be balanced against income growth to maintain financial stability. ## Reserves policy The charity has historically set a target to maintain free reserves defined as unrestricted funds excluding fixed assets and designated funds, equivalent to six months of annual expenditure. This level was originally considered appropriate as it provided sufficient liquidity to manage cashflow fluctuations, respond to unforeseen events, and ensure continuity of services in the event of a significant reduction in income, while not holding excessive funds that could otherwise be used to deliver charitable activities. At 30 April 2025, free reserves stood at £413,477, compared with £598,289 in 2024. This reduction reflects the year’s net deficit and increased expenditure to meet growing service demand. The reserves policy target has increased to £1,281,989 (2024: £1,152,398) in line with the higher cost base. Given that a designated reserve of £500,000 continues to be maintained towards the potential acquisition of new premises, free reserves are significantly below the target level. Trustees acknowledge that this position reflects a conscious prioritisation of long-term investment in the charity’s infrastructure, alongside the continued delivery of services amid a challenging economic environment. Recognising the ongoing commitment to property acquisition and evolving financial circumstances, Trustees will review the reserves policy during the coming financial year. The review will determine a level of free reserves appropriate to support the charity’s long-term strategy and sustainability. It will also take into account the anticipated mix of funding available for the premises purchase, including the outcome of the dedicated fundraising appeal, to establish a more realistic and appropriate target for future years. 26 ## 14. Risk Review The organisation’s Risk Register is reviewed bi-annually, or more frequently if circumstances change. Systems, procedures and other mitigations have been established to manage each risk. A summary of the main risks is provided below: ## Regulatory and compliance The work undertaken by Kids Inspire is subject to regulation by a number of mandatory professional bodies. Compliance spans each of our working teams and, as such, robust policies are in place to mitigate any risks associated with this. Risk Assessments are undertaken for all activities outside of our normal working practice. ## Operational With the premises project now back on track, there will be building works undertaken on the site where Hargrave House is situated, starting imminently. There is a risk of potential disruption to our services. This is being managed by means of a close working relationship with project leads from Essex Housing and key contacts from the building contractor. The premises ranks highly on the risk register. The charity has a premises committee made up of members from the SLT and Board of Trustees to ensure decisions can be made dynamically rather than needing to wait for a board meeting. The board also recruited a member last year with expertise in property consultancy to ensure they had a representative to be able to provide a level of assurance around the decisions being made. ## External The rise in NI and pension added 2.71% to our staff costs and this meant that we were unable to fulfil pay increases for 24/25 against our pay structure, opting for a 3% only increase for eligible staff. The charity has continued to work hard to ensure it has a competitive benefits package along with great employee support to mitigate this. ## Governance Trustee succession planning is an identified risk on the risk register. The Board has recently completed work with a pro bono partner to consider Board effectiveness and the skills and competencies of trustees so that the best possible governance is in place to oversee the charity’s operations and growth plans. 27 ## 15. Plans for the Future Kids Inspire has identified the following priorities ||**2025-2026**|**2025-2026**|**2026-2027**|**2026-2027**|**2027-2028**| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |
|**Income Generation**
Diversify income streams to
65% fundraising 35% services
Deliver the strategic plans for
income growth and
development

||**Income Generation**
Diversify income streams to
65% fundraising 35% services
Build a sustainable major
donor fundraising
programme


||**Income Generation**
Diversify income streams to
70% fundraising 30% services
Sustain relationships with
major donors and add to
portfolio
Research areas that are going
to be most beneficial for
income generation| |
|**Reach**
Align beneficiaries to revised
target population to at least
40%
Increase outreach to
marginalised communities to
ensure representation within
service user demographic
||**Reach**
Align beneficiaries to revised
target population to at least
55%
||**Reach**
Align beneficiaries to revised
target population to at least
75%| |
|**Delivery Model / Area**
Scale the pilot model in Suffolk
to replication model to serve
500 beneficiaries
Consolidate processes for the
model changes made
||**Delivery Model / Area**
Research new delivery region
(not geographically close)
||**Delivery Model / Area**
Pilot in a new region (not
geographically close)| |

|**Impact**
Review impact of new model
at each level
Pilot data collection that will
enable evaluation of long-term
outcomes
Develop analysis of school
engagement and progress in
learning to strengthen overall
impact story|
|**Impact**
Implement evaluation
processes for long-term
outcomes across all projects
Review impact of
environmental sustainability
pledge||**Impact**
Review learning from long-
term evaluation data| 28 ## 16. Constitution and Governance The company is registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee. Kids Inspire began operating in September 2007 and was constituted as a charitable company limited by guarantee on 24th September 2007 under a Memorandum of Association and is governed by its Articles of Association. The liability of the members in the event of the company being wound up is limited to £10. The company was registered as a charity on 11th May 2009 and acts entirely as a non-profit-making organisation. ## Method of appointment or election of Trustees Oversight of the company is the responsibility of the Trustees, who are elected and co-opted under the terms of the Articles of Association. Trustee recruitment and appointment is subject to the same stringent process followed to recruit new employees. Applicants for the position of Trustee are asked to formally apply, they are invited to attend a full meeting of the board, at which they are asked to present themselves. They must demonstrate a good understanding of the charitable purpose and objectives of Kids Inspire, the rationale behind their decision to apply and the skills and attributes they would bring to the board and the organisation. Their appointment must be proposed and seconded and all voting members consulted. Once elected a minimum of two references must be obtained and a full enhanced DBS check is completed. Kids Inspire is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion at all levels of the organisation. The Board of Trustees actively seeks to foster a diverse and inclusive environment, reflective of the communities we serve. Through recruitment, engagement, and regular training, we ensure that all voices are valued and that our work is guided by principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion. ## Organisational structure and decision making The Trustees of the charity are also Directors for the purposes of company law. The Board of Trustees consists of not less than four members. The Board of Trustees currently has seven members from a variety of professional backgrounds relevant to the work of the charity and meets approximately four times a year. The current Trustees represent the following areas of knowledge and experience (although all of them work with Kids Inspire on a non-executive basis): **----- Start of picture text -----**
Trustee Specialism
Nicholas Tesseyman (Chairperson) Governance and Finance
Danielle Price (Treasurer) Growth Strategy, Execution and Finance
Louise Hornagold Governance and Community Engagement
Gillian Box Leadership and Development
Stuart White Business Development
Louise Loon HR
Dr Caroline Dollery (Vice Chairperson) Physical and Mental Health
**----- End of picture text -----**
An annual skills audit is carried out to ensure that the Board of Trustees maintains a broad mix of experience and skills relevant to the work of Kids Inspire. Day-to-day management is delegated to the Chief Executive Officer, Sue Bell OBE, who founded the charity. The charity’s Performance Related Pay policy provides the benchmarks and parameters that set pay and remuneration for all key management personnel. In relation to the Chief Executive Officer, all decisions are 29 made by the Board of Trustees and processed by the Treasurer. ## Trustee induction and training During the recruitment process for Trustees, explicit mention is made of the necessity to comply with the values of the charity and the Nolan Principles, and Trustees are required to sign a confidentiality agreement regarding all relevant information received during the recruitment process. Once appointed, new Trustees are invited to familiarise themselves with the charity and the context within which it operates. As part of their induction, Trustees receive a framework and a set of information which includes: - the legal responsibilities of charity Trustees (The Essential Trustee) - the Articles of Association - the charity’s objects and values - Access to Board papers and previous minutes - Access to management accounts - the previous year’s Annual Report - the Business Plan - access to relevant policies and procedures - the Governance Framework - Trustees’ Disclosure of Interests - the Policy on Gifts & Hospitality - Code of Conduct - Kids Inspire’s Risk Register - the Diversity and Equality Policy At the start of the first Board meeting they attend, all new Trustees are asked to confirm that they have received, can access, have read and understood these documents. All new Trustees attend briefing sessions, jointly led by the Chair of the Board of Trustees and the Chief Executive. When appointed, Trustees also receive formal information emphasising key aspects of the role and what it means to become a Trustee. This includes a commitment to upholding the values and objectives of the organisation, not acting on their own on behalf of Kids Inspire, nor acting without having proper authority from the Board. Each Director/Trustee of Kids Inspire confirms their agreement to abide by the individual commitments set out in the Code of Conduct. Any Trustees whose tenure pre- dates this arrangement have made a similar formal commitment. All Trustees are required to have a full enhanced DBS and must take part in mandatory training. The Trustees are committed to upholding the highest standards of safeguarding, ensuring that policies and procedures protect all individuals associated with the charity. The Board monitors safeguarding practices closely, requiring that all Trustees, staff, and volunteers adhere to these protocols and participate in regular safeguarding training. Safeguarding updates are provided at each Board meeting, supporting a culture of vigilance and safety. 30 ## 17. Statement of the Trustees’ Responsibilities The Trustees (who are also Directors of Kids Inspire for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to: - Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently. - Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP 2019 (FRS102). - Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. - State whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and - Prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in operation. The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. In so far as the Trustees are aware: - There is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware; and The Trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information. The Trustees regularly assess the charity’s financial position to ensure it remains a going concern, evaluating projected cash flows, funding sources, and overall financial health. This ongoing review supports the Board’s commitment to sustaining the charitable company’s activities. The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies’ exemption. This report was approved by the Trustees on ………………………………………… and signed on their behalf by: ………………………… Nick Tesseyman Trustee (Chair) 31 18. Appendix A.. Staffing Structure Kids Inspire organisation structure 2024 - 2025 tIOAHIl UF THUSItE5 Lp1￿￿ OPERA Ylllts oFF￿EFI MtrAOOF FtEAOOF A*KrT1WJ 'f)MVUNICA110NS U￿rI tJrJ*1*4¥A Kids Inspire Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of Kids Inspire Oplnlon We have audited the financial statements of Kids Inspire Ithe 'parent charitable company'l and its subsidiary (the 'group'l for the year ended 30 April 2025, which comprise the Consolidated Statement of Financial Artivities, Consolidated Balance Sheet, Balance Sheet, Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows and Notes to the Financial Statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is United Kingdom Accounting Standards, comprising Charities SORP - FRS 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland, and applicable law (United Kin8dom Generallv Accepted Accounting Practice). In our opinion the financial statements- give a true and fair view of the state of the group's and parent charitable company's affairs as at 30 April 2025 and of the group's incoming re50urce5 and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended. have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accountin8 Practice,. and have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. Basls for oplnlon We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing IUKI IISAs IUKII and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditorfs responsibilities for the audit of the financial 5talements section of our report. We are independent of the group and parent charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC'S Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical re5ponsibilitie5 in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. Conclusions relating to going concern In auditing the financial statements. we have concluded that the trustees, use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that. individually or collectively. may cast significant doubt on the group's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the original financial statements were authorised for issue. Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are deSCfibed irb the relevant sections of this report. Page 33 Kids Inspire Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of Kids Inspire Other Informatlon The other information comprises the information included in the Report of the Trustees, other than the financial statements and our auditorfs report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements doe5 not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing 50, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard. Opinion on other matter prescribed by the Companies Art 2006 In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit: the information given in the Report of the Trustees. which includes the directors, report prepared for the purp05e5 of company law, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements: and the directors, report included within the Report of the Trustees has been prepared in accordance with applicable le8al requirements. Matters on whlch we are required to report by exceptlon In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the group and the porent charitable companv and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the direttors, report. Page 34 Kids Inspire Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of Kids Inspire We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if. in our opinion: adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent charitable company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or the parent charitable company's financial statements are not in a8reement with the accountin8 records and returns; or certain disclosures of trustees, remuneration specified by law are not made,. or we have not received all the information and explanation5 we require for our audit,. or the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies, regime and take advantage of the small companies, exemptions in preparing the directors, report and from the requirement to prepare a strategi¢ report. Responsibilities of trustees As explained more fully in the Statement of the Trustees. Responsibilitieslset out on page 311 the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company lawl are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a trve and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements. the trustees are responsible for assessing the group's and parent charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to 80ing concern and usin8 the 8oin8 concern basis of accountin8 unless the trustees either Intend to liquidate the group or the parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. Auditor responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement. whether due to fraud or error, and to 155ue an auditorfs report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAS IUKI will always detect a material mi5Statement when it exi5t5. Mi55tatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilitie5. Outlined above, to detert material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below- Page 35 Kids Inspire Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of Kids Inspire Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows- The engagement partner ensured that the enBaBement team collectively had the appropriate competence, capabilities and skills to identify or recognise non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations. We focused on specific laws and regulations which we considered may have a direct material effect on the financial statements or the operations for the company, including the Companies Act 2006, Charities Act 2011, tax and employment legislation. We assessed the extent of compliance with the laws and regulations identified above through making enquiries of management. We assessed the susceptibility of the companvs financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur by,. Making enquiries of management as to their knowledge of actual, suspected and alleged fraud. Considering the internal controls in place to mitigate the risks of fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations. To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls. we; Performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships. Tested journal entries to identify unusual transactions. Investl8ated the rationale behind significant or unusual transactions. In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to.. Agreeing financial statement disclosures to underlying sUPPOrting documentation. Reading the minutes of meetings of those charged with governance. Enquiring of management as to actual and potential litigation and claims. Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. Thi5 risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring dve to fraud rather than error. a5 fraud involve5 intentiorbal concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation. As part of an audit in accordance with ISAS IUKI. we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also= Identify and assess the risk5 of material mi55tatement of the group'5 or the parent charitable company's financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidente that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions. misrepresentations. or the override of internal control. Page 36 Kids Inspire Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of Kids Inspire Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the 8roup's intemal control. Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosure5 made by the trustees. Conclude on the appropriateness of the trustees, use of the going concern basi5 of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the group's or the parent charitable company's ability to continue as a goirbg concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditorfs report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate. to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor's report. However, future events or conditions may cause the group or the parent charitable company to cease to continue as a going concern. Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial Statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation li.e. 8ives a true and fair view). Plan and perform the group audit to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the entities or business activities within the group as a basis for an opinion on the financial statements. We are responsible for the direction, 5upervi5ion arbd review of the audit work performed for the purposes of the 8roup audit. We remain solely responsible for our audit opinion. We communicate with those charged with governance regarding. among other matters. the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit. Page 37 Kids Inspire Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of Kids Inspire Use of our report This report is made solely to the charitable companvs members. as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Att 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable companws members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditorfs report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the Charitable company's members as a body for our audit work. for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. Alex Stone FCCA Isenior Statutory Auditor) For and on behalf of Edmund Carr LLP, Statutory Auditor 146 New London Road Chelmsford E55ex CM2 OAW Oate:............................. Page 38 Kids Inspire Consolidated Statement of Financial Artivities for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 (Including Consolidated Income and Expenditure Account and Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses) Unrestricted funds Restrirted funds Total 2025 Total 2024 Note Income and Endowments from: Donations and legacies Charitable activities Other trading activities Investment income 560.857 14.385 225.330 52,443 659,550 845,469 6,450 1,220,407 859,854 231,780 52,443 1,168,773 914,980 168,219 54,586 Total income 853,015 1,511,469 2,364,484 2,306,558 Expendlture on: Raising funds Charitable activities 1327,5071 1327,5071 1253,5641 1719.4701 11,517.CO)1 12,236,470) 12,015,043) Total expenditure 11.046.977) 11.517,OWI 12,563,977) 12,268,607) Net lexpenditurel/income 1193,9621 15,5311 1199,4931 37,951 Net movement in funds 1193,9621 15.5311 1199,4931 37,951 Reconclliation of funds Total funds brought forward 1,111,803 6,315 1,118,118 1,080,167 Total furbds carried forward 19 917,841 784 918,625 1,118,118 All of the group's activities derive from continuing operations during the above two periods. The funds breakdown for 2024 is shown in note 19. Page 39 Kids Inspire (Registration number: 06380082) Consolidated Balance Sheet as at 30 April 2025 2025 2024 Note Fixed assets Tar)gible assets 13 34,459 23,951 Current assets Debtors 15 201,765 1,139,482 175,886 1,329,649 Cash at bank and in hand 16 1,341,247 1,505,535 Credltors: Amounts fallin8 due within one year 17 1457,0811 1411,3681 Net current assets 884,166 1,094,167 Net assets 918,625 1,118,118 Funds of the group: Restrlrted Income funds Restricted funds 19 784 6,315 Unrestrirted Income funds General funds Designated funds 417,841 5(KJ,CK)O 611,803 500,CK)O Total unrestricted funds 917,841 1,111,803 Total funds 19 918,625 1,118,118 These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to companies subject to the small companie5 regime within Part 15 of the Companie5 Act 2006. The financial statements on pages 39 to 61 were approved by the trustees, and authorised for issue on .................... and signed on their behalf by= Nicholas Tesseyman Chair and trustee Page 40 Kids Inspire (Registration number: 06380082) Balance Sheet a5 at 30 April 2025 2025 2024 Note Fixed assets Tar)gible asset5 Investments 13 34,459 23,951 14 34,460 23,952 Current assets Debtors 15 223,197 1,111,645 197,118 1,292,826 Cash at bank and in hand 16 1,334,842 1,489,944 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 17 1455,0411 1409,2921 Net current assets 879,801 1,080,652 Net assets 914,261 1,104,604 Funds of the charltable company: Restrlcted Income funds Restricted funds 19 784 6,315 Unrestrirted in¢ome funds General funds Designated funds 413,477 5(Kl,CQO 598,289 500,000 Total unrestricted funds 913,477 1,098,289 Total funds 19 914.261 1,104,604 These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to companie5 subject to the small companie5 regime within Part 15 of the Companie5 Act 2CKJ6. The financial statement5 on pages 39 to 61 were approved by the trustees, and authorised for issue on .................-.. and signed on their behalf by= Nicholas Te55eyman Chair and trustee Page 41 Kids Inspire Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 2025 2024 Note Cash flows from operating artivities Net movement in funds for the reporting year 1199,4931 37,951 Adlustments for: Oepretiation Investment income Ilncreasel/decrease in debtors Increase/ldecreasel in creditors Increase in deferred income 13 15,635 152,4431 125,8791 36,702 9,011 12,100 154,5861 17,430 130,2501 26,429 15 17 Net cash flows from operating activities 1216,4671 9,074 Cash flow5 frorn Investing artivitie5 Interest receivable and similar income 52,443 126,1431 54,586 18,4751 Purchase of tan8ible fixed assets 13 Net cash flows from investing activities 26,300 46,111 Net Ide¢reasel/in¢rease in cash and cash equivalents 1190,1671 55,185 Cash and cash equivalents at l May 1,329,649 1,274,464 Cash and cash equivalents at 30 April 1,139,482 1,329,649 All of the cash flows are derived from continuing operations during the above two periods. Page 42 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 I Charitable company status The charitable company is limited by guarantee, incorporated in England & Wales. and consequently does not have share capital. Each of the trustees is liable to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 towards the assets of the charitable company in the event of liquidation. 2 Accounting policies Summary of slgnlflcant accountlng pollcies and key accountlng estlmates The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented. unless otherwise stated. Statement of compllance The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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 IFRS 1021 leffective l January 20191 (Charities SORP IFRS 10211, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland IFRS 1021. They also comply with the Companies Act 2006 and Charitie5 Act 2011. Basls of preparatlon Kids Inspire meet5 the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. A55et5 and liabilitie5 are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes. Basls of consolldation The consolidated financial statement5 consolidate the financial statements of the charitable company and its subsidiary undertakings drawn up to 30 April 2025. No statement of financial activities is presented for the charity as permitted by section 408 of the Companies Act 2006. The charitable company made a deficit in the financial year of £190,34312024- surplus of £27,951). The subsidiary 15 an entity controlled by the charity. Control is achieved where the charity has the power to govern the financial and operating policies of an entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities. Inter-company transartions, balances and unrealised gains on transartions between the chority and its subsidiaries, which are related parties, are eliminated in full. Page 43 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 Going concern The financial statements have been prepared on a going contern basi5 as the trustees believe that no material uncertainties exist. The trustees have considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements. The budgeted income and expenditure is sufficient with the level of reseNes for the charity to be able to continue as a going concern. Income and endowments All income is recognised once the charitable company has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of the income receivable can be measured reliably. Donotlons ond leoocles Donations are recognised when the Charity has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date. Oonations and legacies include voluntary donations from individuals, corporates and other groups includin8 recovered Gift Aid where appropriate. Gmnts recelvable Grants, includin8 government grants, are recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, ny performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it 15 probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred. Delerred income Deferred income represents amounts received for future periods and is released to incoming resources in the period for which it has been received. Such income is only deferred when- The donor specifies that the grant or donation must only be used in future accounting periods,. or The donor has imposed conditions which must be met before the charity has unconditional entitlement. Other trodinq ortivitie5 Other trading activities include fundraising income from functions and event5 Qrganised by the charity and income generated by the charity's trading subsidiary, Inspire Wellbeing Services. Investment income Dividends are recognised once the dividend has been declared and notification has been received of the dividend due. Churitoble artivities Provision of therapy and counselling includes commissioned, training, private client and grant income from individuals, foundations and public sector bodies. Page 44 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 Otherincome Other income consists of government grants.The grants are recognised when receivable. Expenditure All expenditure is reco8nised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources, with central staff costs allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset's use. Other support costs are allocated based on the spread of staff costs. Ralslnglunds These are costs incurred in attracting voluntary income, the management of investments and those incurred in trading activities that raise funds. Charitable artivities Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charitable company in the delivery of Its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them. Support costs Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources, for example. allocating property costs by floor areas, or per capita, staff cost5 by the time spent and other costs by their usage. Governance costs These include the costs attributable to the charity's compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements, including audit, Strategic management and trustees meeting5 and reimbursed expenses. Taxation The charitable company is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph I Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charitable company is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gain5 Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes. Page 45 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 Tangible fixed assets Any significant individual fixed a5set5 are initially recorded at cost, less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impairment losses. Depreciation and amort5sation Depreciation is provided on tangible fixed assets so as to write off the cost or valuation, less any estimated residual value, over their expected useful economic life a5 follow5= Asset class Office Equipment Computer Equipment Le35ehold improvement5 Depreciation method and rate 25% straight-line 25% straight-line 25% straight-line BUSIne￿ comblnatlons Business combinations are accounted for under the purchase method. Where necessary, adjustments are made to the financial statements of subsidiaries to bring the accounting policies used into line with those used by the group. All intra-group transaction5, balances, income and expenses are eliminated on consolidation. In accordance with Section 35 of FRS 102, Section 19 of FRS 102 has not been applied in these financial statements in respect of business combinations effected prior to the date of transition. Trade debtors Debtors are amounts due for services performed or grants receivable. Debtors are recognised initially at the transaction price. They are subsequently measured at the settlement amount less provision for impairment. A provision for the impairment of debtor5 15 established when there is objective evidence that the charity will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the original terms of the receivables. Cash and cash equlvalents Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash held within the charity's bank accounts. Trade creditors Creditors are recognised at their settlement amount where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event and will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due can be measured or estimated reliably. Fund structure Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees, discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the group. Page 46 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 Designated funds are funds set aside by the trustees out of unrestricted funds for specific future purposes or projects. Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose. Pens5ons and other post retirement obllgations The group operates a defined contribution pension scheme which is a pension plan under which fixed contributions are paid into a pension fund and the group has no legal or constructive obligation to pay further contributions even if the fund does not hold sufficient assets to pay all employees the benefits relating to employee seNice in the current and prior periods. Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities when they are due. If contribution payments exceed the contribution due for service, the excess is recognised as a prepayment. Flnancial Instruments C105511icqtlon The charity only holds basic financial instruments as defined in FRS 102. The financial assets and financial liabilities of the charity and their measurement basis are as follows: Financial assets - trade and other debtors are basic financial instruments and are debt instruments measured at amortised cost. Prepayments are not financial instruments. Cash at bank- is classified as a basic financial instrument and is measured at face value. Financial liabilities trade creditor5, accruals and other creditor5 are financial instruments, and are measured at amortised cost. Taxation and social security are not included in the financial instruments disclosure definition. Deferred income is not deemed to be a financial liability, as the cash settlement has already taken place and there is an obligation to deliver services rather than cash or another financial instrument. 3 Income from donations and legacie5 Unrestricted fvnds Restricted fvnds Total 2025 Total 2024 Donations and legacies- Donations and grants Legacies Gift aid reclaimed 526,193 3.558 31,106 659,550 1,185,743 3,558 31,106 1,142,551 6,958 19,264 560.857 659.550 1.220.407 1.168,773 Page 47 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 4 Incorne from charitable artivities Unrestrirted funds Restricted funds Total 2025 Total 2024 Commissioned services and grant intome Training and private therapy income 5.023 842,574 847,597 907,709 9,362 2,895 12,257 7,271 14,385 845,469 859,854 914,980 S Income from other tradln8 actlvltles Unrestrlcted fvnds Restrlcted fvnds Total 2025 Total 2024 Trading income,. Sales of goods and services Subsidiary trading income Events income,. Events income 22,271 60,336 22,271 60,336 5,402 54,110 131,362 131,362 6,450 103,540 2,100 Sponsorship income Lotteries and competitions income 6,450 11,361 11,361 3,067 225.330 6,450 231,780 168,219 6 Investment income Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total 2025 Total 2024 Interest receivable on bank deposits 52.443 52,443 54,586 Page 48 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 7 Expenditure on raising funds a) Costs of generating donations and legacie5 Unrestrirted fvnds Restricted funds Total 2025 Total 2024 Fundraising direct costs Staff Costs 43.995 227,918 43,995 227,918 35,148 178,198 271,913 271,913 213,346 b) Costs of trading artivitie5 Unrestrirted funds Restricted funds Total 2025 Total 2024 Trading subsidiary costs 55,594 55,594 40,218 55,594 55,594 40,218 8 Expenditure on charltable activities Provision of therapy and counsellin8 Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total 2025 Total 2024 Note Direct project and activity C05t5 Depreciation Staff costs and contractors 10,990 15,635 10,990 15,635 14,731 12,100 711.233 1,339.262 2,050,495 1,781,754 Allocated support costs 1.737 6,500 127,857 23,256 129,594 29,756 177,612 28,846 Governance costs 719,470 1,517,CMXI 2,236,470 2,015,043 Page 49 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 9 Analysis of govemance and support costs Support costs allocated to charitable artivities Premises costs Governance Information including costs technology depreciation Other 5UPPOrt costs Total 2025 Provision of therapy and counselling 29,756 24,589 42.996 62,009 159,350 Prernise5 costs Governance Information Including 05ts technology depreciation Other support C05ts Total 2024 Provision of therapy and counselling 28,846 22,662 97,016 57,934 206,458 Governance costs Total 2025 Total 2024 Staff costs Wage5 and salaries Audit fees Audit of the charity's financial statements Other fees paid to auditors Legal and professional fees Other governance costs 6,51)0 6,500 7,224 10,844 3,075 2,113 6,353 10,497 1,862 3,634 29,756 28,846 Page 50 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 10 Trustees remuneration and expense5 No trustees, nor any persons connected with them, have received any remuneration from the group during the year. No trustees have received any reimbursed expenses or any other benefits from the charity during the year. 11 Staff costs The aggregate payroll costs were as foll0v￿.. 2025 2024 Staff costs during the year were: Wages and salaries Social security costs Pension costs 1,704,485 163,185 50,385 1,569,431 149,453 43,837 1,918,055 1,762,721 The average number of persons lincluding senior management team) employed by the group during the year (head count based on number of staff employed) was as follows: 2025 No 2024 No Average 55 55 5212024- 511 of the above employees participated in the Defined Contribution Pension Schemes. Contributions to the employee pension schemes for the year totalled £50,38512024- £43,837). The number of employees wh05e emoluments fell within the following band5 wa5.. 2025 No 2024 No £ioo,ooi- £iio.o(x) The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the group were £123,66812024 - £116,067). Page 51 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 12 Taxation The charity is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes. The charity's trading subsidary gift aids available profits to the parent charity. 13 Tanglble fixed assets Group Computer equlpment Equlpment Total Cost At l May 2024 Addition5 52,775 8,631 30,020 17,512 82,795 26,143 At 30 April 2025 61,406 47,532 108,938 Depreciation At l May 2024 Charge for the year 33.335 8,764 25,509 6,871 58,844 15,635 At 30 April 2025 42,099 32,380 74,479 Net book value At 30 April 2025 19,307 15,152 34,459 At 30 April 2024 19.440 4,511 23,951 Page 52 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 Charitable companv Computer equipment Equipment Total Cost At l May 2024 Additions 52.775 8,631 30.020 17,512 82,795 26,143 At 30 April 2025 61,406 47,532 108,938 Depreciation At l May 2024 Charge for the year 33,335 8,764 25.509 6,871 58,844 15,635 At 30 April 2025 42,099 32,380 74,479 Net book value At 30 April 2025 19,307 15,152 34,459 At 30 April 2024 19,440 4,511 23,951 14 Flxed asset Investments Charitable companv Share5 in group undertaking5 and participating interests Subsidiary undertaklngs Total Cost At l May 2024 At 30 April 2025 Net book value At 30 April 2025 At 30 April 2024 Page 53 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 Details of undertakings Details of the investments in which the charitable company holds 20% or more of the nominal value of any class of share capital are as follows: Country of incorporation ProFK>rtion of votinz rights and shares held 2025 2024 Prlncipal artivity Undertaking Holding Subsidiary undertakin85 Inspire Wellbeing Services Communitv Interest Company Promotion mental wellbeing England Ordinary Subsidiarles The profit for the financial period of Inspire Wellbeing Services Community Interest Company was £4,74212024- £13,892) and the aggregate amount of capital and reserves at the end of the period was £4,36512024- £13,515). Inspire Wellbeing Services was incorporated on 27 September 2019 with register company number 12231988. 15 Debtors Group Charity 2025 2024 2025 2024 Due from group undertakinES Prepayments Accrued income Other debtors 22,504 19,353 63,277 118,063 21,757 34,211 27,457 113,693 19,353 63,277 119,135 34,211 27,457 114,218 201,765 175,886 223,197 197,118 Page 54 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 16 Cash and cash equivalents Group Charity 2025 2024 2025 2024 Cash at bank 1,139,482 1,329,649 1,111,645 1,292,826 17 Credltors: amounts falling due withln one year Group Charlty 2025 2024 2025 2024 Trade creditors 3.521 10,537 3,521 10,537 Other taxation and social security Pension scheme creditor 37,691 9,539 64,865 341,465 37,691 9,539 62,825 341,465 8.105 60,272 332,454 8,105 58,196 332,454 Accruals Deferred income 457,081 411,368 455,041 409,292 Deferred Income 2025 2024 Deferred income at l May 2024 Resources deferred in the period Amounts released from previous periods 332,454 341,465 1332,4541 306,025 332,454 1306,0251 Deferred income at year end 341,465 332,454 Oeferred income relates to income received for events held in future accounting periods, income received with performance related conditions that are still to be fulfilled ot the year end, or income that the donor has specified be used in future accountin8 periods. Page 55 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 18 Obligations under leases and hire purchase contracts Operating lease commitments Total future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows: Group Charity 2025 2024 2025 2024 Other Within one year Between one and five years 1,448 4.707 308 1,448 4,707 308 6,155 308 6,155 308 19 Funds Group Balance at I May 2024 Incomin Resources expended Balance at 30 April 2025 resources Current Year Unre5trirtedfund5 General funds 611,803 853,015 11,046,977) 417,841 Deslgnatedfunds Premises fund 5C(I,IXKI 500,CQO Total unrestricted funds 1,111,803 853,015 11,046,977) 917,841 Restricted funds Integrated Care Board Essex County Council Big Lottery Fund Other grants and donations 185,708 31X),(K)o 241,240 784,521 1185,7081 1300,0001 1241,2401 1790,0521 6,315 784 Total restrirted funds 6,315 1.511.469 11,517.IX)01 784 Total funds 1,118,118 2,364,484 12,563,977) 918,625 Page 56 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 Balance at I May 2023 Incoming resourtes Resources expended Balance at 30 April 2024 Prlor Year Unrestrlrtedfvnds General funds 667.727 653,859 1709,7831 611,803 Designatedfund5 Premises fund 4CK),(KJO I(KJ,(KKJ 5(K),CXJO Total unrestricted funds 1,067,727 753,859 1709,7831 1,111,803 Restrlcted funds Clinical Commissioning Group E55ex County Council Big Lottery Fund Other grants and donations 149,678 435,400 164.960 802,661 1149,6781 1435,4001 1164,9601 1808,7861 12,440 6,315 Total restrlrted funds 12,440 1,552,699 11,558,824) 6,315 Total funds 1,080,167 2,306,558 12,268,607) 1,118,118 Page 57 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 Charity Balance at i May 2024 Incorning resources Resources expended Balance at 30 April 2025 CUr￿nt Year Unrestrirtedfvnd5 General funds 598,289 852,027 11,036,839) 413,477 Deslqnatedfunds Premises Fund 5¢XI,C(JO 500,CKJO Total unrestrlcted funds 1,098,289 852,027 11.036,8391 913,477 Restricted funds Integrated Care Board Essex County Council 8ig Lottery Fund Other grant5 and donations 185,708 3(M),C(JO 241,240 784,521 1185,7081 1300,0001 1241,2401 1790,0521 6,315 784 Total restrirted funds 6.315 I,Sll,469 11,517,(K)01 784 Total funds 1,104,604 2,363,496 12,553,839) 914,261 Balance at I May 2023 Incomlng re50urces Resources expended Balance at 30 April 2024 Prlor Year Unrestrictedfvnds Generol funds 664,573 603,281 1669,5651 598,289 Deslgnatedfund5 Premises Fund 4(KI,IXM) I￿,( 51x1,￿o Total unrestrlcted funds 1,064,573 703,281 1669,5651 1,098,289 Restricted funds Clinical Commissioning Group Essex County Council Big Lottery Fund Other grants and donations 149,678 435,400 164,960 802,661 1149,6781 1435,4001 1164,9601 1808,7861 12,440 6.315 Total restritted funds 12,440 1,552,699 11,558,824) 6,315 Total funds 1,077,013 2,255,980 12,228,389) 1,104,604 Page 58 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 The specific purpose5 for which the funds are to be applied are as follows.. Current Year Premises Fund: the Trustees have designated £5CKI.C￿) for the deposit on the acquisition of a new premises. Essex County Council commission Kids Inspire to deliver the Family Innovation Fund, providing early intervention across Essex. The ICB are commissioning Kids Inspire to deliver specialist therapeutic support for 5-18 years olds in Southenij, Castle Point, Rochford, Mid-Essex, Basildon, Brentwood and Thurrock. The Big Lottery Fund are providing a contribution towards our Talk Together project which delivers county-wide therapeutic support, mentoring and Trauma Training. Prior Year Premises Fund: the Trustees have designated £5O).CK() for the deposit on the acquisition of a new premises. E55ex County Council commission Kids Inspire to deliver the Family Innovation Fund, providin8 earlv intervention across Essex. The CCG are commissioning Kids Inspire to deliver specialist therapeutic support for 5-18 years olds in Southend, Castle Point & Rochford and Mid-E5sex. The Big Lottery Fund are providing a contribution towards our Talk Together project which delivers county-wide therapeutic support, mentorin8 and Trauma Trainin8. Page 59 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 20 Analysis of net assets between funds Group Unrestrirted funds Designated funds Restricted funds Total 2025 Tangible fixed assets Current assets 34,459 840,463 1457,0811 34,459 1,341,247 1457,0811 5C(I,(KQ 784 Current liabilities Total net assets 417,841 s￿,(()0 784 918,625 Unrestrlrted funds Designated funds Restrlcted funds Total 2024 Tangible fixed a55et5 Current assets 23,951 999,220 1411,3681 23,951 1,505,535 1411,3681 5(KI,(KM) 6,315 Current liabilities Total net assets 611.803 5C().C(Jo 6.315 1,118,118 CharSty Unre5trirted funds Designated funds Restricted funds Total 2025 Tangible fixed assets Fixed asset investments 34,459 34,459 Current assets 834,058 1455,0411 5C(I,(KQ 784 1,334,842 1455,0411 Current liabilities Total net assets 413,477 51XI,CKJO 784 914,261 Unrestricted funds Designated funds Restricted funds Total 2024 Tangible fixed a5set5 Fixed asset investments 23,951 23,951 Current assets 983,629 1409,2921 5(K),(KK) 6,315 1,489,944 1409,2921 Current liabilities Total net assets 598,289 S(K),IKK) 6,315 1,104,604 Page 60 Kids Inspire Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 21 Related party transactions Group Charitable companv During the year the charitable company made the following related party transactions.. laln Bell Ispouse of CEO) Contractor fees of £5,32012024- £1,088) for graphic design work. Page 61 Kids Inspire The following pages do not form part of the statutory financial statements. Page 62 Kids Inspire Detailed Consolidated Statement of Financial Artivities for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 Total 2025 Total 2024 Income and Endowments from: Oonations and legacies Charitable activities Other trading activities Investment income 1,220,407 859,854 231,780 52,443 1,168,773 914,980 168,219 54,586 Total income 2,364,484 2,306,558 Expendlture on: Raising funds lanalysed below) Charitable activities lanalysed below) 1327,5071 1253,5641 12,236,470) 12,015,043) Total expenditure 12,563,977) 12,268,607) Net lexpenditurelllncome 1199,4931 37,951 Net movement in funds 1199,4931 37,951 Reconclllatlon of funds Total funds brought forward 1,118,118 1,080,167 Total funds carried forward 918,625 1,118,118 This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements. Page 63 Kids Inspire Detailed Consolidated Statement of Financial Artivities for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 Total 2025 Total 2024 Ralslngfunds Fundraising materials Hire Travel and Parkin8 Sundry expenses Catering Subscriptions Events and central costs 432 3,934 15,503 1,240 357 9,755 810 2,334 7,507 7,330 15,644 183 4,121 5,395 1,856 Training Etapesty DataBase Trading subsidiary costs Wa8es and salaries 2,742 40,218 178,198 55,594 227,918 327,507 253,564 Charltable artlvltles Direct project and activity costs Depretiation Insurance 10,990 15,635 3,615 1,614 1,861 23,213 5,239 19,775 6,950 5,500 43,567 4,814 1,581 8,524 271 14,731 12,100 3,334 1,576 2,868 76,473 6,472 16,541 5,724 6,C￿0 25,922 4,934 4,664 10,872 8,819 3,413 1,348,545 149,453 43,837 Entertainment General expenses Light. Power. Heating Vehicle and travel expenses IT software and consumables Rates Rent Staff training & Recruitment Telephone and Internet Advertising and marketing Cleaning and con5umable5 Repairs and maintenance Printing, postage and stationery Wages and salaries Social security COSts Pension costs 3,070 1,424,611 163,185 50,385 This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements. Page 64 Kids Inspire Detailed Consolidated Statement of Financial Artivities for the Year Ended 30 April 2025 Total 2025 Total 2024 Contrattor costs 412,314 6,500 18,068 3,075 2,113 239,919 6,500 16,850 1,862 3,634 Staff costs Audit, accountancy and payroll fees Legal and professional fees Other governance costs 2,236,470 2,015,043 This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements. Page 65