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2023-03-31-accounts

United for a Better Childhood

Annual report & accounts 2022-23

Company Number : 00952717

www.ncb.org.uk / @NCBtweets

Contents

Foreword ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 5 The NCB family .............................................................................................................................. 6 Our achievements in 2022-23 ....................................................................................................... 9 Looking ahead .............................................................................................................................. 13 Trustees’ annual report ................................................................................................................ 15 Financial review ............................................................................................................................ 21 Statement of financial activity ..................................................................................................... 33 Notes to the financial statements ............................................................................................... 36

© National Children’s Bureau – June 2023

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

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Foreword

From our Chair

As the National Children’s Bureau celebrates its 60[th] year, I have a deep sense of pride in everything our charity has achieved since it was set up by our founder Mia Kellmer Pringle in 1963.

While this report looks at what we have achieved in the last year, and our anniversary gives us the opportunity to celebrate improving outcomes for children over 60 years, the job of the NCB board is to remain steadfastly focused on how we are improving childhoods today and how we will evolve to meet fresh challenges in the coming years.

In 2022-23 there were a number of important milestones for NCB in our mission to promote the wellbeing and rights of

children across the country.

We played an important part in reforms to children social care, supported better practice in SEND provision, and we won a Children and Young People Now Award for our work with the Raising Rochdale Integrated SEND Team.

The golden thread running through our achievements has been the voices and experiences of children, young people and families themselves. One notable example was facilitating a meeting between care-experienced young people and the Secretary of State for Education, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and the Children’s Commissioner for England.

We also started the process of developing our strategy to take NCB forward over the coming years, using our expertise and evidence to decide what our priorities must be to address the multifaceted challenges faced by children, recognizing the increasing complexities of their lives in an ever-changing world.

This strategy, and the work detailed in this annual report, emphasise that NCB is as relevant today as it has ever been.

Alison O’Sullivan Chair

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From our CEO

Our recent work has all taken place in the shadow of a cost-of-living crisis, ongoing recovery from COVID restrictions and the ever-increasing pressures on the systems that are struggling to provide services facing inflationary costs on top of cuts. All these factors present enormous challenges to babies, children, young people and their families.

We know that in times of financial hardship, these services are more important than ever, so we have strived to enable more efficient ways of delivering support, based on the best available evidence.

Our rapid review of research relating to early help, strenuously made the case for early intervention social care services as a means of both improving outcomes and saving money in long-term. The report featured prominently in the once-in-a-generation review of children’s social care conducted by Josh MacAlister.

And as that Review gathered evidence, we convened sector leaders, the Minister for Children and Families, senior officials, and care experienced young people at a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Children to galvanise support for Family Help for vulnerable children and families.

Of course, high-quality services are only possible with a high-quality workforce to deliver them. Our support for the people working in the children’s sector included important work with the RISE Partnership to develop the What Works in SEND Knowledge Hub, ensuring that evidence on effective approaches drives the delivery of SEND services.

One of our specialist membership groups, the Anti-Bullying Alliance, has provided continuing professional development opportunities to over 45k participants, significantly improving their ability to respond to bullying amongst children.

Our work on behalf of Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP), working with parents and young children in some of the poorest parts of the London Borough of Lambeth, has engaged with thousands of families through local community events, including support with the rising costs of living.

I hope you enjoy reading about these achievements in the pages to follow.

Anna Feuchtwang Chief Executive

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Introduction

In 2023, the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) celebrates its 60[th] anniversary.

Founded by Mia Kellmer Pringle in 1963, her vision was to bring people and organisations together to drive change in society and deliver a better childhood for the UK. Working on the fundamental principle of radical co-operation, Mia gathered health services, education providers, children’s services – everyone with a stake in the care of neglected children – to share insights and make things work better.

This simple, powerful approach still defines us today.

We identify the most serious issues putting our children and young people at risk, and we bring people and organisations – from Parliament to the playground, grass roots organisations to national charities, academics and policymakers – together to drive change in society and deliver a better childhood.

We interrogate policy, uncover evidence and develop better ways of supporting children and families. We work in every local authority in England and across the sector in Northern Ireland. We are experts in place-based system change, where we work intensively in a defined geography to drive improvements in outcomes for children.

These ways of working are part and parcel of NCB’s identity, and they are written large in both our achievements in 202-23 and our plans for taking our work forward in the coming years as we create a better childhood for all children.

This Annual Report details our achievements and aspirations, we hope you find reading about them inspiring for your own work and encourages you to engage with us in our shared mission to improve the lives of babies, children, young people and families.

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The NCB family

Every member of the NCB family unites people and organisations to drive change on particular issues and help deliver a better childhood for the UK.

Anti-Bullying Alliance

The Anti-Bullying Alliance’s vision is to stop bullying and create safer environments in which children and young people can live, grow, play and learn.

Highlights in 2022-23 included:

Childhood Bereavement Network

The Childhood Bereavement Network is the hub for people supporting grieving children and those caring for them across the UK. We underpin our member’s work with essential support and representation.

Highlights in 2022-23 included:

Find out more about our work at: childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk

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Council for Disabled Children

The Council for Disabled Children drives change in society to deliver a better childhood for disabled children.

Highlights in 2022-23 included:

Find out more about our work at: councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk

Lambeth Early Action Partnership

The Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP) works to give thousands of children aged 0-3 living in parts of Lambeth a better start.

Highlights in 2022-23 included:

Find out more about our work at: leaplambeth.org.uk

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Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum

This year saw the closure of the longstanding Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum (NIABF) following the end of our funding from the Department of Education.

For 18 years, this unique partnership has brought together statutory and voluntary sector organisations to co-create campaigns, resources, and training to help reduce bullying.

NIABF’s many achievements include:

Schools Wellbeing Partnership

The Schools’ Wellbeing Partnership is a national network of more than 50 member organisations working together to improve the wellbeing and mental health of all children in education.

Highlights in 2022-23 included:

Find out more about our work at: schoolswellbeing.org.uk

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Our achievements in 2022-23

Making evidence count

Ensuring decisions affecting children and young people are based on sound research about what works is one of our top priorities. Through our leadership role in the sector, NCB made a far-reaching and demonstrable impact on children’s lives through our policy, public affairs and campaigning activity.

Key highlights included:

Our research highlights this year included:

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Amplifying the voices of children and families to make policy more relevant and to improve services.

Overall, NCB has increased the amount of work we deliver, and the number of children and young people we work with, as well as their families, and built a strong position for 2023-24.

Key highlights included:

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Bringing organisations together

NCB has used it convening power to unite all those who can help us put the best interests of children first. We have continued to convene key opportunities for collaboration both through the development of informal cross-sector-partnerships, as well as more formal specialist membership groups on: mental health and wellbeing; anti-bullying; special educational needs and disabilities; bereavement; vulnerable children; and the early years.

NCB has led the way in facilitating information and innovation sharing between stakeholders at all levels including communities of practice, online forums for those working on specific areas, and regional action learning sets focused on building capacity and developing stakeholder relationships at a local level.

Key highlights included:

Developing the workforce

We are determined to train and equip an up-to-date and skilled workforce to deliver a better childhood throughout the UK. This year, NCB has provided expert advice and training for the children’s workforce, equipping people and services with the knowledge and skills to deliver the changes that make childhood better.

Key highlights included:

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Growing respect and trust

Our work puts into practice our core governance principles of leadership, integrity, transparency and accountability.

Key highlights included:

Strong governance

Flexible and supportive culture

Financial responsibility

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Looking ahead

The challenges facing babies, children, young people and families are as pressing today as they were when NCB was founded in 1963. Consequently, the National Children’s Bureau’s is busy planning its work for 2023-24, in order to further its aim to improve childhoods. These plans are centred around the five strategic outcomes that constitute what we do.

Outcome 1: Influencing legislation, policy and practice to ensure it’s based on high quality evidence about what works for children

Outcome 2: Enabling children and young people to actively participate in

decision making and influence change

Outcome 3: Bringing organisations together to put the best interests of children first

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Outcome 4: Developing a workforce that is knowledgeable and skilled to make positive changes for children

Outcome 5: Building respect and trust as a pioneering and high-performing charity

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Trustees’ annual report

Incorporating the Directors’ Strategic Report and Administrative Report for Companies Act Purposes.

The Trustees of the National Children’s Bureau present their Annual Report for the Year Ended 31st March 2023 under the Charities Act 2011 and the Companies Act 2006, including the Directors’ Report and the Strategic Report under the 2006 Act, together with the audited financial statements for the year.

Administrative information

Board of Trustees

Alison O’Sullivan Chair Elizabeth Railton, CBE Vice-Chair Robert Whelan Treasurer

Rose Akinsulire

Emma Beeden

Yvonne Campbell

Ajit Dhaliwal

Bethan Hoggan

Catriona Hugman Fergal McFerran

Sarah Mullen

Jadesola Olusanya

Kathryn Pugh Shubhi Rajnish Nainan Shah

Members of the Board of Trustees under charity law are also Directors of the charitable company for the purpose of company law.

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Independent committee members

Marjorie James People & Culture Committee Sheena Parker Finance, Risk & Audit Committee Laura Sercombe People & Culture Committee Judith Worthy Finance, Risk & Audit Committee

Strategic leadership team

Anna Feuchtwang Chief Executive Dame Christine Lenehan Strategic Director - Practice and Programmes Celine McStravick Strategic Director – External Affairs (to December 2022) Phil Anderson Strategic Director – External Affairs (from March 2023) Rachel Rand Chief Operating Officer

Advisors

Auditors

Sayer Vincent LLP Invicta House 108-114 Golden Lane London EC1Y 0TL

Bankers

Barclays Bank PLC 1 Churchill Place London E14 5HP

Investment managers

CCLA Investment Management Ltd 80 Cheapside London EC2V 6DZ

The National Children’s Bureau (NCB) was registered as a charity in 1969 (charity number 258825), although it was founded in 1963 as the National Bureau for Cooperation in Child Care. NCB is also a company limited by guarantee (registration number 952717) and has a subsidiary trading company, National Children’s Bureau Enterprises Ltd (registration number 2633796).

NCB’s Registered Office is at 23 Mentmore Terrace, Hackney, London, E8 3PN

NCB was established for the public benefit in order to advance the well-being of children and young people in particular by (but not limited to):

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For the purposes of carrying out these objects, NCB’s Articles of Association expect it to promote and organise cooperation and partnerships and to influence and inform policy, practice and service development by bringing together voluntary organisations, statutory authorities, individual professionals and all those concerned with the well-being of children and young people.

The liability of members in respect of the guarantee, as set out in the Articles, is limited to £1 per member of the company.

Governance and management

The Board is ultimately accountable for NCB’s strategic and financial sustainability and growth and that this is achieved through an organisational culture based on integrity, accountability and transparency. With this, NCB is committed to upholding its organisational culture and values in-line with the seven principles of the Charity Governance Code (updated 2020):

NCB’s Board of Trustees and Strategic Leadership Team reflect these standards across practices, function and behaviours, conscious of the fact that the organisational culture is influenced and embedded from these levels. The Governance Code is also embedded across NCB particularly with regard to setting the foundations for the governance objectives and outcomes in the organisational strategy 2018-2023.

As set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association, NCB’s Board of Trustees comprises a maximum membership of fifteen, including the Chair, Vice-Chair, and Treasurer and at least

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two Trustees must be under the age of 25 years at the time of appointment to fulfil NCB’s young governance requirements. The maximum size of the Board of Trustees exceeds the Governance Code’s recommended maximum in recognition of the fact younger trustees are at a stage in life where they typically have less control over their time so are less likely to be able to attend all meetings.

Each Board member serves a maximum of two terms each of three-years, with the possibility of a one-year extension at the end of their second term in exceptional circumstances. At Yearend 31st March 2023, the Board membership was fifteen with the above requirements met.

Over the reporting period there has been no change in the membership of the Board.

The Board remains fully committed to promoting an inclusive approach recognising that a more diverse Board better supports its leadership, effectiveness and decision making from harnessing a broader range of perspectives and that lived experience is as equally valuable as professional expertise. The Board seeks to continuously develop and enhance its structures and ways of working to support inclusivity. As part of the process, the Board periodically reviews its collective membership and individual expertise, lived experience and development requirements. Annual one to ones are held with each Trustee and either the Chair or ViceChair and external effectiveness reviews are undertaken periodically to obtain independent assessment and advice.

A detailed independent assessment of board effectiveness was completed last year that concluded that NCB demonstrates an impressive breadth and depth of compliance with the recommendations held within the Charity Governance Code for Board effectiveness.

The Board has continued to seek ongoing improvement through the year, implementing a number of the minor recommendations made in the independent assessment report including updates to committee terms of reference and formalising the recruitment of chairs of subcommittees.

Operating virtually in response to the COVID-19 pandemic confirmed that the Board could work effectively in this way whilst acknowledging not all benefits of spending time together in person can be fully replicated in an online environment. After a thorough review of its arrangements the Board has adopted a hybrid model in future with sub-committee meetings and half of full Board meetings being held virtually to improve accessibility, reduce time commitments and minimise costs.

The Finance, Risk and Audit Committee (FRAC) ensures that NCB is compliant in its financial obligations, auditing standards and legal requirements of regulatory bodies, including the Charity Commission, through an appropriate framework of policies, processes and controls.

The People and Culture Committee is focused on all matters pertaining to ‘people’ including Board membership, succession planning, Trustee recruitment, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and delivery of key strategic objectives set out in NCB’s People Plan. .

The Board may establish advisory groups to support the development of strategic objectives. The Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) continues its work to support the diversification of NCB’s income generation.

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Senior pay

NCB aims to ensure that all staff are paid on a grade appropriate to the nature of the work and the experience, knowledge and skills needed to carry out the job within the organisation.

NCB also aims to ensure that all jobs are at a pay level which is reasonable when compared with the external market pay ranges for the charity and civil service sectors. The grades of all roles are assessed as part of NCB’s job evaluation process, with the exception of the Chief Executive’s and Directors’ salaries which are proposed by the People and Culture Committee of the Board of Trustees for determination by the Board of Trustees.

Fundraising

NCB has not contracted the services of professional fundraisers or commercial participants.

NCB benefits as one of four recipients from donations secured by Childlife, a consortium charity whose methods include door-to-door, street fundraising and payroll giving. All activity lines are rigorously observant of industry recognised, best practice in ethical fundraising.

We delegate our low-level individual giving because our work does not lend itself to a large scale, fundraising opportunity with the general public. Accordingly, the advice we give to those wishing to fundraise on our behalf, is offered on a case-by-case basis, with Institute of Fundraising best practice in mind.

NCB and Childlife are registered with the Fundraising Regulator. No complaints have been received about our fundraising activities.

Risk and internal control

The Trustees continue to review the risks facing NCB group, controls in place and mitigating actions being taken using the organisation’s general statement of risk appetite with its corresponding set of principles around generally acceptable levels of risks.

The Trustees remain of the view that appropriate control procedures are in place to manage risks and that the systems of financial control comply in all material aspects with the guidelines issued by the Charity Commission.

guidelines issued by the Charity Commission.
Risk Key mitigating actions
Financial:
Cost inflation, rising energy prices and rising
employment costs will all put pressure on
operating margins, especially in multi-year
contracts where increased costs cannot be
passed on to the funder.
NCB’s financial operating model requires the
organisation to be of a certain size to cover
fixed operating costs. A failure to secure a
sufficient level of funding and a lack of		 •Retention of financial planning with
extended, five-year, time horizons.
•Staff pay bands linked to benchmark
reflecting triennial market rate analysis.
•Multi-year development strategy in
operation to focus on areas with most
potential for income growth and
diversification.

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diversification of income increases the risk of
operatingdeficits erodingfree reserves.
Delivery:
As we have moved beyond the initial
reliance on virtual delivery necessitated by
the pandemic a significant proportion of
virtual delivery has continued with funders
and end users becoming more discerning.
We must continuously evolve our digital
offer to ensure we maintain delivery of the
highest quality.		 •Dedicated Digital team expanded to
support in selection, integration and
adoption of digital solutions as well as
providing ongoing support of current digital
tools.
•Project costing tools regularly revised and
updated to accurately reflect the costs of
high-quality virtual delivery.
•Detailed evaluations undertaken to
establish impact of deliveryas well as reach.
People:
Success in securing a number of significant
new pieces of work in the last months of
2022/23 brings great opportunities but also
presents risks including insufficient
resourcing and over-utilisation of our staff
leading to reduced wellbeing, burn-out,
increased staff turnover and erosion of
workplace culture.		 • Overall headcount growing with resource
in the People & Culture team increased to
support the high level of recruitment.
• Ongoing clear two-way communication
with staff ensuring feedback from staff is
considered at all stages as well as staff being
made aware of the range of support
available to them from regular meetings with
line managers through to the Employee
Assistance Programme
•Extended reporting on staff turnover, exit
interview findings and induction
experiences.
• Planned development and
implementation of a detailed recruitment
and retention strategy to improve
efficiency and effectiveness, ensuring
levels of flexibility that match our
emergingoperatingmodel.

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Financial review

Understanding NCB’s finances

Leading partnerships

We are entrusted by our funders to convene and lead many programmes in partnership with other organisations. To simplify how these larger projects are managed, funders often require that we receive and disburse income to partners.

Crucially, this means that just £8.2m this year goes to NCB’s core activities, and £6.0m of that to ongoing areas of work.

----- Start of picture text -----
Income in NCB’s
Accounts £10.9m
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
Partners £2.7m
LEAP £2.2m
NCB’s ongoing
programmes
£6.0m
----- End of picture text -----

All income received that we manage must, for technical accounting reasons, be classed as NCB’s own income - even though much of it is not ultimately spent by NCB. Our income figure may therefore give an overly inflated perspective of how much funding we can truly spend at our discretion.

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NCB’s structure

NCB is a unifying voice in the sector and our core family of membership networks play a vital role to help us achieve our charitable mission.

The £8.2m 2022/23 net income above is broadly broken down as follows:

Net Income £8.2m

----- Start of picture text -----
LEAP £2.2m
----- End of picture text -----

Council for Disabled Children £3.0m

Anti-Bullying Alliance £0.5m Childhood Bereavement Network £0.1m

Other NCB Programmes £2.4m

NCB’s unrestricted income

Our accounts show £4.6m of “Unrestricted” income this year. Counter-intuitively most of the income labelled “Unrestricted” is not at our discretion to spend, as it relates to contractual income for specific services, where all the costs of delivery must be met from this income. Accounting standards dictate that these very real limitations on discretion to spend do not constitute ‘restrictions’ for accounting purposes.

While this may give the impression that we have a large sum of money to cover discretionary costs or projects we choose to undertake, in fact, only £102k (1% of our income) was given to us with free choice as to how we spend it, alongside £87k of investment income generated.

NCB’s reserves and reserves policy

NCB’s Trustees maintain a reserve policy in line with the Charity Commission’s best practice.

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Risks and Requirements

The Trustees have adapted a benchmarked framework to assess risks to the organisation, informed by the organisation’s risk register, and considered the possible financial impacts that these may have, alongside anticipated requirements to spend funds. The most material items are:

NCB’s Current Reserves

The £1m of restricted funds held are merely funds given in advance, and ring-fenced, by funders for agreed projects. The majority of our reserve funds shown are the value of our office property and other fixed assets (£4.5m); this value is tied up in the property, providing office space and reducing our running costs, and not available as cash to use. We have designated funds where we expect upcoming obligations, commitments or plans; currently to cover strategic investment in meeting evolving needs, as well as to continue to improve our digital delivery, quality and consistency, and for VAT and other costs relating to the property purchase (totalling £0.7m).

Most of our free reserves are from a one-off event, being the net proceeds from selling our previous freehold office; unlike some charities, the funds are not from donors who expect these to be spent to achieve impact swiftly. With only around £100k of truly unrestricted income each year (plus interest earned from time to time), it is also extremely difficult to rebuild any reserves that are spent. As NCB’s mission involves systemic improvement across a wide-range of themes, we do not have an ambition to spend reserves to “complete” this mission at any foreseeable point in the future. Trustees therefore take a rightly prudent view on retaining these free reserves where possible. Free reserves currently stand at £2.7m, and are therefore to cover the risks and requirements set out above, over a practically unlimited time frame.

Trustees consider £1m of free reserves an absolute minimum and we would explain here if reserves fell below this. Our reserves are currently safely above this. Our largest programme, LEAP, is due to conclude in 2024/25 and will drive some transition, legacy and knowledge management costs over the next few years. We expect the funding climate to remain

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challenging, meaning covering necessary in-year costs fully may be difficult. The defined benefit pensions scheme closed towards the end of this year, removing a very large financial risk from NCB. In this new context, and with a new five-year strategy being developed, trustees will use the next period to review whether some further reserves can be safely utilised for investing in NCB’s long-term future. We will continue to seek funding for all programmes, including funding for developing new solutions to emerging needs.

Summary for the year under review

2022/23 sees NCB come towards the end of a five-year strategy. We have developed a new five-year financial model and development plan, as we move towards a new strategic period. The plan is designed to grow and strengthen the diversity of income as we meet evolving and emerging needs, maintaining economies of scale and value. The focus on financial balance has seen us break-even this year (as in the previous three years), matching unrestricted income and expenditure, and maintaining our strong reserves. Our aim is to continue to do so in future years.

The result seen in the financial statements can be broken down as follows:

There was a small operating surplus on unrestricted funds (excluding the pension scheme) of £0.03m (2022 £0.1m), representing an important continuation of running at break-even whilst maintaining investment in income generation for future years.

Net income on operational restricted funds was £0.5m, reflecting merely the timing of spend on grant funded projects.

This resulted in the net of NCB’s assets and current liabilities being strengthened to £8.9m (2022 £8.4m) and free reserves strengthened to £2.7m (2022 £1.8m), which included the release of the remaining designated pension reserve no longer required. NCB is therefore in a strong financial position, with free reserves above the policy minimum set out above, a significant property asset and a strategic plan for income generation to continue this strong financial performance in the years ahead.

Alongside this positive result and position, NCB’s overall net assets increased from £4.9m to £9.0m due to the elimination of the long-term pension liability (2022 £3.5m) on exiting the scheme.

Financial performance

Income

As expected, overall income decreased during the year from £12.4m in 2021/22 to £10.9m. Unrestricted income reduced to £4.6m (£5.7m in 2021/22), reflecting mainly the ending of the IASP contract. Restricted income lessened from £6.7m to £6.3m, reflecting particularly the change in activity in our ‘A Better Start’ programme for National Lottery Community Fund. Outside of these the charity continues to hold a number of government contracts for the

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future and has secured significant grants for its projects and research from a range of government, trust and other sources.

Expenditure

Expenditure decreased in line with the changes in activity on our major contracts and grants, as expected and outlined above, from £12.9m last year to £11.1m this year. Following a review of planned expenditure in the final two years of the ten-year LEAP programme, a financial shortfall was identified. Trustees agreed to allocate an additional £550k of expenditure to unrestricted funds in the year, to ensure that the desired outcomes of the programme can be achieved in full.

Financial position

NCB’s total reserves increased from £4.9m at the start of the year to £8.9m at the end of the year. NCB has a strong general funds position (£2.7m) retained in line with the reserves policy by virtue of the break-even performance in the year and the release of designated funds after the removal of pension risk, alongside further funds designated to meet specific needs or risks in the near future. In addition, total assets, less current liabilities of £8.9m (£8.4m 2022), includes the funds invested in our main London office.

Other matters

Leasehold property

Trustees have retained a small amount of designated funds to allow for some necessary enhancements to our main London office, as set out in note 16 to the accounts.

Pension fund

As at 30[th] November 2022 NCB closed its defined benefit pension scheme to future accrual. This impacted 17% of staff, but enabled us to proceed with an overall exit from the scheme, operated by South Yorkshire Pension Authority. In line with the scheme rules this triggered a cessation valuation and in the actuary’s assessment, and as agreed to by both parties, no further payment was due to or from either party on closure. NCB no longer has any obligation to the scheme, with no active employee members, and the scheme responsible for meeting all obligations to pensioners and deferred members. The scheme actuary’s assessment was based on the valuation at 30[th] November 2022, was agreed by both parties in March, and paperwork formally signed-off in May 2023.

Going concern

As is normal in the preparation of accounts, Trustees are required to determine whether the accounts are to be compiled on a going concern basis. All organisations will be placing

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increased scrutiny on this exercise in light of the impact and future economic influences caused by the Covid-19 virus.

The sale of the freehold property, and subsequent investment in a new property put NCB in a strong reserves and cash position. This took place alongside restructuring, subsequent years of break-even financial performance in running our charitable activities and the establishment of a medium-term financial strategy to strengthen the diversity of our income while continuing to break-even each year. This plan began to strengthen our finances in 2022/23 and will do so further in the years ahead.

NCB currently holds £2.8m of free reserves (in excess of designated funds), which meets the reserves policy set out above, including in light of the impacts from the Covid-19 disruption described above, and assures the Board of Trustees we can meet any risks that become issues, and puts NCB in a good position for the coming period.

Taking all these factors into consideration Trustees believe it is reasonable to expect that NCB will generate sufficient resources to finance its operations for the foreseeable future and believe there are no material uncertainties that call into doubt the charity’s ability to continue. Accordingly, the accounts have been prepared on the basis that the charity is a going concern.

Subsidiary

National Children’s Bureau Enterprises Ltd exists to manage, as and when appropriate, conference and lettings programmes, various funding activities and support services for other charities. The majority of work has largely been stopped, and the residual, incidental trading activity handled within the charity itself, resulting in no turnover or profit in the company for the year, as was the case in the prior year. The company was dormant throughout the financial year. Any profit made by NCB Enterprises’ is gift-aided to the charity.

Joint Venture

Childlife is a joint venture between four charities, with NCB therefore having an equal 25% share of voting rights. NCB recognised income of £100,000 from Childlife in the year.

Investment policy

NCB’s investment policy is to limit investment in more volatile assets and to keep key reserves in cash deposits. The Trustees continue to monitor this approach to investment, to ensure the best use of the significant funds from the sale of the freehold property. This is the role of the Finance, Risk and Audit Committee which is chaired by the Treasurer, with the Chair attending as an observer, and with the Chief Executive and the Chief Operating Officer in attendance.

The Committee advises the Board on investment policy to ensure risk, return and liquidity are balanced in the best interests of the charity and, where necessary, will seek independent external advice. In addition, it recommends to the Board the proportion of its investments to

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be held in longer term funds against maintaining prudent cash, or cash equivalent, balances, or retaining for use directly on charitable activities, infrastructure and operations.

The risk appetite of the policy above makes it unlikely we will invest significantly in this area, but for any future investment in equities and other financial products, the charity will continue with an ethical investment policy, including avoiding companies with more than 50 per cent of their turnover in gambling, tobacco or armaments. The Committee will also advise the Board on maintaining a reasoned ethical approach, and will seek to take external advice to set this against the need for proper returns on new funds.

Statement of responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Strategic Report, the Trustees’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards) and applicable law. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of its net incoming resources for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue to operate.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Insofar as each of the trustees of the company at the date of approval of this report is aware there is no relevant audit information (information needed by the company’s auditor in connection with preparing the audit report) of which the company’s auditor is unaware. Each trustee has taken all of the steps that he/ she should have taken as a trustee in order to make himself/herself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditor is aware of that information.

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

27

Compliance with statutory requirements

The financial statements have been prepared in compliance with current statutory requirements, the Memorandum and Articles of Association and the Statement of Recommended Practice ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities’ (SORP FRS 102) issued under the auspices of the Charity Commission.

Funders, stakeholders and sponsors

We would like to express our grateful thanks to government departments, charitable bodies, companies and individuals for their considerable support in financing NCB’s activities.

Auditors

Sayer Vincent LLP has indicated its willingness to be reappointed statutory auditor. This Annual Report of the Trustees, under the Charities Act 2011 and the Companies Act 2006, was approved by the Board of Trustees on 28th June 2023, including approving in their capacity as company directors the Strategic Report contained therein, and is signed as authorised on its behalf by:

Alison O’Sullivan Chair National Children’s Bureau Company Number: 952717

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28

Independent Auditor’s Report

Independent auditor’s report to the members of National Children’s Bureau

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of National Children’s Bureau (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 March 2023 which comprise the statement of financial activities, balance sheet, statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). In our opinion, the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on National Children’s Bureau's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

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29

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other Information

The other information comprises the information included in the trustees’ annual report, including the strategic report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees’ annual report including the strategic report. We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

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30

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the statement of trustees’ responsibilities set out in the trustees’ annual report, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud are set out below.

Capability of the audit in detecting irregularities

In identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, our procedures included the following:

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

31

financial statements or that had a fundamental effect on the operations of the charity from our professional and sector experience.

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities . This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company's members as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Not yet signed

Joanna Pittman (Senior statutory auditor)

Insert Date

For and on behalf of Sayer Vincent LLP, Statutory Auditor

Invicta House, 108-114 Golden Lane, LONDON, EC1Y 0TL

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

32

Statement of financial activity

(Incorporating an Income and Expenditure Account)

Year ended 31[st] March 2023.

Notes
1 & 2
Income from:
Donations and legacies
Charitable activities
Other trading activities
Income from investments
Total
Expenditure on:
1, 3 & 6
Raising funds
Fundraising
Charitable activities
Operating pension scheme
movements in year
17
Total
Net income (expenditure)
Other recognised gains / (losses):
Actuarial gains on defined benefit
pension scheme
17
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward		 Restricted
Funds
£'000
135
6,160
-
-
6,295
-
5,805
-
5,805
490
-
490
592
**1,082 **		 Unrestricted
Pension
Reserve
£'000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
744
744
(744)
4,219
3,475
(3,475)
-		 Unrestricted
Other
Funds
£'000
102
4,422
4
87
4,615
39
4,542
-
4,581
34
-
34
7,826
7,860		 2023
£'000
237
10,582
4
87
10,910
39
10,347
744
11,130
(220)
4,219
3,999
4,943
8,942		 2022
£'000
209
12,178
4
2
12,393
35
12,555
349
12,939
(546)
3,999
3,453
1,490
4,943

Notes 1 to 19 form part of these financial statements

Full comparative figures are shown in note 18.

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

33

Balance sheet

As at 31[st] March 2023.

Notes
Fixed assets:
Tangible assets
1 & 6
Shares in subsidiary undertaking
9
Total fixed assets
Current assets:
Debtors
11
Notice deposits
8
Cash at bank
Total current assets
Liabilities:
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
12
Net current assets
Total assets less current liabilities
Defined benefit pension scheme liability
Total net assets
16
The funds of the charity:
Restricted Funds
1 & 14
General Funds (Free Reserves)
1 & 15
Designated Unrestricted Funds
1 & 15
Unrestricted pension reserve
18
Total charity funds		 2023
£'000
4,454
-
4,454
1,794
522
4,989
7,305
(2,817)
4,488
8,942
-
8,942
1,082
2,741
5,119
8,942
-
8,942		 2022
£'000
4,613
-
4,613
1,389
512
5,216
7,117
(3,312)
3,805
8,418
(3,475)
4,943
592
1,775
6,051
8,418
(3,475)
4,943

Notes 1 to 19 from part of these financial statements. The net result for the period ending 31 March 2023 was a surplus of £4.0m (2021 surplus of £3.5m). The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the trustees on 28[th] June 2023 and were signed on their behalf by:

Alison O’Sullivan, Chair National Children’s Bureau Company number 952717

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34

Cash flow statement

For year ended 31[st] March 2023.

Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash used in operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities
Interest from investments
Purchase of leasehold property and equipment
Net cash provided by investing activities
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period
Analysis of cash and cash equivalents
Cash in hand
Notice deposits
Total cash and cash equivalents
Reconciliation of cash flows from operating activities
Net expenditure for the reporting period (as per the Statement of Financial Activities)
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges
Decrease in creditors
Increase in debtors
Interest receivable
Pension reserve net expense, excluding actuarial gains
Net cash used in operating activities		 2023
£'000
(251)
87
(53)
34
(217)
5,728
5,511
2023
£'000
4,989
522
5,511
2023
£'000
(220)
212
(495)
(405)
(87)
744
(251)		 2022
£'000
(1,656)
2
(156)
(154)
(1,810)
7,538
5,728
2022
£'000
5,216
512
5,728
2022
£'000
(546)
205
(1,599)
(63)
(2)
349
(1,656)

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

35

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31[st] March 2023.

1. Accounting policies

Statutory information

National Children's Bureau (NCB) is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, incorporated in the United Kingdom. The registered office address and principal place of business is 23 Mentmore Terrace, London, England E8 3PN.

Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standards applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) - Charities SORP (FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note.

In applying the financial reporting framework, the Trustees have made a number of subjective judgements, for example in respect of significant accounting estimates. Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. The nature of the estimation means the actual outcomes could differ from those estimates.

Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects the current and future periods.

Details of the main accounting estimates can be found in the notes to the accounts. The valuation of the defined benefit pension scheme is in note 17.

The trustees do not consider that there are any sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period.

Public benefit entity

The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

36 National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

Going Concern

After making enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue its activities for the foreseeable future. Accordingly they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements as outlined in the Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities.

Consortium charity

NCB is one of four charities in the field of childcare which receive grants from the consortium undertaking, Childlife. The grants are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities with Donations and appeals. Under the SORP the accounts of Childlife do not have to be consolidate. Financial details are set out in note 10.

Income

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and that the amount can be measured reliably.

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 the provision of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.

Fund accounting

Restricted funds are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which meets these criteria is charged to the fund.

Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources received or generated for the charitable purposes.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular purposes.

37 National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

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 activity headings:

NCB is a partially-exempt body for VAT purposes. Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.

Delivery partners

Expenditure subcontracted, or managed on, to partners is recognised to the same policy as expenditure above, or when funds are passed on, as a grant, as agreed.

Allocation of support costs

Resources expended are allocated to the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity. However, the cost of overall direction and administration of each activity, comprising the salary and overhead costs of the central function, is apportioned on a basis consistent with the budgeted use of the resources. Support services are allocated by income or by full-time equivalent staff.

Support services includes chief executive office, facilities, finance, human resources and equipment depreciation.

Governance costs are the costs associated with the governance arrangements of the charity. These costs are associated with constitutional and statutory requirements and include any costs associated with the strategic management of the charity’s activities including trustees, audit and general legal expenses.

Operating leases

Rental costs under operating leases are charged to the SOFA in equal amounts over the period of the leases.

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

38

Tangible fixed assets

Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £500. Depreciation costs are allocated to activities on the basis of the use of the related assets in those activities. Assets are reviewed for impairment if circumstances indicate their carrying value may exceed their net realisable value and value in use.

Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows:

100 years 20 years 3 to 5 years 7 years

Investments

Investments in subsidiaries are at cost.

Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term liquid investments with a short maturity of one month or less from the date of acquisition or opening of deposit or similar account.

Notice deposits

Notice Deposits are liquid investments with a notice period greater than one month.

Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the group has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

39

Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.

Pension costs

For part of the year NCB was an admitted body of the South Yorkshire Pension fund (SYPF), which is a defined benefit scheme. Employer's contribution to the pension scheme, which are made in accordance with consulting actuaries' periodic calculations to spread the cost of pensions over the employees' working lives, are charged in the year in which they become payable.

A cost of pension is calculated by the actuaries to comply with the accounting standard FRS 102 allocated to activities in proportion to employer contributions.

Employers' contributions are also made to a defined contribution scheme, managed by Standard Life, and employees' personal pensions. These are charged in the year in which they become payable.

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

40

2. Income

. Income
Donations and legacies
Charitable activities
Government grants
National Lottery Community
Fund grants
Other project grants
Other income
Other activities
Income from investments
Bank and other interest
receivable		 Restricted
£'000
135
1,087
4,546
525
-
-
-
6,293		 Unrestricted
£'000
102
-
-
-
4,422
4
87
4,615		 2023
£'000
237
1,087
4,546
525
4,422
4
87
10,908		 Restricted
£'000
78
1,053
5,104
472
-
-
-		 Unrestricted
£'000
131
-
-
-
5,549
4
2		 2022
£'000
209
1,053
5,104
472
5,549
4
2
6,707 5,686 12,39
3

Government grants are for project delivery work secured by a bidding process. Significant items are shown in note 14.

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

41

3. Expenditure

Raising funds
Fundraising
Charitable activities
Support Services
Governance costs
Expenditure before
pension scheme movements
Comparative figures for the prior
year
Raising funds
Fundraising
Charitable activities
Support Services
Governance costs
Expenditure before
pension scheme movements		 Staff
£'000
33
4,742
478
-
5,253
Staff
£'000
33
4,845
514
-		 Staff
£'000
33
4,742
478
-
5,253
Staff
£'000
33
4,845
514
-		 Delivery
partners
£'000
-
2,675
-
-
2,675
Delivery
partners
£'000
-
5,027
-
-		 Other
expenses
£'000
6
1,659
764
29
2,458
Other
expenses
£'000
2
1,423
704
42		 Support
services
£'000
-
1,271
(1,242)
(29)
-
Support
services
£'000
-
1,260
(1,218)
(42)		 Support
services
£'000
-
1,271
(1,242)
(29)
-
Support
services
£'000
-
1,260
(1,218)
(42)		 2023
£'000
39
10,347
-
-
10,386
2022
£'000
35
12,555
-
-
5,392 5,027 2,171 - 12,590
Support Services
Facilities
Human resources
Finance
Management
Governance costs
Trustees' expenses		 2023
£'000
675
183
266
118
1,242
2023
£'000
2		 2022
£'000
657
174
251
136
1,218
2022
£'000
-

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

42

Auditors' remuneration (excluding non-governance services listed
below)
Other expenses
Restricted
£'000
Expenditure includes
Depreciation
0
Auditors' remuneration - Statutory audit current
year provision
-
- Statutory audit (over) provision prior year
- Project audits prior and current years
6
- Other work
-		 25
2
29
2023
£'000
212
25
-
6
-		 22
20
42
2022
£'000
205
23
(1)
4
-

Non-staff expenditure on governance and support services (including auditors' remuneration) shown includes partially irrecoverable VAT (where charged by suppliers) according to the balance of business and non-business, and exempt, activity supported. For 2022-23 62% of this VAT was irrecoverable (2021-22 58%), i.e. adding 12.4% (2021-22 11.5%) to relevant costs.

4. Delivery partners

LEAP (Lambeth Early Action Partnership)
IASP (Independent Advice and Support Partnership)
Early Years SEND Partnership
Other		 2023
£'000
2,285
-
376
14
2,675		 2022
£'000
2,582
1,892
553
-
5,027

NCB works in partnership to achieve the aims of its programmes; amounts shown here are subcontracting, or passing on and over-seeing the use of funding, where there is a high degree of visibility for other organisations to the ultimate funder. NCB worked with 89 organisations in this way in the year (2022: 202).

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

43

5. Staff and trustees

Staff costs
Salaries and wages
Social Security costs
Staff pension costs
Average head count staff numbers
Full-time staff
Part-time staff
Staff earning over £60,000
between £60,000 and £70,000
between £70,000 and £80,000
between £100,000 and £110,000		 2023
£'000
4,372
485
396
5,253
2023
number
91
23
114
7
1
1		 2022
£'000
4,499
471
422
5,392
2022
number
92
21
113
5
1
1

The key management personnel of the Charity, comprise the Trustees, Chief Executive, Chief Operating Officer, Strategic Director - Practice & Programmes Director and Strategic Director - External Affairs (only part of the year). The total employee remuneration and benefits received by the four key management personnel were £357k (2022 five £435k).

In compliance with recommendations for disclosure from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), NCB has chosen to disclose the full-time equivalent, gross salaries of the senior leadership team at 31 March 2023, which were:

were:
Role 2023 2022
Chief Executive £ 106,689
£ 105,196
Chief Operating Officer £ 79,640
£ 78,196
Strategic Director - Practice & Programmes £ 78,701
£ 77,038
Strategic Director - External Affairs £ 80,363
£ 65,597

The Strategic Director - External Affairs role was relocated to London during the year and appointed at the 23/24 salary level. The other Strategic Director and Chief Operating Officer's salaries were also aligned to this point on 1st April 2023.

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

44

No remuneration is payable to trustees. Travel and accommodation expenses totalling £ 2,326 (2022: none) were reimbursed to five trustees, reflecting an increased return to in-person meetings in London.

Trustee Indemnity Insurance £896 (2022: £896) was purchased in the year.

6. Tangible fixed assets

Cost
Cost as at 1 April 2022
Additions
Disposals
Cost as at 31 March 2023
Depreciation as at 1 April 2022
Charge
Disposals
Depreciation as at 31 March 2023
Net book value as at 31 March 2023
Net book value as at 31 March 2022		 Leasehold
property
Furniture and
equipment
Total
4,628
645
5,273
15
38
53
-
(94)
(94)
4,643
589
5,232
247
413
660
99
113
212
-
(94)
(94)
346
432
778
4,297
157
4,454
4,381
232
4,613

7. Operating lease commitments

The Charity has annual commitments under non-cancellable operating leases expiring as follows:

Due within one year
Land and buildings
Equipment
2 to 5 years
Equipment
. Notice deposits
Notice deposits
Barclays		 2023
£'000
2
-
3
5
2023
£'000
522		 2022
£'000
2
2
-
4
2022
£'000
512

8. Notice deposits

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

45

9. Shares in subsidiary undertaking

This represents NCB's holding of 100 ordinary shares of £1 each, which is a 100% interest , in the share capital of National Children's Bureau Enterprises Limited, a company registered in England and Wales (no. 2633796) and a wholly owned subsidiary of the charity. Financial statements are filed with the Registrar of Companies.

The company has been dormant for the whole financial year. The net assets brought and carried forward are £5k, with the debtor due from the charity, NCB. An audit was not performed.

Activity may start up again in future, through letting of the new office, or from other emerging fundraising approaches.

10. Joint venture

Childlife is a joint venture between four charities, with NCB therefore having an equal 25% share of voting rights. The information below shows the full activities, liabilities and assets, of which NCB has a 25% interest. The 25% share of these amounts are not consolidated into NCB's financial statements. NCB recognised income of £100,000 from Childlife in the year. Notes 1 and 13 provide further information on our relationship.

Income
Expenditure
Net income
Distribution to member charities
Net movement in funds
The aggregate of assets, liabilities and funds was:
Assets
Liabilities
Net assets
Total funds		 2023
£'000
1,290
918
372
(400)
(28)
506
(111)
395
395		 2022
£'000
1,174
945
229
(320)
(91)
478
(55)
423
423

Prior year figures are restated, with no impact elsewhere in these accounts.

11. Debtors

1. Debtors
Trade debtors
Other debtors and prepayments
Accrued income (unrestricted)
Accrued income (grants due for projects)		 2023
£'000
823
109
393
469
1,794		 2022
£'000
662
17
292
418
1,389

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

46

12. Creditors falling due within one year

Trade Creditors
Social Security and other taxes
Pension contributions
Amount due to subsidiary undertaking
Other creditors and accrued charges
Income received in advance
Income received in advance in respect of 2022/23
Services and other income		 2023
£'000
458
548
35
5
1,274
497
2,817
B/fwd
1 Apr 2022
£'000
272
272		 Received
2023
£'000
4,840
4,840		 2022
£'000
946
612
16
5
1,461
272
3,312
Income
2023
£'000
4,615
4,615		 C/fwd
31 March
2023
£'000
497
497

13. Related party transactions

NCB Enterprises Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of NCB, also registered at 23 Mentmore Terrace, London E8 3PN) did not trade in 2022-23.

The amount owed from the parent company at 31st March 2023 was £5,374 (2022: £5,374). Further details are shown in note 9.

Celine McStravick was a director of Childlife to December 2022 and Lawrence Walker was a director from March 2023; a consortium which donated £100,000 to NCB during 2022-23. No donations were received from any other related parties.

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

47

14. Restricted funds

4. Restricted funds
Project and Unit funds
Project
Funder
Early Years SEND
Department for
Education
United Against Bullying
Department for
Education
Other Grants from
Government Departments
Lambeth Early Action
Partnership
National Lottery
Community Fund
London Borough of
Lambeth
REAL in Lewisham
Charity of Sir Richard
Whittington
Other grants and income
Other funds		 B/fwd
1 April
2022
£'000
-
-
35
96
117
150
171
569
23
592		 Income
£'000
657
230
200
4,546
-
121
541
6,295
-
6,295		 Expense
s
£'000
(657)
(230)
(199)
(3,982)
(117)
(78)
(542)
(5,805)
-
(5,805)		 C/fwd
31 March
2023
£'000
-
-
36
660
-
193
170
1,059
23
1,082

Comparative figures for prior year


Project and Unit funds
Project
Funder
Early Years SEND
Department for
Education
United Against Bullying
Department for
Education
Other Grants from
Government Departments
Lambeth Early Action
Partnership
National Lottery
Community Fund
London Borough of
Lambeth
REAL Programme
Education Endowment
Foundation
REAL in Lewisham
Charity of Sir Richard
Whittington
Other grants and income
Other funds		 B/fwd
1 April
2021
£'000
-
-
160
55
117
221
113
227
893
23
916		 Income
£'000
772
146
135
5,104
-
50
116
384
6,707
-
6,707		 Expense
s
£'000
(772)
(146)
(260)
(5,063)
-
(260)
(79)
(451)
(7,031)
-
(7,031)		 C/fwd
31 Mar
2022
£'000
-
-
35
96
117
11
150
160
569
23
592

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

48

All restricted funds represent grants for specific projects, as agreed with the funder in an application process and carried forward to continue the agreed project, with the exception of the £135k of donations shown on the Statement of Financial Activities and Note 2 (£78k in 2021-22, shown in note 18), which were mainly given by individuals in response to our AntiBullying Week campaign, or by organisations to our Special Education Consortium.

15. Unrestricted other funds

Designated funds
Fixed asset fund
Strategic priorities fund
Capital Goods Scheme fund
New building fund
Pension fund
General Funds (Free Reserves)
Group - unrestricted funds before
pension reserve
Comparative figures for the prior year
Designated funds
Fixed asset fund - designated element
Strategic priorities fund
Capital Goods Scheme fund
New building fund
Pension fund
General Funds (Free Reserves)
Group - unrestricted funds before
pension reserve		 B/fwd
1 Apr
2022
£'000
4,613
400
323
68
647
6,051
1,775
7,826
B/fwd
1 Apr
2021
£'000
4,661
400
375
68
416
5,920
1,779
7,699		 Income
£'000
-
-
-
-
4
4
4,611
4,615
Income
£'000
-
-
-
-
4
4
5,682
5,686		 Expenses
£'000
(212)
(76)
-
-
(78)
(366)
(4,215)
(4,581)
Expenses
£'000
(205)
-
-
-
(44)
(249)
(5,310)
(5,559)		 Allocation
s and
Transfers
£'000
54
-
(51)
-
(573)
(570)
570
-
Allocation
s and
Transfers
£'000
157
-
(52)
-
271
376
(376)
-		 C/fwd 31
March
2023
£'000
4,455
324
272
68
-
5,119
2,741
7,860
C/fwd 31
Mar 2022
£'000
4,613
400
323
68
647
6,051
1,775
7,826

The fixed asset fund represents the net book value of tangible fixed assets; our office building and its contents, as well as our laptops and systems.

The new building fund is set aside to fund the remaining costs for the fit-out, maintenance and enhancement of our main London office property.

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

49

The capital goods scheme fund is set aside for any additional expense of recovered VAT during the ten-year period of the capital goods scheme that NCB is required to run regarding expenditure on the new leasehold property. This represents NCB's full exposure through the period.

The strategic priorities fund is set aside for investment in the coming year (or just beyond) in the transition, knowledge management and legacy of our 10 year LEAP programme as it starts to come to an end, enhancing our digital capabilities and programme management, strengthening the diversity and scale of our income, adapting to new needs for our expertise and celebrating and involving children and young people in NCB's 60th anniversary, as well as continuing to manage the cost of inflationary pressures.

General funds represent the net of accumulated surplus and deficits of income and expenditure after transfers to designated funds.

16. Analysis of net assets / (liabilities) between funds

Restricted Funds
Unrestricted - Designated funds
- General funds
Net Assets before Pension Reserve
Pension Reserve
Group Net Assets		 Tangible
Fixed Assets
£'000
-
4,455
-
4,455
-
4,455		 Net Current
Assets
£'000
1,082
664
2,741
4,487
-
4,487		 Pension
Scheme
Liability
£'000
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Total
£'000
1,082
5,119
2,741
8,942
-
8,942

Comparative figures for the prior year

Restricted Funds
Unrestricted - Designated funds
- General funds
Net Assets before Pension Reserve
Pension Reserve
Group Net Assets		 Tangible
Fixed Assets
£'000
-
4,613
-
4,613
-
4,613		 Net Current
Assets
£'000
592
1,438
1,775
3,805
-
3,805		 Pension
Scheme
Liability
£'000
-
-
-
-
(3,475)
(3,475)		 Total
£'000
592
6,051
1,775
8,418
(3,475)
4,943

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

50

17. Pension arrangements

The disclosures set out below relate to pension arrangements to which contributions are made by the charity - a defined benefit scheme, a defined contribution scheme and individual personal pension arrangements.

Defined benefit scheme

On 30 November 2022 the charity closed to the defined benefit scheme, managed by the South Yorkshire Pension Authority (SYPA), to future accrual, which impacted 19 members of staff. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity by South Yorkshire Pensions Authority. Contributions to the scheme were charged to the Statement of Financial Activities so as to spread the cost of pensions over the employees' working lives with the charity. The cost of NCB's contribution to SYPF for the period ended 30 November 2022 was £124,433 (2022 £195,548).

Cessation valuation

An actuarial valuation of the charity was carried out to determine the assets and liabilities of the South Yorkshire Pension Fund in respect of the charity’s current and former employees, as required under Regulation 64 of the LGPS Regulations 2013, as at 30[th] November 2022. Based on the Fund’s cessation approach, the valuation report confirmed in March 2023 that no cessation debt is due from the charity, and no exit credit is payable to the charity.

Set out below are disclosures required for the purposes of FRS 102.

The fair value of assets in the scheme and the expected return were:

Assets
Equities
Government & other bonds
Property
Cash
Other
Total market value of assets
Present value of scheme liabilities
(Deficit) in the scheme		 Nov 2022
£'000
42,783
(42,783)
-		 2022
£'000
27,964
10,169
3,813
424
-
42,369
(45,844)
(3,475)

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

51

The major assumptions used by the actuary were:
Increase in salaries
Rate of increase in pensions
Discount rate
Inflation assumption
Analysis of the amount charged to operating result
Current service cost
Past service cost
Administration expenses
Curtailment loss
Total operating charge
Analysis of other finance (expense) income
Expected return on pension scheme assets
Interest on pension scheme liabilities
Net (expense) income
Analysis of remeasurements - liabilities and assets
Remeasurements - assets
Remeasurements - liabilities
Change in assumptions
Net (loss) / gain
Movement in (deficit) during the year:
Deficit in scheme at beginning of year
Movements in year
Operating charge
Employer contributions
Other finance expense
Remeasurements (loss) gain - liabilities and assets
Deficit in scheme at end of year		 Nov 2022
Assumptions
2.9%
2.3%
3.0%
9.9%
2022
£'000
856
3
859
0
4,219
4,219
(3,475)
(859)
115
0
4,219
-		 2022
Assumptions
4.2%
3.2%
2.7%
3.7%
2022
£'000
378
-
5
-
383
821
(973)
(152)
2,911
(176)
1,264
3,999
(7,125)
(383)
186
(152)
3,999
(3,475)		 2021
Assumptions
3.0%
2.8%
2.1%
2.7%
2021
£'000
321
-
5
-
326
805
(982)
(177)
5,738
996
(6,108)
626
(7,446)
(326)
198
(177)
626
(7,125)		 2020
Assumptions
3.4%
2.2%
2.4%
2.1%
2020
£'000
370
306
5
150
831
862
(1,075)
(213)
(2,324)
2,282
2,090
2,048
(8,885)
(831)
435
(213)
2,048
(7,446)		 2019
Assumptions
2.8%
2.3%
2.4%
2.2%
2019
£'000
347
-
5
-
352
933
(1,106)
(173)
1,100
-
(3,228)
(2,128)
(6,570)
(352)
338
(173)
(2,128)
(8,885)

Defined contribution scheme

The charity participates in a defined contribution scheme independently managed by Standard Life. Contributions to the scheme are charged to the statement of financial activities as they become payable. NCB makes twice the employees' percentage contribution, up to a maximum of 8% of pensionable salaries. The cost of NCB's contributions for the year ended 31 March 2023 was £215,085 (2022: £199,814).

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

52

Personal pension plans

Payments can also be made to employees' personal pensions which are charged in the year in which they become payable. NCB matches employees' contributions up to a maximum of 8% of pensionable salaries. No contributions were made for the year ended 31 March 2023 (2022: £3,015).

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

53

18. Statement of financial activities with comparatives

Notes
1 & 2
Income from:
Donations and legacies
Charitable activities
Other trading activities
Income from investments
Total
Expenditure on:
1, 3 & 6
Raising funds
Fundraising
Other trading activities
Charitable activities
Operating pension scheme movements in year
17
Total
Net (expenditure)
Other recognised (losses) / gains:
Actuarial gains / (losses) on defined benefit pension scheme
17
Net movement in funds		 Restricted
Funds
£'000
135
6,160
-
-
6,295
-
-
5,805
-
5,805
490
-
490		 Unrestricted
Pension
Reserve
£'000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
744
744
(744)
4,219
3,475		 Unrestricted
Other
Funds
£'000
102
4,422
4
87
4,615
39
-
4,542
-
4,581
34
-
34		 2023
£'000
237
10,582
4
87
10,910
39
-
10,347
744
11,130
(220)
4,219
3,999		 Restricted
Funds
Unrestricted
Pension
Reserve
Unrestricted
Other
Funds
2022
£'000
£'000
£'000
£'000
78
-
131
209
6,629
-
5,549
12,178
-
-
4
4
-
-
2
2		 Restricted
Funds
Unrestricted
Pension
Reserve
Unrestricted
Other
Funds
2022
£'000
£'000
£'000
£'000
78
-
131
209
6,629
-
5,549
12,178
-
-
4
4
-
-
2
2		 Restricted
Funds
Unrestricted
Pension
Reserve
Unrestricted
Other
Funds
2022
£'000
£'000
£'000
£'000
78
-
131
209
6,629
-
5,549
12,178
-
-
4
4
-
-
2
2		 Restricted
Funds
Unrestricted
Pension
Reserve
Unrestricted
Other
Funds
2022
£'000
£'000
£'000
£'000
78
-
131
209
6,629
-
5,549
12,178
-
-
4
4
-
-
2
2
6,707 - 5,686 12,393
-
-
7,031
-		 -
-
-
349		 35
-
5,524
-		 35
-
12,555
349
7,031 349 5,559 12,939
(324)
(349)
127
(546)
-
3,999
-
3,999
(324) 3,650 127 3,453

National Children Bureau – Annual report & accounts 2022-23

54

19. Financial instruments

At the balance sheet date the group held financial assets at amortised cost of £1687k (2022 £1372k) and financial liabilities at amortised cost of £1737k (2022 £2412k).

t the balance sheet date the group held financial
1372k) and financial liabilities at amortised cost of		 assets at amortised cost
£1737k (2022 £2412k).
Workings:
Current assets:
Debtors
11
exclude prepayments
Liabilities:
Creditors: due within one
year
12
exclude: Social Security etc
exclude: Pension
exclude income recvd in adv		 2023
2022
£'000
£'000
1,794
1,389
(107)
(17)
1,687
1,372
2,817
3,312
(548)
(612)
(35)
(16)
(497)
(272)
1,737
2,412

United for a better childhood

For 60 years, the National Children’s Bureau has worked to champion the rights of children and young people in the UK. We interrogate policy and uncover evidence to shape future legislation and develop more effective ways of supporting children and families.

As a leading children’s charity, we take the voices of children to the heart of Government, bringing people and organisations together to drive change in society and deliver a better childhood for the UK. We are united for a better childhood.

Let’s work together: 020 7843 6000 | info@ncb.org.uk | www.ncb.org.uk | @NCBtweets London: 23 Mentmore Terrace, London, E8 3PN Belfast: The NICVA Building, 61 Duncairn Gardens, BT15 2GB

National Children’s Bureau is registered charity number 258825 and a company limited by guarantee number 00952717. Registered office: 23 Mentmore Terrace, London E8 3PN.

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