DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D **Company No. 07140510 (England & Wales) Charity No. 1138340** ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL** (a company limited by guarantee) ## **TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## **ALISON WARD ACCOUNTANTS CHARTERED CERTIFIED ACCOUNTANTS** **28 HILLS ROAD BUCKHURST HILL ESSEX IG9 5RS** DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## **CONTENTS** |Pages|1|Trustees' Report| |---|---|---| ||17|Independent Examiner's Report| ||19|Statement of Financial Activities| ||20|Balance Sheet| ||21|Notes to the Financial Statements| DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT - STATUTORY INFORMATION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** The directors of the charitable company are its trustees for the purpose of charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as the trustees. ## **TRUSTEES** Adam Barnes Fiona Blee David Bradley-Shaw Matthew Davies Yoni Ejo Jackie Fernandez Thomas Katsikoudis Richard Lawson Tara Louviere-Cowen Nigel Mackay Simon Mansfield-Sturgess Dario Parente Melanie Pitts Alex Thompson Barnaby Walker Elliott Westhoff ## **SECRETARY** Barry Burland ## **CHIEF EXECUTIVE** Tor Docherty ## **REGISTERED OFFICE** 7 Bell Yard London WC2A 2JR ## **COMPANY NUMBER** 07140510 ## **CHARITY NUMBER** 1138340 ## **BANKERS** CAF Bank 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4QJ Lloyds Bank 112 Kensington High Street London W8 4SN page 1 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT - STATUTORY INFORMATION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER** Alison Ward FCCA Alison Ward Accountants 28 Hills Road Buckhurst Hill Essex IG9 5RS page 2 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** The trustees present their report and the independently examined accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2023. The statutory information is shown on Page 1. ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** New Family Social is a Company Limited by Guarantee and Registered Charity governed by memorandum and articles of association. Trustees are also company directors. The maximum size of the board at New Family Social is 15. The board may change this. Members can be elected or co-opted, with up to 9 being elected and up to 6 being co-opted (meaning individuals join the board at the request of a majority of existing trustees). The New Family Social board is notionally divided into 3 groups for elections, and each year the members of one group will step down but may stand for re-election or be co-opted onto the board again. The New Family Social board appoints the following roles from the board members: Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer. New Family Social must appoint a company secretary, who does not need to be a board member. The board may appoint board advisors who are neither company directors nor trustees, but who may attend board meetings and take part in board discussions but who may not vote. If an elected board member resigns between AGMs then the post will remain vacant until the next AGM. If a co-opted member resigns, the board may recruit immediately or may wait. New Family Social's Memorandum and Articles of Association require that the existing board members (NB. this is not the New Family Social services users, who are colloquially referred to as "members") elect the new board members. "Elected board members" are recommended for election by voting New Family Social service users and the board will follow that recommendation by formally electing the recommended candidates. Six board places are reserved for co-opted members. Using the results of the board skills audit and diversity audit, board members will seek new members who can fill identified gaps. These may be sought from the New Family Social membership, from candidates who have stood for election to the board, through personal contacts, through advertising or through professional networks. Using the results of the board skills audit and diversity audit, board members will seek new members who can fill identified gaps. These may be sought from the New Family Social membership, from candidates who have stood for election to the board, through personal contacts, through advertising or through professional networks. The board may agree, by majority, to prioritise one or more under-represented skills/experience above others for recruitment by election or co-option. New trustees are given an induction manual, training session and are offered a one-to-one meeting with the Chair. The training covers their legal roles, how to be a "critical friend" to New Family Social and how to raise concerns should they have any. page 3 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** The trustees who served during the year are shown below: Rory Argyle (stepped down on 29/11/22) Adam Barnes Fiona Blee David Bradley-Shaw Matthew Davies Yoni Ejo Jackie Fernandez Thomas Katsikoudis Richard Lawson Tara Louviere-Cowen Suli Hampson (stepped down on 29/11/22) Nigel Mackay Simon Mansfield-Sturgess Dario Parente Melanie Pitts (elected on 29/11/22) Elaina Soong (stepped down on 29/11/22) Alex Thompson (elected on 29/11/22) Barnaby Walker Elliott Westhoff (elected on 29/11/22) The trustees delegate day-to-day running of New Family Social to the Chief Executive who has delegated authority for operational decisions. The trustees focus on governess, strategic direction and oversight. Board meetings are quarterly, with a meeting of Board Officers (Chair, vice chair and treasurer) taking place monthly. page 4 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES** The charity's objects ('Objects') are specifically restricted to the following: 1. The promoting of the care and upbringing of children and young persons for the public benefit by - (a) supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other gender and sexual minority adopters and foster carers, special guardians; and - (b) facilitating a wider pool of adopters and foster carers by supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other gender and sexual minority prospective adopters and foster carers; and 2. The promotion of equality and diversity in the United Kingdom for the benefit of the public by advancing education in all aspects of the legal adoption and long-term foster care of children and young persons by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other gender and sexual minority adopters and foster carers. New Family Social is the only national charity that provides a network for LGBT+ adopters and foster carers and their children. We provide peer support, improve the treatment of disadvantaged LGBT+ people in the adoption/fostering process, encourage inclusion, and work directly with our actively involved members and with agencies to find more new families for children in care. ## We do this by: - Providing a network for parents to share support, strengthen family relationships and for children to gain confidence in their new families. - Promoting LGBT+ families - providing advocacy and support by giving our 5,000 members a strong voice, improving inclusion and the sharing of information and by providing direct help to agencies and to families with serious difficulties. We work throughout the UK. We have a stable core income from around half the UK’s adoption agencies which pay a subscription for our services. Our biggest asset is our enthusiastic membership and we harness help from around 100 volunteers. ## **ENSURING OUR WORK DELIVERS OUR AIMS** We review our aims, objectives and activities each year. This review looks at what we achieved and the outcomes of our work in the previous 12 months. The review looks at the success of each key activity and the benefits they have brought to those groups of people we are set up to help. The review also helps us ensure our aims, objectives and activities remain focussed on our stated purposes. We have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aims and objectives and in planning our future activities. In particular, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives they have set. page 5 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## **1 Activities during 2022-23** New Family Social provides support, advice and information to LGBTQ+ people at all stages of the adoption/fostering/special guardianship process; from thinking of forming a family, to navigating the assessment process, to support for parents and carers. For clarity, we divide our services up as shown in this diagram: **----- Start of picture text -----**
Advice & Information
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- •Webinar - •eBulletin - •Website - •Social media - •Find an agency - •News and information **----- Start of picture text -----**
LGBTQ+ Support
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- •Peer mentoring - •Podcast - •Events (online and in-person) •Summer camp **----- Start of picture text -----**
Professionals
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- •News and information •Training •Live Q&A for agencies - •Annual agency briefing **----- Start of picture text -----**
Campaigns & Evidence
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- •LGBTQ+ Adoption & Fostering week - •Adoption and Fostering Support Week for LGBTQ+ families •Research - •Facts & Figures ## **1.1 Facts and figures about our services** ## 1.1.1 Webinars ## _1.1.1.1 “Could you adopt or foster?”_ We delivered monthly introductory webinar for LGBTQ+ people considering fostering and adoption with a **total attendance of 167** and an average attendance of 15 people. page 6 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## _1.1.1.2 Peer support webinars_ “Let’s Talk” webinars average attendance of 26. Held eight times since April 22. **Total attendance of 211** . The topics covered were: - Children's friendships - What to expect at panel - School transitions - Single Foster Carers & Adopters - Siblings - Screen time & online safety - Routines (and breaking them) - Sensory issues ## _1.1.1.3 Expert-led webinars_ We delivered expert-led webinars to **105 people** in year 22/23 on the topics as follows: |May|22|Virtual schools|20 people| |---|---|---|---| |Jun|22|Mental health needs in the early years|34 people| |Nov|22|What to expect at matching|51 people| Finding experts is a challenge for these events and we may want to pay for these speakers in future. ## 1.1.2 eBulletin eBulletin’s are sent to LGBTQ+ members twice a week and to professionals regularly. ## **1.2 LGBTQ+ Support** ## 1.2.1 Peer mentoring ## _1.2.1.1 Exploring options and designing the project_ We began by consulting with LGBTQ+ members about what they wanted from peer mentoring. It soon became clear that there was a range of different needs, depending on people’s situation and existing support networks. Some people were generally well supported, but wanted advice on a particular topic which was new to them. Some were quite isolated from the LGBTQ+ community and just wanted to hear from someone who was further down the adoption/fostering journey. Others were struggling with significant challenges in their family life and needed emotional support. ## _1.2.1.2 Launching Chat_ In the 12 months prior to November 2021, 267 people joined New Family Social as Gold members. On average, this means 22 new Gold members join each month. Each new member will receive a welcome phone call. This will be done by a Regional Contact volunteer where possible, or by a member of staff if no volunteer is available. ## Goals of the Chat phone call: - New members to feel welcome and supported - All members able to speak to another LGBTQ+ adopter/foster carer - Ensure member profile is complete and up to date - Ensure member can access services - Increase engagement - Identify any support needs - Signpost to additional support page 7 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## How it’s done: The Membership Officer will export a report of new members each month. He will send regional specific, encrypted call sheets to volunteers. Volunteers (or staff in regions without a volunteer) will phone each new member. Volunteers will alert staff to any additional support needs identified during the initial call. Additionally members can request support via our contact form, or by calling in directly. This is open to existing members as well as new members. ## How it’s going: Welcome calls are well received by members. Typically people join New Family Social at the beginning of their adoption/fostering assessment process and so are very keen to speak to other LGBTQ+ people who have adopted/fostered children and young people. Although up to 1 in 5 adoptions in 2022 were to same sex couples, there is lots of regional variation and variation between agencies. People who were one of the few LGBTQ+ people at their agency seem to particularly welcome the support. - “I don’t really know any LGBTQ+ people with kids. All of my friends with kids are straight. It’s been so reassuring talking to you today” Recruiting and retaining volunteers has proven more challenging than expected. In the initial round of recruitment, only some regions had applicants. We decided to use staff time to cover the welcome calls for those from other regions. We are considering moving away from a regional model for welcome calls and having a small group of volunteers to do welcome calls for anyone, regardless of location. One off support calls have also been popular and cover a very wide range of topics, from guidance on pupil premium plus funding, to challenging inappropriate questions from adoption panel members. ## _1.2.1.3_ Launching Connect Members frequently ask us to help them find other adopters/foster carers with a similar experience (such as caring for a child with a particular disability) or demographic (such as an adopter or foster carer who is trans, or from a particular faith group etc). We will introduce members with compatible experiences who have opted into the service. The members will agree amongst themselves whether, how often, for how long they keep in touch. ## How it’s done: Members opt in to the Connect Tier 2 peer mentoring service and provide additional information about themselves and their household. We ask them to tell us about which broad level topics (eg disability, transracial family, non-monogamous, parenting teens) they are happy to be contacted about. Members can self-refer themselves for Connect support. They will give a brief outline of the topic and support needed. We will send an anonymised request to everyone in the broad category that the topic falls under. We will then exchange details of those members who volunteer to be introduced. Members are encouraged to both seek and offer support. Someone who is seeking support in one area may well have expertise and lived experience that could be helpful in another area. page 8 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## Monitoring: Members will complete a baseline survey when they self-refer/volunteer to be introduced. We will send a follow up survey and compare responses. ## How it’s going: Setting up the technical framework for Connect took longer than expected. Our goal had been to launch with a service that could automatically send out requests and offers of support on demand. Unfortunately this wasn’t possible with the IT infrastructure available so we decided to launch in August 2022 with a more manual process. 17 families have requested support so far. There has been a very wide range of topics, including: - Help and advice regarding diagnosis for FASD (foetal alcohol spectrum disorder) - Listening ear when child’s aggressive behaviour becomes unmanageable “I don't like feeling alone with problem behaviour at weekends and in holidays”. - “I would like support from someone re: supporting my son with issues he is having at school about him having 2 dads. Helping him build resilience etc”. - “I'm looking to chat connect with other single adopters to chat over concerns, mainly about support network”. - Every request has received at least one match. In most cases we've made two or three introductions and had to turn away additional offers of support (so as not to overwhelm the family). We have 67 volunteers so there is plenty of capacity to support more families. - “I have enjoyed using my experiences to help other people experiencing challenges - and at the same time also gained myself from their own insights. Despite being someone who offered peer support it has been more two-way and longer term than I initially expected.” - Developing peer support groups - Although it wasn’t part of our original plan, member feedback showed that people want the chance to meet in small groups of people with the same specific experiences. We started with a group for foster carers and special guardians and are expanding the model to other subsets of the LGBTQ+ adoption and fostering community. ## How it’s done: Where there is demand for a group, we recruit a volunteer with the relevant lived experience to anchor the group. We also provide staff support for promotion and facilitation. Members meet online at a time and frequency of their choosing. A small group size and regular meetings allow people to get to know each other and build trust. Groups currently running: - Foster and kinship carers - Trans and non-binary parents and carers - Single parents and carers - Parents and carers of sibling groups - Groups in development: - Neurodivergent parents and carers - Parents and carers of colour - Family finding support group ## How it’s going: These peer support groups are attended by people who are a minority within a minority within a minority. Conversations in the groups quickly becomes quite personal and emotional and many participants report having nowhere else where they know their experiences will be understood. The niche nature of the groups does make recruitment/promotion challenging. We are working page 9 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** on developing our data collection to make it easier to target communications to the relevant people. ## Developing Support: Members who are having a difficult time can be supported by volunteers who have similar, if not identical experiences. The precise format of the support can be personalised by the mentor and mentee but it will be structured and for a set amount of time. Support will be offered remotely, or face-to-face where possible. ## How it’s done: We will recruit experienced foster carers and adopters as peer mentors. They will receive training including safeguarding, boundaries and listening skills. Members can self-refer for Tier 3 support or be referred by their social worker, with consent. Staff may also identify members who could benefit from peer mentoring. The referral form will ask for a brief outline of the topic, type of support needed, and other services already involved. The mentor will contact their mentee once per week for three months. If needed, this can be extended for up to a further three months. Contacts should become gradually less frequent during the extension period. The mentors will usually do the introduction and closing sessions alone but can ask for staff support if needed. Staff will check in during selected peer mentoring sessions. Staff will hold regular group supervisions for mentors, with 1:1 supervision available to mentors who need it. ## Monitoring: - Baseline questionnaire at point of referral, compared to exit questionnaire at the end of the program. ## How it’s going: This is the next area of development for our peer mentoring program. We are looking to recruit the first cohort of volunteers. We are planning to begin by focusing on people who are newly matched with children or who have recently had children come to live with them. ## 1.2.2 Podcast In 2022/23 the podcast was downloaded **23,600** times. This brings the total download since it was launched to 56,400 (to the end of March 2023). The total number of episodes broadcast to March 23 was 60. _Just wanted to drop a message to say thanks so much for your podcast. Myself and my partner are hoping to adopt in the future and Tor's interviews with adopters has been such a valuable learning tool. It's been really reassuring listening to other LGBT+ families and their adoption experiences as we get ready to start our own family in the next couple of years._ ## 1.2.3 Events (online and in-person) ## _1.2.3.1 Summary_ In the 2022/23 financial year there were 27 face-to-face events (excluding camp) in 21 unique locations, with a combined total of 245 registrations (not counting children or partners if applicable). ## _1.2.3.2 Coffee mornings and evening socials_ 22 held between April 2022 and March 23 with a total attendance of 505 and an average attendance of 23. page 10 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## _1.2.3.3 Event for specific groups_ In the year April 22 to March 23, 12 events for run for specialist groups, with a total attendance of 62 and an average attendance of 5. These events were: - LGBTQ+ foster carers’ and special guardians’ group - Trans and/or non-binary parents’ and carers’ group - Solo Foster Carers’, Adopters’, and Guardians’ group - Families with three or more children ## 1.2.4 Summer Camp Summer camp 2022, was the first full-size camp since 2019. Around 400 guests attended and the feedback was excellent. There were some specific challenges including the caterer pulling out two days before the event and some challenging behaviour from the younger guests. A hard-working team of staff and volunteers managed to deliver all of the activities as well as catering the event. Some specific successes included using a new online booking system, hired-in evening entertainers and dedicating more staff time to planning. After camp, we decided to investigate a larger site and agreed to move Camp 2023 to a new location. ## **1.3 Professionals** ## 1.3.1 Training New Family Social delivered 11 training courses to adoption and fostering professionals throughout the year 2022/23. Training continues to be a main focus in our aim to ensure UK agencies are welcoming to LGBTQ+ adopters and foster carers. page 11 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## 1.3.2 Weekly live Q&A for agencies New Family Social runs live Q&A sessions for agency members. Between April 22 and March 23, **401** professionals have attended these sessions. Topics include: - Bisexual Couple. How to Assess. - Cross-Dressing - Culture Wars - Degrees of being IN/OUT - Family Finding - How do LGBTQ+ families explain their lives to their families - How to make the most of your New Family Social Membership - Intersections of LGBTQ+ Identity - LGBTQ+ AFW Update - LGBTQ+ Legal Landscape in the UK - LGBTQ+ UNWRAPPED - Open Relationships! How to Assess. - Our Mediation Services - Privilege & LGBTQ+ - Supporting Social Workers - Supporting through Family Finding - What it means to be 'Queer' - Who is in the + of LGBTQ+ - Word of the Week - "non-binary" 1.3.3 National Adoption Recruitment Steering Group (NARSG) ## _1.3.3.1 Background_ In 2021, New Family Social joined the NARSG, the Department for Education’s independent committee overseeing adoption recruitment in England. In April 2022, New Family Social was commissioned to provide the following: - Two-part training on Gender, Sexual and Relationship minorities for senior staff in Regional Adoption Agencies (RAAs) and Voluntary Adoption Agencies (VAAs). - Create baseline minimum standards covering monitoring, training and representation for LGBTQ+ people. - Commission an international scoping study gathering together the research base about LGBTQ+ adoption and the barriers faced. - Review the standard paperwork used by most adoption agencies when assessing adoption applicants. - Support RAAs and VAAs to develop a strategic response to the recruitment, assessment and matching of LGBTQ+ adopters. ## _1.3.3.2 Progress_ In March 2023, the work was ongoing. The work will be reported on in the annual report 2023/24. ## 1.3.4 LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week 2023 The annual recruitment campaign to encourage more LGBTQ+ people to consider exploring adoption and fostering returned in the first week of March 2023. Given the known need for more applicants open to adopting or fostering sibling groups the campaign’s theme was ‘1, 2, 3, or more?’. Preparation for the campaign started in November 2022 to allow for earlier development of collateral – which saw a marked increase in usage by participating agencies. page 12 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** Some 100 agencies from across Britain took part in the 2023 campaign, split evenly between those that hold an annual subscription and those where membership was unconfirmed. The 2023 campaign focused heavily on a wealth of material readily available to New Family Social, including podcast episodes and short films recorded specifically for the week. New Family Social also organised two online events to support the campaign; an online information webinar and an online round table discussion about adopting/caring for more than one child. These clips and events were shared across social media platforms by both New Family Social and those participating agencies. As ever, agencies focused on promoting those materials most relevant to their area; few adoption agencies used fostering agency collateral and vice versa. Media coverage for the campaign was primarily online with some local print coverage including: Children & Young People Now Fyne Times Hull City Council Hull City Council News Inside Devon Knowsley News Lancashire County Council Leicestershire County Council Nation Cymru Pink News Pink News - report on parenting study Scene magazine - focusing on a local event Scene magazine - focusing on the campaign Stockport Council Swansea Bay News The Edinburgh Reporter Torbay Council We are South Devon Westmorland Gazette Wigan Today Wirral View Your Cumbria Among the stakeholders and celebrities supporting the 2023 campaign on social media were _EastEnders_ ’ Heather Peace, singer Horse, Linda Riley, _Emmerdale_ ’s Michelle Hardwick, Stonewall’s Nancy Kelley and pop artist Bright Light Bright Light. For the first time in recent history there was a noticeable amount of robust online criticism of a campaign encouraging people to consider adoption. In part this was due to the Welsh government issuing an apology at the end of the week for historic forced adoptions. While the timing was unfortunate it didn’t alter the very real and ongoing need for the campaign. ## _1.3.4.1 Website visitors_ Between 4-15 March there were 7,515 page views on the website, with a peak of 1,483 views on 7 March. The homepage, campaign landing page and ‘who we are’ pages were the most visited during the reporting period. ## _1.3.4.2 Podcast consumption_ 769 episodes of the _Adoption, Fostering & Tea_ podcast were downloaded during the campaign week. The following week this was 636. page 13 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## _1.3.4.3 Other activities_ Four days into the campaign we published _Mental health, neurodivergence, trauma & our children: The experience of LGBTQ+ adopters in Britain_ (2022). This was to support the day’s theme of adopting or fostering children with these conditions. The results will inform our work later in the year to make recommendations to post adoption services and those working on the development of post adoption support plans. ## 1.3.5 Adoption & Fostering Support Week for LGBTQ+ Parents 2022 This campaign was one of many moved to accommodate the nation’s period of mourning following the passing of the Queen. Given the national mood the campaign was delivered in a low-key tone. The week featured three major elements. The first was the launch of the Connect service. This matches LGBTQ+ adopters and foster carers who need help with a specific issue with others who’ve been through the same situation and can offer peer support. Later in the week New Family Social published the results of polling taken during Summer 2022. _Suffering in silence? LGBTQ+ adoptive parents' experience of & response to violence from their children_ offered recommendations for social workers and agencies tasked with supporting our members’ families. The publication of the report was backed with an online seminar for staff at New Family Social’s member agencies. Finally, LGBTQ+ adopters and foster carers from across the UK submitted their agency of the year commendation nominations. Following a member vote on the 19 nominated agencies, CCS Adoption was awarded the 2022 agency commendation award from New Family Social's LGBTQ+ adopter and foster carers. page 14 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** ## **Risk assessment and reserves policy** New Family Social holds reserves for the following reasons: - The risk of unforeseen emergency or other unexpected need for funds, - e.g. an unexpected large bill or needing 'seed-funding' for an urgent project. - Covering unforeseen day-to-day operational costs, e.g. employing temporary staff to cover a long-term sick absence. - A source of income, e.g. a grant, not being renewed. Funds might be needed to give the trustees time to take action if income falls below expectations. - Planned commitments, or designations, that cannot be met by future income alone, e.g. plans for a major asset purchase or for a significant project that requires the charity to provide 'matched funding'. - The need to fund short-term deficits in a cash budget, e.g. money may need to be spent before a funding grant is received. - To close the charity in a legal and orderly way should the need arise. Having considered the above, the trustees agreed on 4 December 2023 that the level of reserves for the year 2023/24 should be £74,088.(previously £90,000) ## **PLANS FOR THE FUTURE** ## **Strategic Plan 2023** In 2023, New Family Social will develop a new strategic plan. In 2022 and 2023, New Family Social is undertaking a large piece of strategic work funded by the National Adoption Recruitment Steering Group. ## **Project spanning two years** There is significant work to be done to raise the understanding of LGBTQ+ adoption, and the interaction with LGBTQ+ adopters, to the levels of other communities. ## **In Year One, New Family Social will undertake the following work:** Advise/consult on all areas of NARSG work as they relate to LGBTQ+ people, including generic work and intersectional work. Train the members of the NARSG in sexual orientation, gender diversity and consensual non-monogamy, as they relate to adoption. Lead a research summary on the existing research which relates to the LGBTQ+ communities in adoption and, crucially, the gaps in this research so that we know what we know, and we know what we don't know. Develop and deliver a training course for RAA and VAA leaders and managers on the subjects of sexual orientation, gender diversity and consensual non-monogamy, as they relate to adoption (see note below). Conduct a review of existing standard forms used in adoption and recommend amendments to make them accessible and meaningful to LGBTQ+ communities. Create practice recommendations for: - monitoring sexual orientation, gender identity and relationship style. - representation of LGBTQ+ people (in imagery, speakers, panels etc) Create a brief template LGBTQ+ Strategy for RAAs and VAAs to encourage a more strategic approach to LGBTQ+ adopters. page 15 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** Work together on… - New Family Social's LGBT+ Adoption and Fostering Week (March) - LGBT+ Support Week (September) including social worker good practice awards - the NARSG-led YouCanAdopt campaign ## **Baseline Recommended Practice Standard for RAAs and VAAs** Elements of the work above would culminate in the launch of a Baseline Recommended Standard for RAAs and VAAs covering just five requirements. - Monitoring - Representation - Forms - Training - LGBTQ+ strategy and lead person ## **Year two subject to funding** Year One is about establishing the basic elements which are needed to be able to meaningfully work with the LGBTQ+ communities. Subject to a review of the year one work, New Family Social will submit a further proposal with the intention of: Developing a more nuanced understanding of the different groups within the LGBTQ+ communities, beyond just lesbian and gay people, and how they perceive adoption Ensure the national collation and publication of LGBTQ+ adoption statistics Further to the Baseline Recommended Practice Standard for RAAs and VAAs, develop an intermediate and an advanced standard covering all stages of the adoption journey and all parts of the LGBTQ+ communities Understand more about the LGBTQ+ community's willingness to adopt priority children and how this can be best used to find homes for the children who are likely to wait the longest Ensure that adoption researchers are aware of the need to consider sexual orientation and gender identity as part of all adoption research except in exceptional circumstances. Commission research to fill knowledge gaps identified in year one, where they directly relate to the wider priorities of the NARSG Annually update the LGBTQ+ adoption research summary. ## _Note_ _It is anticipated that RAAs and VAA may wish to commission training from New Family Social for other managers. staff and panels. New Family Social will discount the price of this further training by 10% if multiple courses are booked._ page 16 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## **TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES** Company and charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the surplus or deficit of the charitable company for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to:- 1) select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently. 2) make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. 3) prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. ## **SMALL COMPANY EXEMPTIONS** This report has been prepared and delivered in accordance with the provisions in Part 15 of Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime. This report was approved by the board on 04 December 2023 and signed on their behalf. Signed Barry Burland page 17 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF NEW FAMILY SOCIAL FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** I report on the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2023. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act'). Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act. ## **Independent examiner's statement** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or 4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102). I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Alison Ward FCCA 11 December 2023 Alison Ward Accountants 28 Hills Road Buckhurst Hill Essex IG9 5RS page 18 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (including the Income and Expenditure Account) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ||**Unrestricted**|**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Restricted**||**Total**|**_Unrestricted_**|**_Unrestricted_**|**_Restricted_**|**_Restricted_**||**_Total_**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**Note**|**Funds**||**Funds**||**2023**||**_Funds_**||**_Funds_**||**_2022_**| |||**£**||**£**||**£**||**_£_**||**_£_**||**_£_**| |**Income from:**||||||||||||| |Donations and legacies|3|20,637||46,133||66,770||_79,141_||_11,476_||_90,617_| |Charitable activities|4|104,412||-||104,412||_137,268_||_-_||_137,268_| |Other trading activities||-||-||-||_1,452_||_-_||_1,452_| |Investments|5|419||-||419||_9_||_-_||_9_| |**Total**||125,468||46,133||171,601||_217,870_||_11,476_||_229,346_| |**Expenditure on:**||||||||||||| |Charitable activities|6|194,751||47,379||242,130||_192,964_||_11,476_||_204,440_| |Other||-||-||-||_175_||_-_||_175_| |**Total**||194,751||47,379||242,130||_193,139_||_11,476_||_204,615_| |**Net income**||(69,283)||(1,246)||(70,529)||_24,731_||_-_||_24,731_| |Transfer between funds|8|(1,246)||1,246||-||_-_||_-_||_-_| |**Net movement in funds**||(70,529)||-||(70,529)||_24,731_||_-_||_24,731_| |**Reconciliation of Funds**||||||||||||| |Total funds brought forward||140,593||-||140,593||_115,862_||_-_||_115,862_| |**Total funds carried forward**|£|70,064|£|-|£|70,064|_£_|_140,593_|_£_|_-_|_£_|_140,593_| Funds brought forward at 1 April 2022 included £43,820 in respect of work to be carried out during 2022/23. The company made no recognised gains and losses other than those reported in the income and expenditure account. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities. The notes on pages 21 to 26 form part of these financial statements page 19 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D |velope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D|||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |**NEW FAMILY SOCIAL**|||||| ||**Company registered number:**||||**07140510**| |**BALANCE SHEET AT 31 MARCH 2023**|||||| ||**Note**|**2023**|||**_2022_**| |||**£**|**£**||**_£_**| |**CURRENT ASSETS**|||||| |Debtors|9|**41,985**|||_92,219_| |Cash at bank and in hand||**54,810**|||_53,322_| |||**96,795**|||_145,541_| |**CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one**|||||| |**year**|10|**(26,731)**|||_(4,948)_| |**NET CURRENT ASSETS**|||**70,064**||_140,593_| |**NET ASSETS**||**£**|**70,064**|_£_|_140,593_| |**RESERVES**|||||| |Unrestricted funds|||**70,064**||_140,593_| |||**£**|**70,064**|_£_|_140,593_| In approving these financial statements as trustees directors of the charitable company we hereby confirm that: For the year ending 31 March 2023 the charitable company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. The members have not required the charitable company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476. The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts. These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime. ## **The accounts were approved by the board of trustees on 04 December 2023** ## Adam Barnes, Trustee The notes on pages 21 to 26 form part of these financial statements page 20 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES** ## **1. General information** New Family Social is a charity and company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales. Its registered office is 7 Bell Yard London WC2A 2JR. ## **2. Accounting policies** The principal accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows: ## **2a. Basis of preparation** The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) as amended by Update Bulletin 1 issued in February 2016, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011. New Family Social meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s). ## **2b. Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis** New Family Social has reported a deficit £70,529 for the year. The trustees are of the view that the immediate future of the charity for the next 12 to 18 months is secure and that on this basis it is a going concern. ## **2c. Taxation** The charitable company is exempt from taxation under sections 466 to 493 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010. page 21 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## **2. Accounting policies (continued)** ## **2d. Income** Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. Income from government and other grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred. For legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date on which either: the charity is aware that probate has been granted, the estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executor(s) to the charity that a distribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the charity has been notified of the executor's intention to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the charity or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is a treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material. Income received in advance of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met. ## **2e. Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT** Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activitiy headings: - Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of activities undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs. - Other expenditure represents those items not falling into any other heading. Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred. page 22 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## **2. Accounting policies (continued)** ## **2f. Funds** The Restricted Funds are restricted income funds given to the charity for specific purposes. They are expendable by the trustees in furtherance of particular projects within the charity objects. The Unrestricted Funds are funds expendable at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity. ## **2g. Pensions** The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme and the pension charge represents the amounts payable by the company to the fund in the year. ## **3. Income from donations and legacies** ||**Unrestricted**|**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Restricted**||**Total**|**_Unrestricted_**|**_Unrestricted_**|**_Restricted_**|**_Restricted_**||**_Total_**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||**Funds**||**Funds**||**2023**||**_Funds_**||**_Funds_**||**_2022_**| |||**£**||**£**||**£**||**_£_**||**_£_**||**_£_**| |Donations||9,841||-||9,841||_9,681_||_-_||_9,681_| |Grants||10,796||46,133||56,929||_69,460_||_11,476_||_80,936_| ||£|20,637|£|46,133|£|66,770|_£_|_79,141_|_£_|_11,476_|_£_|_90,617_| ## **4. Income from charitable activities** ||**Unrestricted**|**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Restricted**||**Total**||**_Total_**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||**Funds**|**Funds**|||**2023**||**_2022_**| |||**£**||**£**||**£**||**_£_**| |Subscriptions||86,766||-||86,766||_67,817_| |Events||14,281||-||14,281||_19,021_| |Training||3,055||-||3,055||_50,430_| |Other income||310||-||310||_-_| ||£|104,412|£|-|£|104,412|_£_|_137,268_| All the 2022 income was unrestricted. page 23 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## **5. Investment income** |**Investment income**||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**Unrestricted**||**Restricted**|||**Total**||**_Total_**| ||**Funds**||**Funds**|||**2023**||**_2022_**| |||**£**||**£**||**£**||**_£_**| |Bank interest receivable||419||-||419||_9_| ||£|419|£|-|£|419|_£_|_9_| |All the 2022 income was unrestricted.||||||||| ## **6 Charitable activities** |**Charitable activities**|||||||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**Unrestricted**||**Restricted**|||**Total**|**_Unrestricted_**|||**_Restricted_**|||**_Total_**| |||**Funds**||**Funds**|**Funds**|||**_Funds_**|||**_Funds_**||**_2022_**| |||**£**||**£**||**£**|||**_£_**||**_£_**||**_£_**| |Staff costs||144,707||47,379|192,086|||_162,924_|||_11,076_||_174,000_| |Other costs||47,789||-|47,789|||_28,377_|||_400_||_28,777_| |Governance||2,255||-||2,255|||_1,663_||_-_||_1,663_| ||£|194,751|£|47,379|242,130
£||_£_|_192,964_||_£_|_11,476_|_£_|_204,440_| |**Governance costs**|||||||||||||| |||||**Unrestricted**||**Restricted**||||**Total**|||**_Total_**| |||||**Funds**|||**Funds**|||**2023**|||**_2022_**| ||||||**£**|||**£**|||**£**||**_£_**| |Trustee meeting costs|||||200|||-|||200||_-_| |Independent examination|||||1,815|||-||1,815|||_1,650_| |Registered office fees|||||240|||-|||240||_-_| |Companies House fees|||||-|||-|||-||_13_| |||||£|2,255||£|-|£|2,255||_£_|_1,663_| 7 **Governance costs** ## **8 Transfer between funds** The transfer between funds was necessary because the salary increase for the staff working on this project was not covered by the grant. page 24 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D ## **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** |**9.**
**Debtors**
**2023**
**_2022_**
**£**
**_£_**
Trade debtors
33,978
_87,653_
Other debtors
2,640
_2,685_
Prepayments
5,367
_1,881_
41,985
£
_92,219_
_£_
**10. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year**
**2023**
**_2022_**
**£**
**_£_**
Trade creditors
3,490
_675_
Other creditors including taxation and social security
18,750
_1,724_
Accruals and deferred income
4,491
_2,549_
26,731
£
_4,948_
_£_
**11.**
**Net income**
**2023**
**_2022_**
**£**
**_£_**
Net income is stated after charging:
Independent examination fees
1,815
_1,650_
Staff costs (note 12)
187,004
_171,091_||**_2022_**
**_£_**
_87,653_
_2,685_
_1,881_| |---|---|---| |||_92,219_| ||**_2022_**
**_£_**
_675_
_1,724_
_2,549_
_4,948_
_£_
**_2022_**
**_£_**
_1,650_
_171,091_|**_2022_**
**_£_**
_675_
_1,724_
_2,549_| |||**_2022_**
**_£_**
_1,650_
_171,091_| page 25 DocuSign Envelope ID: D90FC4E5-5F39-4B81-A2B9-93ECD1FC2C3D **NEW FAMILY SOCIAL NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** ## **12. Staff costs and remuneration of key management personnel** The charity considers its Key Management Personnel to be the trustees and the Chief Executive. |Staff costs during the year amounted to:||**2023**||**_2022_**| |---|---|---|---|---| |||**£**||**_£_**| |Wages and salaries||172,248||_158,977_| |Social security costs||10,926||_8,811_| |Pension costs||3,830||_3,303_| ||£|187,004|_£_|_171,091_| The average number of employees during the year was 8 (2022 - 9). No employee earned more than £60,000 during the year. ## **13. Trustees expenses** The trustees neither received nor waived any emoluments during the year (2022 - £Nil) Trustees were reimbursed for travelling expenses. These amounted to £ - (2022 - £-) ## **14. Related parties** The trustee, Simon Mansfield-Sturgess is married to a member of staff and absents themself from decisions relating to their partner. The trustee, Jackie Fernandez, is the partner of a member of staff and absents themself from decisions relating to their partner. Trustees are related parties and their expenses are disclosed in the note above. These were £Nil and there were no other related party transactions for the year under review. page 26