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← Space

2024-03-31-accounts

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As a needs-led charity we remain 100% committed to ensuring our vital family support services remain free to all at the point of access. Our impact continues to span a range of free essential services and programmes, including our expanding bespoke SEND family support service, Lending SPACE Community Hub, in-person support groups, dynamic Facebook community and workshops and courses. We have also continued to expand our inclusive activities tailored for neurodivergent children, their siblings, and their families.

This year, we also made significant strides in further strengthening the financial sustainability of SPACE through the rapid growth of our paid-for professional services which enable us to support families as well as the NHS and the education system. By providing pre-diagnostic and diagnostic

services, we help families access needs-led support and faster referrals - bridging critical gaps in the system.

Our Alternative Provision Services, commissioned by Hertfordshire County Council and also available for private commissioning, are instrumental in supporting young people with complex needs and those awaiting special school placements. These services underscore our strategic commitment to evolving alongside the needs of our families whilst diversifying our income to support our charitable objectives.

In addition to local authority tenders and services income, we have been privileged to receive funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, trusts, foundations, companies, and individual supporters. Their generosity has enabled us to continue to grow whilst stabilising our operations and increasing our impact across our programmes and initiatives. This year, we expanded our team to 16 PAYE staff members. We are proud to be a Living Wage employer that embraces inclusivity, employing both parent-carers and neurodivergent individuals with diverse skills and abilities. Half of our team identify as neurodivergent and collectively parent 24 neurodivergent children. Their lived experiences bring unparalleled empathy and commitment to our mission.

We are equally grateful to our network of over 15 ad hoc support staff and regular volunteers, whose dedication is supported by ongoing training and development. Together, they form the backbone of our efforts to meet the evergrowing demand for our services.

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The coming year promises to be both challenging and exciting as SPACE continues to grow and innovate. Whether families need lighttouch support or complex, multi-agency assistance, we are uniquely positioned to deliver comprehensive, end-to-end solutions that empower neurodivergent children, young people, and their families to thrive. With a clear strategic vision, robust governance, and the tireless dedication of our staff and volunteers, we remain steadfast in our mission to be there when families need us most.

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Karen Spencer Nicky Chaperlin Lyn Heathcote Sharif

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We're here to empower and support local families with neurodivergent children and young people. We will listen to and help them however they need us to - no matter how big or small.

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1,031 families of neurodivergent children and young people received 1:1 support from our dedicated Family Support team

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1,955 families accessed individual advice appointments

We hosted 306 events and activities in inclusive settings

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Parents and carers booked to attend a SPACE Hertfordshire support group

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Our Alternative Provision service supported 67 families

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Lending SPACE supported loans of 4,352 items from our library of resources.

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The ‘SPACE Hertfordshire’ private Facebook Support Group enables over 9,700 parents and carers to get peer-based support from other families in Hertfordshire.

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Our Training team ran a total of 162 workshops and courses

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140 families accessed our Diagnostic Services including QbChecks, Dyslexia Screenings, Educational Psychology Consultations and Speech and Language Consultations

We create safe spaces to allow our children and young people to be their authentic selves through delivering an activities programme brimming with opportunities accessible to those who might not have access otherwise These exclusive events are designed to enhance learning, social interaction, and physical activity whilst having fun!

We hosted over 25 inclusive activities on a regular basis across Hertfordshire, ranging from sports to creative activities - siblings are welcome to take part, and many of the activities can be enjoyed by the whole family.

This year, we expanded our offerings to meet the growing demand by introducing new activities and bringing back some family favourites such as Doughnutting and Bell boating - working with Herts Disability Sports Foundation, Wellbeing Walks, Therapeutic farming, Roller Skating and Indoor Climbing.

We also continued our successful collaborations with the Hertfordshire Fire Service through their SEND open days and Hertfordshire Libraries with inclusive live theatre events hosted in their venues.

events hosted bookings hours of group in inclusive were made events and settings activities were facilitated Based on demand for holiday activities, we ran a programme of events over the summer children and young people attended in total holidays for the first time

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find our events and activities safe environments for their family to be themselves

feel more optimistic about the future

increased confidence

increased self-esteem

reduced anxiety

feel they contribute to their emotional wellbeing and support

feel they help them feel part of a community

feel less isolated

increased independence

increased general wellbeing

improved family relationships

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Partnered with the Herts and Middlessex Wildlife Trust to bring a series of outdoor events focused on connecting with nature and the natural environment to our families including wildlife walks, fire lighting, and animal mosaics.

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Responded to a fast growing number of young people unable to attend school due to anxiety, overwhelm and unmet needs. We initiated wellbeing walks for them during the school day in partnership with a clinical psychologist.

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Collaborated with a skilled art therapist to successfully introduce subsidised group art therapy sessions for some of our vulnerable parents and carers. The positive outcomes experienced by participants have led us to expand the programme with 6-week courses.

hours of SBLO activities were delivered

sessions of 1:1 therapeutic activities were delivered

parent / carer activities hosted

We were recommissioned by Hertfordshire County Council as a Short Break Local Offer (SBLO) provider. The children and young people who signed up to SPACE SBLO enjoyed group activities such as graffiti, aerial gymnastics and watersports and towards the end of the year an expanded offer which included 1:1 activities such as cooking, art, yoga, driving and mixed martial arts.

There continues to be a strong demand for our online and in-person 1:1 activities, designed to boost confidence and self-esteem in children and young people with SEND. These sessions help them transition into our inclusive group activities, encouraging social skills, new interests, and friendship. Sessions included 1:1 therapeutic yoga, art, cooking and martial arts.

At SPACE, we understand the highs and lows, the challenges and joys because we also live with and love children and young people who are neurodivergent. Recognising the need for parent/carers to have respite, a supportive environment, and opportunities to connect with others on a similar journey - we organised craft sessions, art therapy, and comedy nights with Joe Wells.

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Parent/Carer

Parent/Carer

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We were recommissioned by Hertfordshire County Council by the Transforming Care Team to run Your SPACE – a social care project supporting some of the most vulnerable children in our community. This is a project designed to enable children and young people on Hertfordshire’s Dynamic Support Register (DSR) to access recreational activities to meet their complex needs.

Using a highly tailored, person-centred, therapeutic approach, since launch in October 2021 SPACE has received:

referrals to date

hours of bespoke 1:1 activity respite has been successfully delivered to young people on the DSR with over

planned hours of delivery

Child B was referred to Your SPACE after her discharge from a CAMHS inpatient facility. In the initial meeting it was stated that Child B presented with severe anxiety, low mood, and self-harming behaviours (cutting and burning). She was electively mute, rarely speaking to family for over 3 years. She selfisolated in her bedroom, lacked motivation, had a poor appetite, and was not attending school. Her key worker stressed that any transition into activities required careful planning due to her anxiety and difficulties in engaging with others.

A transition meeting was held with key staff to discuss Child B’s needs, preferences, and communication preferences where it was agreed she would initially communicate through text on her mobile phone. Child B attended a CathARTic taster session, where she felt safe, comfortable, and understood to the point of verbally communicating with staff. During a subsequent inpatient stay at CAMHS, she expressed a desire to continue accessing CathARTic and on looking at the wider Your SPACE offer also showed interest in attending Therapeutic Hooves.

Upon discharge, Child B resumed attending CathARTic and is also now attending Therapeutic Hooves. The 1:1 nature of the activities has provided a safe and supportive environment for Child B to engage and build trust. Child B has continued to verbally communicate with key staff. She is responding positively to having meaningful structure and support after this discharge.

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Our Lending SPACE, commissioned by Hertfordshire County Council, serves as a Community Hub for SPACE families. Open three times a week for drop-in sessions, it offers parents and carers the opportunity to borrow equipment, enjoy a cup of tea, let children play, and connect with other parents. Our staff and volunteers provide advice, support, and a listening ear. To accommodate working families, we are also open on Saturday mornings. Additionally, our SPACE van is used to deliver equipment to families unable to visit in person. The hub welcomes our community and professionals, providing a versatile space for various family interventions.

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This year Lending SPACE supported loans of

items from our library of resources.

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Families tell us that their children feel safe and happy at Lending SPACE, which is essential for their wellbeing. The provision of sensory items and advice has enabled families to engage in activities like dining out and taking trips, which were previously challenging. The ability to try out resources has helped children prepare for important events, such as exams, with tools like weighted jackets.

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agree it provides a safe environment for their family to be themselves

Lending SPACE provides a community where parent/carers can share experiences and strategies, making them feel understood and less isolated. Parents and carers have the opportunity to meet others facing similar challenges, fostering a supportive network.

have tried resources that support their child’s needs

have saved money by being able to try resources

The ability to borrow and try expensive sensory items before purchasing has significantly helped families make informed decisions, saving money and reducing stress.

feel support from staff has made them more confident supporting their child’s needs

have gone on to buy resources they initially borrowed from Lending SPACE

families visited Lending SPACE over the course of the year (3,108 individuals)

deliveries and collections were made to families otherwise unable to access Lending SPACE to all areas of Hertfordshire

professionals including children’s centre family support teams, health visitors, social practitioners, SENCOs, nursery nurses and wheelchair services visited Lending SPACE

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We were recommissioned by Hertfordshire County Council to run workshops for parents and carers of neurodivergent children and young people, we also fund our own programme of workshops and courses so we are able to quickly respond to the current and changing needs of our families.

During this period we ran a total of

For over

We have made our online workshops more accessible by recording them and making them available for 7 days to any parent/carers who registered and then weren’t able to attend live. Since November 2023 these have been watched 1.7k times.

We ran workshops on

designed to support parents and carers better understand and support the needs of their children and young people.

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Our workshops and courses have a big impact on the parents and carers who attend them and on their children and young people, including:

feel better able to prioritise the needs of their child/young person

use tools and strategies at home to support their child/young person

better understand their child/young person’s neurodiverse condition

feel more empowered to advocate for the needs of their child/young person with friends and family

feel more confident discussing their child's neurodiverse condition with others

feel more empowered to advocate for the needs of their young person at their school or setting

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SPACE works with schools, settings and corporate clients to help support the needs of children, young people and adults with neurodiverse conditions. Our training is tailored to link in with the parent programmes we deliver and so brings a person-centered outcome. This year, we delivered 18 training sessions including to many private schools in Hertfordshire and a rolling training programme for Hertfordshire Libraries.

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Navigating the SEND World Navigating the SEND World Post 16 Autistic Girls Anxiety & SEND ADHD in Girls and Women Understanding Autism Understanding ADHD Anger & Conflict

Sensory, Signs, Signals and Solutions Sleep Workshop

Understanding and Supporting Executive Functioning Understanding Specific Literacy Difficulties Including Dyslexia

Understanding Dual Diagnosis: Autism and ADHD Puberty and SEND

Understanding and Supporting Emotional Regulation Access Arrangements

No Two Brains Are the Same. What is Neuro Diversity?

Navigating the SEND World Understanding Behaviour as Communication: A Therapeutic Approach

Tourettes

ECHP - New Applications EHCP - Annual Reviews

EHCP - Submission to Finalisation

Navigating the SEND World (Beginning the Journey) Talking SENse First Steps Sleep tight

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Our SEND Family Support team has continued to grow and adapt to meet the increasing and changing needs of our families. Our work now includes home visits, formal casework, intensive family support over extended periods, and the implementation of person-centred support plans tailored to family need.

Early intervention for neurodivergent children and supporting them during this critical stage of development is essential for their holistic development as well as their longterm mental health and wellbeing.

Responding to a 50% increase in the number of parents and carers of children under 5 contacting our Family Support team and the challenges they outlined, we developed and piloted our new 6 week First Steps course in October.

We have strong working relationships with other agencies enabling multi-agency support to identified families with clear responsibilities shared between SPACE and specialist services.

We also deliver SEND Champion work supporting and upskilling other Family Support Services including Hertfordshire’s Intensive Family Support Team, Social Workers, School Support Workers.

families supported

individual advice appointments

families supported through formal casework

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Our family support team won ‘Partner of the Year’ from CHEXS, a family support charity covering the Broxbourne area of Hertfordshire

of participants strongly agreed that the course helped them to: better understand their child’s neurodiverse condition, sensory needs, and communication preferences; and feel better equipped to support difficult behaviours.

We have now run 4 First Steps courses in different areas of Hertfordshire empowering 76 parent/carers.

“I don’t think it’s any exaggeration to say First Steps has transformed my relationship with my daughter. I understand her so much more and have a whole bucket load of ideas to help support her which I’ve also shared with her nursery and they have commented how helpful it’s been too. Nothing was too much for the trainers with lots of individual advice and perspective. I couldn’t recommend it more.”

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The ‘SPACE Hertfordshire’ private Facebook Support Group enables parents and carers to get peer-based support from other families in Hertfordshire.

Intensive Family Support CHEXS Team (Hertfordshire HABS County Council) Families First Integrated Services for Partnerships Learning (Hertfordshire PALMS County Council) CAHMS Special Needs Health Other statutory services Visitors including the NHS Health Visitors Police School Nurses Schools (Public and Social Prescribers Private sector)

Good evening, I’m really struggling at the moment - does anyone know where I can seek help with sensory overload and dysregulation?

It remains the biggest online SEND support group in the county with over 9,700 members and brings parent/carers and professionals together to share experience and support, increase understanding and reduce social isolation.

During the year we had over 2,000 members post on the group which includes sharing successes, asking questions, looking for advice or simply looking to offload, and over 28,000 supportive peer-to-peer responses.

Child L and their older sibling had both been waiting for autism/ADHD diagnoses for over 27 months, with no appointment in sight. Child L was experiencing mental health issues, school avoidance (EBSA), self-care difficulties, and challenging behaviours, including a restricted diet and controlling behaviours at home. Mum and dad struggled to get child L to attend school or engage socially with friends or family. Family relationships were deteriorating, with no external support from school or services. The family had previously accessed SPACE’s support, but challenges resurfaced after Christmas.

Participated in multi-agency meetings to develop a plan for mental health support and liaised with various health and service professionals to expedite the family's needs. Provided emotional support to the mother.

The mother has engaged in workshops and courses to better understand her child's needs.

Carer’s assessment is in progress, and mentoring support has been commissioned to help the CYP access school and community activities.

The family is now receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and enjoying more positive moments together.

SPACE continues to support the family alongside the IFST team.

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Aspect of the Family Support service parents and carers have found the most useful are:

Practical advice and strategies

Emotional support

Signposting and access to resources and services

Information about neurodiversity

say support from the Family agree support from the Support team has helped Family Support team has me… positively impacted emotional wellbeing

agree family relationships have improved thanks to advice and support from the family support team

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Our three in-person support groups that run monthly across the county in Croxley Green, Welwyn Garden City and Hoddesdon, provide safe, nurturing environments for parents and carers to connect, share experiences, and access valuable resources. As well as providing practical peer-based advice and support their primary purpose is often to support the mental health and wellbeing of these caregivers. During this period we have had

parents and carers book on to these groups.

The impact on the mental health and wellbeing of parent/carers who attend the support groups is clear. Feedback has shown:

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Strongly agree Strongly agree Strongly agree Agree Agree Agree

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As we work with neurodivergent children and young people, providing safe and inclusive community based initiatives is of great importance to SPACE.

This year we have launched SPACE to Grow, our new allotment project providing activities and horticultural therapy. After a successful pilot and with support from volunteers, families and local businesses we have transformed a neglected, overgrown plot that we took on in March 2023.

We have installed a shed, greenhouse, and compostable toilet. Picnic tables, seating, a fire pit and a gazebo create social space. We have created flower and vegetable beds and a pumpkin patch. Raised beds accommodate wheelchair users. A sensory garden with windchimes, fragrant plants, and colourful garden decorations is a calm area, whilst our mud kitchen is a fun play space for neurodiverse children and their siblings.

We also participated in Feel Good Week focused on mental health and connection with the outdoors running a conservation and irrigation session on the allotment for children and young people not currently able to attend school.

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We have maintained our team of regular event and Lending SPACE volunteers at 14 and focused on their development and increasing their voluntary time with SPACE.

In total just under 50% of all staff hours at our events and activities was donated by volunteers equating to a saving of £2,200 for the charity over the course of the year.

We have developed an ongoing programme of ‘litebite’ training for volunteers to support them in their own ‘professional development’ – professional boundaries, safeguarding, managing tricky situations and photography. We have had 70% attendance at these sessions.

We have started to work with our community to source more specialist skills where required for example working with a local printer as their Charity of the Year so they produce all our flyers and other marketing materials (such as running vests) at cost.

We have 6 volunteer ‘caretaker’ families for our SPACE to Grow allotment and have 4 additional regular volunteers working purely on the allotment making things, fixing things and advising us.

We have built opportunities for local businesses to volunteer on our allotment and have had corporate volunteering days donated from ASOS, Schneider Electric and Volker Fitzpatrick.

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This year, we regularly attended group meetings and conferences to give a voice to our community and ensure their needs are met.

Early Years Network meetings Early Years SEND Conference DSPL meetings Cluster meetings

We continue to be particularly focused on strengthening our relationships with local schools and have attended many school coffee mornings to talk with parent/carers about SPACE as well as being actively involved in Hertfordshire's Autism in Schools Programme.

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We take pride in being an active member of our community. By participating in SENCo forums, we ensure that schools are aware of SPACE and can direct parents accordingly. We attended information stands organised by the local authority, DSPL’s (Delivering specialist provision locally) community halls and local businesses such as Tesco,

participated in Purple Tuesday in Welwyn Garden City, worked with local councils to deliver Neurodiversity Celebration Week campaigns and delivered presentations to Rotary clubs, community interest groups, and local residents groups to provide the local community with information about SPACE and neurodiversity.

To build on collaborative opportunities to support our community, we also attended events organised by other community interest groups and charities.

The team have visited Family Centres, Homestart sessions, schools, colleges and play groups to speak with staff and parents about SPACE and offer support to individuals experiencing challenges.

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We have made significant strides in enhancing access to our Lending SPACE resources. Through our outreach efforts, we are able to extend our support to a wider audience, reaching more families and professionals. This allows them to recommend us to parents/carers who need us. This year, we have made

deliveries and collections to

different areas - new areas reached include: Bengeo, Broxbourne, Croxley, Hatfield and Royston

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In its first year of operation, SPACE Hertfordshire’s Alternative Provision has grown from strength to strength, firmly establishing itself as a trusted resource for families in need of tailored educational support. At the heart of everything we do are children and young people, with every decision made focused on what is best for them. By putting families at the centre of all decisions, we ensure a bespoke package of support is created to meet each child or young person’s individual needs.

Our dedicated Specialist Alternative Provision team works closely with families, taking a flexible approach to design child-centred plans that aim to achieve the best and most consistent outcomes. Through open communication, we ensure that families are involved every step of the way, offering a solution tailored to each unique situation.

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Tutoring for children with SEND Speech and Language Therapy 1-1 Therapeutic and Therapy sessions 1-1 activities Individual Support (mentoring)

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Supported

Delivered

Equating to

Worked intensively with 11 children and young people, each accessing over 100 hours of support. Two of the families supported are refugees, both facing learning difficulties and navigating the English education system.

Delivered support across a range of Special Educational Needs (SEN), including Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD), Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD), Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) challenges, and an increasing number of children and young people experiencing Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA). Sessions primarily focused on tutoring or reengagement, tailored to the appropriate level for each child or young person, in alignment with professional reports, Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), etc. Most sessions were commissioned by Hertfordshire County Council

We are looking to expand our therapy services to provide more holistic support for children and young people.

Therapeutic and therapy options currently offered include Therapeutic Farming, Drawing and Talking Therapy, Mentoring (for primary-age children), Music Therapy, Therapeutic Music, Golf, and Fishing.

Young person A transitioned to secondary school with her peers in year 7 and initially seemed to adjust well. However, by the second half of the Autumn Term, A began struggling, and her school attendance dropped sharply. By Christmas, she was unable to attend school at all. A was on the autism pathway and although she was performing academically, she was unable to cope with the larger school environment. Her mum reported that she had previously been in a small primary school that tried to meet her needs. However, in secondary school, A isolated herself, struggling to engage with the outside world at all - even with her favourite activity, horse riding.

We began working with A and her family in February, starting with a home visit from our Alternative Provision (AP) manager and the Specialist Teacher (ST) who would be delivering our re-engagement programme. The goal was to establish a trusted adult relationship that could potentially support A’s transition back to school or whatever other suitable path felt right in the future. A was at the centre of all planning and decisions. Sessions were tailored around A’s needs and interests, with the ST taking her lead on activities. Together, they worked on various hands-on projects, including:

Origami, following written instructions.

Creating a business plan, with website and material design ideas.

Planning a gardening project in her family’s garden.

Baking many cakes and cookies, including researching recipes and ideas and visiting a local shop for ingredients.

The ST allowed A to dictate the pace and duration of each session, focusing on projects that encouraged engagement and confidence. Initially, her family funded one hour per week of sessions, which increased to two hours due to progress. We also supported the family with a school meeting to request session funding while A's Education, Health, and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) was in process, providing detailed reports and guidance. Funding was secured just before the summer holidays.

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As we continue to secure the ongoing financial stability of the charity we are developing our professional services that support families as well as the NHS and the Education system.

In our first full year of providing these services 140 families accessed our QB Checks, Dyslexia Screenings, Speech and Language or Educational Psychology Consultations

All our assessments and consultations are followed up with a comprehensive report from our specialists.

We were accredited to run QbCheck – an ADHD assessment tool - in 2023.

Administered by clinical psychologists, this service launched in March 2023 and 75 individuals completed the QbCheck in 2023/24.

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QBChecks Educational Psychology Consultations

Dyslexia Screenings Speech and Language Consultations

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The work we do wouldn’t be possible without our supporters. Our diverse fundraising portfolio encompasses corporate donors, grant funding and community fundraising initiatives.

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Michell went the extra mile(s) for SPACE, quite literally. In April, Michell completed a 25k walk around Windsor... two months later she stormed her way through a 50k hike, taking on the hills of the Lake District and super boosted her fundraising with a tremendous 100k trek from Putney to Henley-on-Thames in September.

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Millie and Freddie are both neurodivergent and they and their families have accessed lots of SPACE events and activities. It was their own idea to raise some money! The money raised was kindly triplematched by Cazenove Capital.

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Just 10 days out from the race - Leonie and her friend, Lauren, set out on a fundraising mission for SPACE. The duo trained super hard together and what a journey it was - they flew past their fundraising target, raising over double of the original target.

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Joss: “I am running the Royal Parks Half Marathon in support of SPACE. My daughter and family have received so much support and I would like to show my appreciation.”

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The a cappella vocal group presented ‘Mamma Mia’ with songs and words for Mother’s Day including poetry reading and folksongs.

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Hanbury Manor Golf Club hits another hole-in-one! Member swung into action, raising an astounding amount of money. A further £500 was match-funded by wealth management company, Cazenove Capital, bumping the total figure up to £11,750.

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Families were on the lookout for Santa Claus, thanks to the Rotary Satellite Club of Welwyn Garden City, which brought festive cheer and raised funds through a Santa sleigh tour and collections in November and December.

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Tractors on Tour supported SPACE through a special ‘Tractors on Tour’ road trip - the fundraiser revved up a brilliant £1,823.29 for SPACE on New Year's Eve!

39 tractors of all colours and sizes were raring to go with their SPACE-coloured balloons, rosettes, and logos for the tour across Brickendon, Hoddesdon, Stanstead Abbotts, and Ware.

There was tremendous excitement in our neighbouring towns, with the SPACE colours paraded proudly and huge smiles on our community's faces.

The day ended perfectly with a raffle as drivers and supporters enjoyed food and drink at the Farmers Boy pub, soaking up New Year's Eve festivities.

We were overwhelmed by the support from Tractors on Tour, their families, our families, and community members who showed up along the route or at one of the pub stop-offs.

A special thank you to Tractors on Tour for selecting SPACE as their charity of the year, and a huge thank you to everyone for making this event possible - The Jolly Fisherman, The Farmers Boy, our staff, and volunteers.

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Reduction in social isolation of vulnerable families through:

Improving and advancing the knowledge, understanding and skills of parent/carers and professionals.

The direct beneficiaries of the charity are Hertfordshire families with children and young people on the autistic spectrum and/or ADHD and other neurodiverse conditions either with or without diagnosis. Other beneficiaries include the wider community, extended families and professionals also working within the SEND field. The beneficiaries of the charity are in direct keeping with the charity’s aims, objectives and constitution.

The section of the public that can benefit are not unreasonably restricted by geographic location. Although the organisation is a Hertfordshire-based charity as stated in the constitution, the trustees considered the following to ensure maximum accessibility.

The public benefits of the organisation closely reflect and adheres to the charity’s Aims, Objects and Constitution. The trustees ensure the charity remains focused on these principles in all decision making.

The charity benefits are balanced against detriment or harm. The trustees are fully aware of the need and demand from the public on the charity’s services therefore the charity must grow to meet this demand. However, the trustees must ensure this pace of growth is realistic and not be in detriment of the team and volunteers running the organisation. SPACE Registered Charity England and Wales no: 117 2178 Supporting Families in Hertfordshire - Autism ADHD and other Neurodiverse Conditions.

People in poverty are not excluded from the opportunity to benefit.

Any private benefits are incidental.

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Registered charity number: 1172178

Charity’s principal address: Unit 5 The Maltings Business Centre

Stanstead Abbotts Ware, Herts SG12 8HG

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity: Lyn Heathcote Sharif (Chair) Mark Wilson (Treasurer) Dr Sharmishtha Sarkar Donna Chamberlain Victoria Kemp Polly Kerr

Type of governing document: Constitution SPACE is constituted by CIO with voting members other than charity trustees. The trustee selection method is elected by trustees and voting members.

Financial review: Statement of the charity’s policy on reserves

Reserves are held exclusively for the furtherance of the Charitable Objectives. None of the Charity’s reserves may be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise by way of profit to any member of the Charity. The Charity will hold a minimum of 4 months in way of reserve.

Declaration: The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above - signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

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Lyn Heathcote Sharif Mark Wilson Dr Sharmishtha Sarkar Donna Chamberlain Victoria Kemp Polly Kerr

SPACE

Financial Statements

For the Year Ending 31 March 2024

SPACE is a registered charity: Registration number 1172178

SPACE

INDEX TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2024

CONTENTS PAGE
Statement of Financial Activities 1
Balance Sheet 2
Notes to the Financial Statements 3-5

SPACE

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2024

NOTES
INCOMING RESOURCES
Total income for the period
2
TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES
RESOURCES EXPENDED
Administration, Management, Cost of Activities etc.
TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED
NET INCOMING RESOURCES FOR THE YEAR
ADJUSTMENT
FUNDS BROUGHT FORWARD
FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
6, 7, 8		 RESTRICTED
£
409,988.50
409,988.50
362,482.21
362,482.21
47,506.29
0.00
72,760.30
120,266.59		 UNRESTRICTED
£
412,659.51
412,659.51
360,762.91
360,762.91
51,896.60
0.00
135,672.80
187,569.40		 2024
£
822,648.01
822,648.01
723,245.12
723,245.12
99,402.89
0.00
208,433.10
307,835.99		 2023
£
456,085.33
456,085.33
425,676.01
425,676.01
30,409.32
0.00
178,023.78
208,433.10

Page 1

SPACE

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31st MARCH 2024

NOTES
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible Fixed Assets
3
CURRENT ASSETS
Total Current Assets
4
CREDITORS
Amounts falling due within one year
5
NET CURRENT ASSETS (LIABILITIES)
NET ASSETS
FUNDS
Unrestricted Funds
6
Restricted Funds
7
TOTAL FUNDS		 2024
2023
£
£
7,554.47
12,154.07
410,130.33
289,525.50
410,130.33
289,525.50
109,848.81
93,246.47
300,281.52
196,279.03
307,835.99
208,433.10
187,569.40
135,672.80
120,266.59
72,760.30
307,835.99
208,433.10

The accompanying notes form an integral part of the accounts

Page 2

SPACE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2024

1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES

a) Basis of Preparation and Assessment of Going Concern

The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts. 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) issued on 16 July 2014 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.

b) Income and Expenditure

Income and Expenditure is recorded on the accruals basis.

c) Depreciation

Depreciation is calculated on the straight line basis at rates which are intended to write off the cost of the assets over their estimated useful lives, and is itemised as follows:

Plant and machinery and office equipment 33%
Fixtures and fittings 33%
Motor vehicles 33%

d) Leases

Rental costs under operating leases are charged to the income and expenditure account in equal annual instalments covering the period of the leases.

e) Fund Accounting

Grants and similar income which are subjected to restrictions by the donors are shown as restricted funds and any expenditure incurred will be set off against this fund. All other income and expenditure is shown as unrestricted.

Page 3

SPACE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2024

2
3
4
5		 FUNDING RECEIVABLE (INCLUDING GRANTS)
Total funding income received
Total
FIXED ASSETS
Furniture
Office
and
Equip
Fixtures
£
£
Cost
At 1 April 2023
0.00
2,166.76
Additions
4,610.74
6,021.00
Disposals
0.00
0.00
At 31 March 2024
4,610.74
8,187.76
Depreciation
At 1 April 2023
0.00
977.85
Charge for the year
1,536.91
2,729.27
Depreciation on disposals
0.00
0.00
At 31 March 2024
1,536.91
3,707.12
Net book value
At 31 March 2024
3,073.83
4,480.64
At 31 March 2023
0.00
1,188.91
CURRENT ASSETS- Cash & Bank Balances & Debtors
Cash and Bank Balance
Debtors, Prepayments & Accrued Income
Total
CREDITORS- Amounts Falling Due Within One Year
Trade Creditors
Accruals and Deferred Income
PAYE, Social Security and Other Taxes		 Motor
Vehicles
£
32,695.50
0.00
0.00
32,695.50
21,797.00
10,898.50
0.00
32,695.50
0.00
10,898.50		 2024
2023
£
£
419,698.50
331,828.60
419,698.50
331,828.60
Plant
Total
and
Machinery
£
£
200.00
35,062.26
0.00
10,631.74
0.00
0.00
200.00
45,694.00
133.34
22,908.19
66.66
15,231.34
0.00
0.00
200.00
38,139.53
0.00
7,554.47
66.66
12,154.07
2024
2023
£
£
323,380.21
286,226.50
86,750.12
3,299.00
410,130.33
289,525.50
2024
2023
£
£
1,225.22
716.66
108,623.59
92,529.81
0.00
0.00
109,848.81
93,246.47

Page 4

SPACE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2024

6
7
8
9		 UNRESTRICTED FUND
Opening Balance
Surplus (Deficit) for the Year
Revaluation adjustment
Closing Balance
RESTRICTED FUND
Opening Balance
Surplus (Deficit) for the Year
Revaluation adjustment
Closing Balance
ANALYSIS OF NET FUNDS
Tangible Fixed Assets
Net Current Assets
Total
STAFF NUMBERS
Total Staff Costs for the Year
Average Number of Paid Staff		 Restricted
£
299.99
119,966.60
120,266.59		 2024
2023
£
£
135,672.80
72,805.89
51,896.60
62,866.91
-
-
187,569.40
135,672.80
2024
2023
£
£
72,760.30
105,217.89
47,506.29
(32,457.59)
-
-
120,266.59
72,760.30
Unrestricted
Total
£
£
7,254.48
7,554.47
180,314.92
300,281.52
187,569.40
307,835.99
2024
2023
£
£
299,822.55
205,906.41
2024
2023
14
12

Page 5

SPACE

INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Incoming Resources
Funding
Donations
Event Income
Other Services Income
Outgoing Resources
Bank Charges
Bookkeeping and Accounting
Core Costs
Equipment
Event Costs
Cost of Other Services
General Expenses
Insurance
IT Software and Consumables
Motor Vehicle Expenses
Other Costs
Printing, Postage, Stationary
Refreshments
Removal costs
Rent & Rates
Repairs & Maintenance
Salaries
Pension Costs
Employers NIC
Staff Training
Subscriptions
Telephone & Internet
Travel Costs
Depreciation Expense
Surplus / (Deficit)
Funds
Opening balance
Surplus / (Deficit) for year
Closing balance		 Restricted
£
409,988.50
0.00
0.00
0.00
409988.50
0.00
392.00
27,301.41
8,211.85
92,157.83
0.00
0.00
2,112.27
734.88
320.00
1,213.47
706.83
556.72
0.00
27,384.84
0.00
171,523.38
3,218.92
9,351.20
980.00
0.00
0.00
4,862.52
11,454.09
362,482.21
47,506.29
72,760.30
47,506.29
120,266.59		 Unrestricted
£
9,710.00
61,553.27
38,706.85
302,689.39
412659.51
191.46
3,219.00
6,224.17
2,065.26
16,999.94
167,026.37
0.00
3,498.39
8,188.14
0.00
1,756.36
1,009.41
2,219.98
0.00
14,678.98
0.00
105,670.30
2,376.97
7,681.78
1,444.60
3,044.50
3,834.62
5,855.43
3,777.25
360,762.91
2024		 2023
Total
Total
£
£
419,698.50
331,828.60
61,553.27
44,211.80
38,706.85
50,229.01
302,689.39
29,815.92
822648.01
456085.33
191.46
229.93
3,611.00
3,652.00
33,525.58
28,812.39
10,277.11
3,934.16
109,157.77
94,628.25
167,026.37
21,473.98
0.00
0.00
5,610.66
4,800.06
8,923.02
2,633.27
320.00
290.00
2,969.83
2,421.25
1,716.24
1,334.50
2,776.70
2,173.61
0.00
1,185.60
42,063.82
27,063.38
0.00
0.00
277,193.68
194,413.10
5,595.89
3,317.81
17,032.98
8,175.50
2,424.60
360.00
3,044.50
1,663.95
3,834.62
2,497.66
10,717.95
8,928.19
15,231.34
11,687.42
723,245.12
425,676.01
51,896.60 99,402.89
30,409.32
135,672.80
51,896.60
187,569.40		 208,433.10
178,023.78
99,402.89
30,409.32
307,835.99
208,433.10

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

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Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ SPACE members of

On accounts for the year Charity no ended 31/03/2024 (if any) 1172178

Set out on pages 1-5

Respective The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in responsibilities of accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). trustees and examiner

The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Act and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given examiner’s statement by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and

consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

examiner's statement

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

Date: 19/11/2024

Signed: Name: KEITH JONES

1

IER

May 2018

Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):

Address:

46 CROSSWAY WELWYN GARDEN CITY AL8 7EE

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

2

IER

May 2018