OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2022-03-31-accounts

Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2022

Ben Bolton-Grant in action at the Talking Out residential.

Contents

Message from the Chair of Trustees................................................4 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees..........................................7 Our Impact in 2021/2023................................................................8 Financial Review............................................................................20 Looking Ahead to 2023/2023........................................................23 Structure, Governance and Management.....................................26 Trustees’ Responsibilities Statement.............................................27 Independent Examiner’s Report....................................................28 Statement of Financial Activities...................................................29 Balance Sheet................................................................................30 Statement of Cash Flows................................................................31 Notes to Financial Statements.......................................................32 References and Administrative Details..........................................42

Dame Jane Roberts is the Chair of Trustees at Action for Stammering Children.

Message from the Chair of Trustees

What a first year as Chair of Action for Stammering Children! In spite of all the challenges and obstacles posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the charity did not let up in its determination to provide advice and support to children and young people who stammer and their families. This saw us continue to:

Our wonderful Youth Panel have maintained their energy and enthusiasm for a variety of projects including Stambition, our now firmly established mentoring project, that pairs professionals who stammer working across a number of industries with younger adults who also stammer, and a media training scheme. Youth Panel members, so central to our work as a charity, were able to meet in person to plan their activities – and improve their punting skills – at Corpus Christi College in Oxford. We have continued to support the wonderful work of The Michael Palin Centre, a centre of international renown in the stammering world.

4 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

In addition, we were delighted that our residential group, Talking Out, could once again take place in North Yorkshire.

It is widely acknowledged that there is limited research into stammering, especially given stammering affects around 8% of children, and that many questions remain about childhood stammering that parents would like answered. Hence our eagerness to identify the key research priorities in stammering in conjunction with the James Lind Alliance - a process now well underway.

Over the last year, we have raised our game still further on social media to raise awareness about stammering and how best it can be managed. Big thanks both to Steph, in our small but energetic staff team of three, and to Connor, who took over from Steph as Projects and Communications Coordinator in January 2022 – and hit the ground running. Action for Stammering Children has now joined the conversation on TikTok, in addition to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn! This has meant that we can reach, engage with and inspire more children and young people of all ages.

As well as our virtual presence, we were happily able to return to some in-person events as restrictions eased, permitting us to continue to raise awareness of stammering and to raise much needed funds. One such highlight took place in November 2021 (our first face-to-face event for nearly two years) with our Vice-President and great friend of ASC, Ed Balls, in conversation with ASC trustee, Samira Ahmed. With his book, Appetite, having recently been published, Ed cooked live for our guests (including those tuning in from home!) as he reminisced about food and home cooking in conversation with Samira. Ed was ably assisted by his sous-chef and Youth Panel member, Thomas Grattoni-May. It was a lovely evening, full of warmth, moving stories and fun - and of course, delicious food.

of individual donors, some of whom wish to remain anonymous. An enormous thank you to the late Mr Graham Jeffrey for having left a generous legacy in his will to ASC, and to Betchworth Golf Club who chose Action for Stammering Children as their charity to support for the year.

A warm welcome to Anya Paul as a trustee on the ASC Board. Anya works at a senior level in digital marketing and technology and has a stammer herself.

We ended the year about to say farewell to our Chief Executive, Steven Gauge. Steven decided to take early retirement for family health reasons after nearly four very successful years with ASC. We shall miss hugely his creative ideas and elegant way with words and wish him and his family all the very best. With the appointment of a new Chief Executive, Ria Bernard, we look forward to an exciting future.

Dame Jane Roberts Chair of Board of Trustees

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we have relentlessly pressed forward with fundraising, and we are very grateful to our funders over the year, including the Stuttering Foundation of America (SFA), the Julia & Hans Rausing Trust, the Woodroffe Benton Foundation, the Peter Sowerby Foundation, City Bridge, Mr and Mrs Turnill, as well as a number

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 5

2021/22 The year in numbers:

264

children received direct clinical support at the Michael Palin Centre

Plus

1,750

22

341

children and young people accessed our Talking Out residential

therapists trained to support 3,410 children and young people

helpline calls answered

34

positive media mentions

7,324

social media follows

87,638 website page views

Living with a stammer doesn’t have to hold any child back in life.

6 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

Annual Report of the Board of Trustees for The Year Ended 31 March 2022

The Trustees, who are also directors of the Charity for the purposes of the Companies Act, present their Annual Report together with the financial statements of Action for Stammering Children (the Charity) for the year ended 31 March 2022. The Trustees confirm that the Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Charity comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the Charity’s governing document and with the FRS102.

Purpose and Activities

The Charity’s vision is a society where children and young people who stammer have the same opportunities and quality of life as their peers.

The Charity’s mission is to ensure that every child and young person across the United Kingdom who stammers has access to effective services and support to help them meet the challenges created by their stammer.

To achieve its mission, the Charity undertakes activities and services across the following six key strategic goals:

1. To increase access to effective therapy services for children and young people across the UK who stammer

2. To empower children and young people who stammer by giving them a voice within our organisation and in society

3. To assist the parents of children and young people who stammer, so that they are better able to support their children

4. To improve the ability of speech and language therapists to provide effective services to children and young people who stammer

5. To promote research into the most effective treatment of stammering in children and young people

6. To promote awareness of stammering and the impact it has on children and young people’s lives, and to change public perceptions

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 7

Our Impact in 2021/22

The summary below sets out the impact of the Charity in 2021/2022 against its key objectives and performance indicators which are set at the beginning of each financial year and monitors the difference the Charity has made to its beneficiaries, children and young people who stammer, and to the wider society using qualitative and quantitative measures. These are reviewed at each board meeting.

This year has been an unusual year in terms of our partnership with the NHS Whittington. Following the funding challenges faced by the charity in the light of the pandemic, additional one-off funding by Whittington Health NHS Trust allowed for all commissioned charitable activity to be delivered at a much reduced cost to the Charity. As a result the valuable work the Charity supports at the Michael Palin Centre has continued unhindered, throughout the pandemic.

In partnership with the NHS Whittington, we have been able to support thousands more children who stammer. Compared with the exceptionally high numbers last year, there has been a fall in the number of speech and language therapists attending training courses run by the Michael Palin Centre (MPC). Although it should be borne in mind that last year, 923 therapists accessed training subsidised by the Charity, meaning that these skills remain in the local community in addition to those trained this year. Each newly trained speech and language therapist supports an average of 10 children each over the following year. Training of an additional 341 therapists will have helped 3,410 children.

We end the year, having achieved most of our strategic objectives.

1. To increase access to effective therapy services for children and young people across the UK who stammer

Assessments and therapy at the Michael Palin Centre

The Charity commissions specialist assessments and therapy from the Whittington NHS Trust, which are not otherwise be funded by the NHS. These services are delivered by the team of specialist speech and language therapists based at the Michael Palin Centre. This is delivered through a commissioning agreement with Whittington Health NHS Trust. While assessments continued to take place throughout the pandemic, these are now returning to being delivered face to face at the Centre.

Receiving an early assessment and identifying the most appropriate form of therapy is crucial to children and their families in managing their stammer and enabling them to fulfil their potential. Specialised assessments for children and young people (aged 2-18 years) in the UK remains an

important component of the work of the Charity. Two hundred and fifty children and their families from across the UK benefited from a specialist assessment for stammering at the Michael Palin Centre over the last year, funded by Action for Stammering Children.

In their feedback forms, the parents have told us how much they appreciate the very thorough assessments that take place .

“T horough, thoughtful, thought-provoking. Kind, helpful, considerate. Caring and explained everything. Very comprehensive and better than anything we have been offered so far. I now feel so much more hopeful for our son. I have full confidence in Sarah and the MPC based on our session.”

8 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

Youth Panel members Thomas, Ozair, Michael and Grace having fun in Oxford

Following the assessment, children and their families receive a tailored treatment programme delivered either by their local NHS Trust or at the Michael Palin Centre. For those children otherwise unable to access treatment via the NHS, the Charity has continued to support courses of therapy for children of all ages at the Michael Palin Centre.

The Charity also funds places on intensive courses at the Michael Palin Centre, followed by year-long on-going support for children and their families. This year the Charity directly funded an intensive programme for three teenagers and a further three children aged 10-14 and their families.

Returners Programme

The Charity supports a returners’ programme for young people who may need to return for additional support following earlier engagement with the Michael Palin Centre team or who may be encountering a particularly significant life event, such as starting college, university or their first job. This year eight young people benefited from follow-up support, which was funded by the Charity.

“Reflecting on the last couple of years, I owe a massive thank you to you for the times you found time to have follow-up sessions with me throughout crucial times. Not only did it have such significance in getting me over the finishing line with uni but it also gave me confidence and belief while applying for jobs. So, thank you so much for this!”

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 9

Outcomes

Various measuring tools were used to ascertain the impact of therapy on each child’s stammer, including Parent Palin Rating Scales and the OASES scoring system. Additionally, the Michael Palin Centre measures the child’s and parents’ experience of this assessment process. Over the past year, reflections from parents and children have been overwhelmingly positive in terms of increased understanding of stammering, feeling more confident about the future, experiencing less worry and feeling more hopeful.

“When we were first referred to MPC, we were an absolute mess and really worried about our son’s future and wellbeing. By the end of the very first call with Rosie and Victoria, I genuinely felt like we were in the best hands and that everything was going to be okay.

Rosie provided a Rolls Royce Service every step of the way and was able to explain things in layman terms and provide guidance to help navigate our concerns and issues.

It was amazing how Rosie was able to retain and recall particular details about character and behaviour about our son even as the months went by. The sessions were challenging and really pushed us to change our behaviour and way of dealing with things in order to help our son with his stammering: they really enabled us to communicate openly about stammering with our son, where before we were reluctant to label it in front of him.

We’ll always remember the excellent care that we received and are forever grateful to MPC!”

----- Start of picture text -----
150,000 likely to stammer Boys are more of children will 8%
children across
than girls by a stammer at some
the UK have a ratio of point as they are
stammer
4:1 growing up
----- End of picture text -----

10 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

Talking Out Residential

The easing of the pandemic meant that we were able to run our residential course this year. The residential programme for teenagers who stammer took place from 24th to 29th October 2021. It was delivered by Talking Out Ltd, an independent Speech and Language Therapy practice run by Specialist Speech and Language Therapists based in Yorkshire. Twenty-two young people aged between 11 and 16 took part, staying at Bewerley Park near Harrogate. This was generously funded by the Sowerby Foundation.

with other people who stammer. Comments from participants:

“In this one week I feel like I’ve become a new person and I don’t know how to say thank you to the staff.”

“I didn’t talk much to people before I came on the Residential, then I found it easy to talk to a lot of strangers ... I thought what is this magic? This strange thing that has happened? Now I talk to people.”

The purpose of the programme was to promote acceptance and resilience, enabling participants to feel more confident about their stammer. The aims of the group were to develop:

“I’ve found it easier to talk in front of groups of people. I’ve changed a lot. I’m talking more in class; asking and answering questions. I used to be terrified of the register now it’s ok.”

These aims were targeted through an active programme which integrated outdoor activities, team building activities and speech and language therapy sessions.

Young people had the opportunity to learn about how thoughts and feelings can affect how we approach a situation and to challenge themselves beyond their comfort zones in a safe and supportive environment. This was achieved through both outdoor active challenges and through speaking challenges.

In addition, the young people had the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings about stammering, whilst engaging in new experiences

Outcomes

The outcomes of the programme were evaluated using OASES and Best Hopes measures. The results showed that participants experienced a significant degree of positive change by the end of the week. These positive changes resulted in participants feeling more confident, less worried about stammering, and more accepting of stammering.

Since the residential finished the team have had contact with parents. Common themes from these conversations were:

KPI Targets

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 11

2. To empower children and young people who stammer by giving them a voice within our organisation and in society

Our objectives in this area for 2021-2022 were to:

Most of these objectives have been achieved.

Empowering our Youth Panel

Our Youth Panel met in Corpus Christi College, Oxford, to agree their priorities and plans for the year. They were keen to raise awareness about stammering to as wide an audience as possible. Youth Panel members were also keen to take advantage of an offer of pro-bono media training from leading communications consultants Blaydonmore. Participants were particularly engaged by the suggested use of a “Power pose” and enjoyed the practical exercises to develop their media skills.

The Youth Panel developed an awareness raising campaign with support and funding from Timebank. They met every month to agree the messaging and designs for the campaign. Their posts and videos reached over 26,900 people across social media and all had positive feedback and comments.

Our Northern Youth Panel has also met regularly under the voluntary leadership of Youth Panel graduate and volunteer, Zain Ghani. Through their social media activities on International Stammering Awareness Day they have established a link with the Halifax Piece Hall and are looking at opportunities for future awareness raising events.

“What a great idea. Well done Youth Panel!”

“You speak so incredibly beautifully, I’m a parent who has been taught so many techniques, calm, patience, kindness is always key. My daughter struggles so much with ‘H’, she knows to do soft starts but resists and doesn’t like to be reminded. So hard. Thank you for this wonderful video”

“I felt like this ALL the time in school.”

12 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

Members of our Youth Panel planning the year ahead in Oxford

Stambition

We were delighted to be able to complete our first mentoring project, ‘Stambition’. The project recruited, trained and supervised mentors for 11 young people who stammer at the start of their careers. The mentors were selected from our group of Stambassadors, adults in successful careers who stammer. The project provided practical, tailored support and advice for young people, aged 18 – 25, who stammer, at a crucial time of transition in their lives. The Stambassadors drew on their own experiences to provide practical and applicable advice as well as encouragement to the young adults they were supporting. The young people and their mentors all attended an online training event before embarking on a 7 month series of mentoring sessions.

The first year of the Stambition project was made possible by a generous donation from the family of Stan Taylor, in his memory. We are actively pursuing funding opportunities to run the project again for a new cohort of young people who stammer.

Youth Panel Trustees

The Youth Panel was established to ensure that young people who stammer help shape the strategic direction of the Charity. To that end, it was agreed that two Youth Panel members should be appointed as Charity Trustees and a recruitment process was initiated towards the end of the financial year.

KPI Targets

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 13

3. To assist the parents of children and young people who stammer, so that they are better able to support their children

The objectives for the year were:

These objectives were mostly achieved.

One of the highlights of the year was a parents’ forum online event featuring a discussion between comedian, Lucy Porter, and journalist and ASC trustee, Samira Ahmed. Both shared their experience of being a parent of a child with a stammer and the support their families received from the Michael Palin Centre. Thirty one people viewed the live stream and a further 180 watched the recorded version online. A short clip of the discussion reached over 3,000 views on social media.

Parents of young people who stammer have always been supported by the team at the Michael Palin Centre. Indeed, parents play a very active role in the Palin Parent Child Interaction therapy that the Centre uses. Parents are active participants in the intensive sessions that the Centre runs and the Centre always makes every effort that both parents attend.

Talking Out, who run our residential courses, also take active steps to engage and support parents of young people who stammer. Alongside the programme for young people the residential programme has been developed this year to include daily online parent groups. The purpose of the parent group is to allow parents the opportunity to meet other parents of young people who stammer, explore their own reactions to stammering in order to support their children after the residential week and therefore reduce the chances of the positive changes experienced during the week reversing once the children return home.

Stammering Helpline

The National Helpline, funded by Action for Stammering Children, is one of the best ways for parents to find out more about stammering and the support available to them. This continues to see high levels of demand.

The National Helpline is available five days a week, Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm. It provides a first port of call to parents, teachers, therapists, GPs and other professionals who need expert advice on how to respond to a child’s stammer.

14 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

Results

(Target: 50)

Youth Panel members Thomas and Phoebe presenting to our Board of Trustees

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 15

4. To improve the ability of speech and language therapists to provide effective services to children and young people who stammer

Supporting the training of speech and language therapists has long been an important strategic priority of the Charity. Each speech and language therapist will, as a result of our training, support at least 10 children and young people who stammer over the following year. That is why the Charity has supported the training programme delivered by the Michael Palin Centre and continued to contribute towards the training programme costs this year.

the Charity facilitated training for SLTs across the UK, including Belfast and Lancashire.

Our training courses are helping to improve confidence in managing children and young people who stammer referred locally.

A total of 341 therapists undertook training with the Michael Palin Centre online compared to 923 in the peak of the pandemic last year. The high levels of demand for training in the pandemic were not sustained at quite the same level. However, the funding provided by

Young people who stammer having fun at the Talking Out residential.

KPI Targets

16 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

5. To promote research into the most effective treatment of stammering in children and young people

James Lind Alliance – Research Priority Setting Project

The Charity has supported research into stammering for over 30 years. Indeed, its original name was the Association for Research into Stammering in Childhood. This year we wanted to work with the wider stammering community to agree what should be the priorities for research into developmental stammering into the future. We were delighted to secure funding from Woodroffe Benton to support a priority setting project, using the well-established methodology promoted by the James Lind Alliance.

STAMMA Youth Panel, as well as parents, teachers and researchers with a particular interest in stammering. With the support of a consultant from the James Lind Alliance we are following the methodology and hope to have an agreed set of priorities for research agreed by the end of the next financial year.

We have convened a steering group that includes representatives from STAMMA, the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, The Michael Palin Centre, City Lit, our Youth Panel and the

PhD Programme – Stammering and Mental Health

We are delighted to be supporting Speech and Language Therapist, Ria Bernard, as she completes her PhD in Psychology, through a collaborative studentship with the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) at University College London (UCL). This research aims to investigate whether there is any association between anxiety, depression and stammering in children, and whether children who stammer are at increased risk of adverse mental health relative to children who do not stammer. The first study in her PhD, a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing studies comparing anxiety

and depression symptoms in children who do and do not stammer, was accepted for publication in the Journal of Speech, Hearing & Language Research . Two further papers have been submitted for publication based on data obtained through an online questionnaire. The final project underway explores anxiety and depression symptom trajectories over the course of development in a cohort of children who stammer, and investigates factors that may increase risk for elevated symptoms.

Research at the Michael Palin Centre

Action for Stammering Children continued to support research activities carried out at the Michael Palin Centre. MPC staff members were engaged in a number of research-related activities. Three City University of London students are completing MSc projects at MPC using the clinical database. They are exploring outcomes for children under the age of 8 years who have received therapy during the pandemic using telehealth. Ali Berquez, Elaine Kelman and student John Breitenbach presented a

poster on the John Lyons Charity funded Stammer Aware campaign at the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists online conference.

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 17

6. To promote awareness of stammering and the impact it has on children and young people’s lives, and to change public perceptions

The Charity continues to play a leading role in promoting awareness of stammering and the impact it has on children and young people – through our website www.actionforstammeringchildren.org, through our social media channels and through our monthly e-newsletter.

Raised Media Profile

Youth Panel Member, Thomas Grattoni May, has been particularly successful at securing positive media mentions for the Charity. He has received huge recognition for winning membership of a global competition to fund development of an app to support people who stammer. After volunteering as a sous chef to our Vice President Ed Balls in a fundraising event for the charity, Thomas invited Ed to come and speak to his school. He managed to secure coverage for both events in his local papers.

Our Stambassador Will Laven is another media champion for the Charity. This year he has secured coverage on BBC News and GB News talking about the support he had from the Charity.

Comedian Lucy Porter, who is the parent of a child supported by the Michael Palin Centre has also appeared on game shows such as Pointless Celebrities, donating her winnings to the Charity. Our Vice President, Michael Palin, was interviewed live by ITV London in front of the Michael Palin Centre, highlighting the wonderful carol singing event featuring children who had been supported by the centre and their families.

The Charity has been successful in securing media coverage to raise awareness about stammering, securing 34 pieces of positive media coverage, close to the figure of 39 in the previous year.

Website and Social Media

Through utilising social media platforms we are able to reach and connect with young people who stammer and their families. We added TikTok to our list of platforms on which we now have a strong presence, alongside LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

This year has seen steady growth across all of our social media platforms with March 2022 being our most engaged month of all-time. Twitter has proven to be our main platform for user engagement and sites such as Facebook and Instagram have been utilized better to reach niche groups such as parents of children who stammer and UK teacher support groups.

Our website remains our primary platform for sharing information about stammering. We had a total of 87,638 page views in the year. Our most popular pages include tips, facts about stammering and support for parents.

In March, while using a new, more personable approach on our Twitter profile, we sent out a tweet to Luke Ayling, the Leeds United defender. He has a stammer and is a confident post-match interviewee. The tweet became our most-liked tweet ever - reaching 5,000 likes in the space of a weekend. This led to Luke following us on Twitter, and ASC Youth Panel member Thomas connecting with him - the two are planning to create some social media content for ASC.

18 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

Fundraising Highlights

This year the charity secured a highly soughtafter place in the London Marathon which was taken up by Michael Palin Centre graduate Harry Marsh. Harry began training and fundraising straight away and has so far raised over £3,500. Unfortunately, an injury meant that he had to postpone his run until October 2022 but he has carried on fundraising for us in the meantime.

one Michael Palin Centre speech and language therapist, Martha Jeffery. This was the first time that the Charity has taken so many places in an event so we were delighted when between them the team raised £5,410.85.

We also secured 6 charity places in the London Landmarks half-marathon. These were speedily taken up by some of our Stambassadors and

Martha Jeffery, Speech & Language Therapist at The Michael Palin Centre, raising funds for our charity at the London Landmarks Half Marathon

KPI Targets

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 19

Financial Review

Income

Section 162a of the Charities Act 2011 requires charities to make a statement regarding fundraising activities.

The year to 31 March 2022 has continued to be challenging given the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic on the fundraising environment. Total income for the year to 31 March 2022 amounted to £527,996, down from £602,103 in the year ended 31 March 2021.

We are extremely grateful for the support from the Stuttering Foundation of America but note that the income was lower this year (£133k) due to a change in the funding arrangements at the end of the financial year.

In the year to 31 March 2022, we benefited from the following income:

The Charity has complied with the relevant codes of practice. We have received no complaints in relation to fundraising activities. (2021: none)

20 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

Expenditure

Given the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic on the fundraising environment, expenditure was closely monitored during the year to protect reserves and enable the Charity to continue its work. Expenditure of £324,039 was spent on charitable activity in the year ended 31 March 2022, down from £428,866 in the year ending 31 March 2021.

Key changes in expenditure during the year were as follows:

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 21

Summary of Charitable Expenditure

Some of our brilliant Youth Panel members coming together

Reserves

Total unrestricted reserves, shown in note 15 of £1,221,516 includes the following:

The remainder of £479,516 comprises unrestricted free reserves and represents approximately twelve months expenditure, in line with our revised reserving policy.

Reserves policy and going concern

The Trustees have considered the desired level of unrestricted funds not designated for specific purpose or otherwise committed (free reserves). Given the ongoing uncertainty in the funding environment and the reduction in multi-year funding arrangements, the Trustees revised the reserving policy in the year from six to nine months expenditure to nine to twelve months expenditure. In our judgement, this provides sufficient flexibility to cover any temporary shortfalls in incoming resources and ensures that the Charity is able to continue its work, and also able to respond immediately to a reasonable range of unforeseen adverse circumstances, before remedial plans can be implemented. This policy will be kept under constant review.

Investment powers and policy

The Board of Trustees’ policy is to invest in low risk, liquid investments. Accordingly, Action for Stammering Children invests its funds in cash deposits.

22 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

Looking Ahead to 2022-23

In June 2022, the Board of Trustees appointed a new CEO of Action for Stammering Children to take the charity forward. The charity is in the process of implementing a new strategic direction that sees charitable activity organised under three broad areas aligned to our strategic goals.

Work Stream Strategic goals
Supportng &
empowering		 2 – To empower children and young people who stammer by
giving them a voice within our organizaton and in society.
3 – To assist the parents of children and young people who
stammer, so that they are beter able to support their children.
Research & 1 – To increase access to efectve therapy services for children
Policy and young people across the UK who stammer.
5 – To promote research into the most efectve treatment of
stammering in children and young people.
Lobbying &
infuencing		 1 – To increase access to efectve therapy services for children and
young people across the UK who stammer.
4 – To improve the ability of speech and language therapists to
provide efectve services to children and young people who
stammer.
6 – To promote awareness of stammering and the impact it has on
children and young people’s lives, and to change public perceptons.

The overarching objective of this new strategy is to increase the profile and reach of the charity in order to support many more children who stammer and their families across the UK. Here we provide an outline of some of the plans for Action for Stammering Children over the coming year.

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 23

1. Supporting & Empowering

2. Research & Policy

KPI Targets

KPI Targets

3. Lobbying & Influencing

KPI Targets

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 25

Structure, Governance and Management

Constitution

The Charity is registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee and was set up by a Memorandum of Association on 15 December 1988, which was last revised in September 2014, and as a charity on 21 March 1989.

The company was established under a Memorandum of Association, which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association.

Organisational Structure

The Charity’s Board of Trustees meets in person or online, at least five times per annum. At present the Board has nine members from a variety of professional backgrounds, many of whom have experience of stammering, either personally or through a family member. Trustees retire by rotation after three years, but are eligible for re-election for up to three terms of office.

The Chief Executive of the Charity implements the strategy set by the Trustees, acts as the key interface with the NHS, and has a prime responsibility for fundraising.

Trustees Recruitment and Induction

The Board of Trustees seeks to ensure that the interests of children who stammer are appropriately represented in the Trustee body. Trustees are recruited through informal methods, both through a network of parents and adults who stammer and through the body of professionals working in the field of childhood stammering. The Trustees also aim to maintain a broad mix of backgrounds and business skills on the Board. The Board of Trustees is committed to being a diverse and inclusive body. The skills and experience of Trustees are reviewed regularly, which also informs recruitment of new Trustees. New Trustees take part in a full induction programme covering all aspects of the work of the Charity, its governance and finances.

Relationship with Related Parties and cooperation with other organisations

The work of ASC is, at present, largely achieved through its relationship with Whittington Health NHS Trust and its Speech and Language Therapy Department in London. ASC commissions the provision of specific services from the Michael Palin Centre, part of Whittington Health NHS Trust. Specifically, ASC commissions expert assessments, consultations, treatments, training and research not otherwise funded by the National Health Service. The Charity’s funding also provides specialist advisory and helpline services to health professionals and families.

The Charity has a strict conflict of interest policy and declarations are made at the start of every trustee meeting.

Pay Policy for Senior Staff

All Trustees give their time freely and no Trustee received remuneration in the year.

The Board has overall responsibility for the pay policy and the salaries of staff. The Chair, Treasurer and Company Secretary oversees the administration of the pay policy, evaluates employee performance and decides on any changes to pay.

Our general principles are to pay our employees a fair salary that is competitive within the charity sector, proportionate to the complexity of the role, and responsible in line with our charitable objectives.

Risk Policy

The Board of Trustees continues to review and evaluate the key risks faced by the charity at Board meeting throughout the year. A formal risk register is maintained to record ongoing risk assessments and track key mitigating activity. The key risks of the charity include risks associated with its governance, delivery of key strategic objectives, safeguarding of charitable assets and compliance with regulation.

Board of Trustees

The Trustees are directors for the purpose of company law and trustees for the purpose of charity law. Trustees who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out on page 40.

The members of the charitable company include the Trustees and three founding members. Members of the charitable company guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the charitable company in the event of winding up.

Method of Appointment or Election of Trustees

The management of the Charity is the responsibility of the Trustees who are elected and co-opted under the terms of the Articles of Association.

The Board of Trustees ensures that robust policies, procedures, systems and financial controls are in place to mitigate key risks to protect the reputation of the charity.

The risks to the Charity have been reviewed throughout the year and the Risk Register maintained, together with any risk mitigating plans. The key risks continue to be fundraising, due to the difficulties in obtaining large or multi-year grants and the recent loss of a key long term funder. New risks on the radar relate to governance (as a number of trustees are due to retire soon) and the relationship with the Michael Palin Centre (due to funding constraints and a

change in future funding arrangements).

Public Benefit

The Trustees have taken into account the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aims and objectives and in planning our future activities. The Trustees’ report demonstrates our commitment to providing public benefit.

26 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

Trustees’ Responsibilities Statement

The Trustees’ (who are also directors of Action for Stammering Children for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statement in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. Under company law the directors 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 company and the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

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

In preparing this report, the Trustees have taken advantage of the small companies exemptions provided by section 415A of the Companies Act 2006.

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

• the trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.

This report was approved by the Trustees on 19th November 2022 signed on their behalf, by:

Dame Jane Roberts Chair of Board of Trustees

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22| ASC | 27

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Action for Stammering Children

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2022, which are set out on pages 29 to 41.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your company’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act

Independent examiner’s statement

Since the company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)].

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

Date: 8 December 2022

Michael Cooper-Davis FCCA ACA

For and on behalf of Price Bailey LLP Chartered Accountants Causeway House 1 Dane Street Bishop’s Stortford Hertfordshire CM23 3BT

28 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating expenditure and income accounts) For the year ended 31 March 2022

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 29

Balance Sheet

For the year ended 31 March 2022

Company No: 2328627

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to companies subject to the small companies regime within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.

For the year ended 31 March 2022 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Directors’ responsibilities:

TThe accounts were approved by the Board of Trustees on 19th November 2022 and signed on their behalf on 7th December 2022 by:

__________ Dame Jane Roberts Chair of Trustees

30 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

Statement of Cash Flows

For the year ended 31 March 2022

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 31

Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2022

1. Accounting Policies

1.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements

The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 October 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Action for Stammering Children meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes. The functional and presentational currency used in the financial statement is Pounds Sterling.

1.2 Company status

The Charity is a company limited by guarantee and is incorporated and domiciled in England. The members of the company are the Trustees named on page 42. In the event of the Charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the Charity. The Charity’s registered office is The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children, 13-15 Pine Street, London, EC1R 0JG.

1.3. Fund accounting

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors which have been raised by the Charity for particular purposes. The cost of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements. Investment income, gains and losses are allocated to the appropriate fund.

1.4. Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement

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 Trustees make estimates and assumptions concerning the future. The resulting estimates and assumptions will, by definition, seldom equal the related actual results. There are not deemed to be any estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year.

1.5. Going concern

Following the year end the Charity has been affected by restrictions imposed by the UK Government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the following ways, but not limited to:

1 - Social distancing measures and restrictions on groups meeting will have a significant impact on funds previously raised through Charity evenings and sponsored events.

2 - An expected funding gap between funding which is considered to be reasonably certain and anticipated costs.

The funding gap will be managed by continued applications to Trusts and Foundations who might be interested in supporting Action for Stammering Children in the future.

The Trustees consider that the resources available to the Charity will be sufficient for it to be able to continue as a going concern during the restrictions and once the restrictions are lifted. The financial statements do not contain any adjustments that would be required if the Charity were not able to continue as a going concern.

1.6. Income

All income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the Charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. Grant income is recognised when there is a firm commitment and certainty that the funds will be received.

Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation. Income tax recoverable in relation to investment income is recognised at the time the investment income is receivable.

32 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

1.7. Expenditure

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been included under expense categories that aggregate all costs for allocation to activities. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular activities they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of the resources.

Support costs are those costs incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the Charity. Governance costs are those incurred in connection with administration of the Charity and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.

1.8. Tangible fixed assets and appreciation

All assets costing more than £1,500 are capitalised.

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, over their expected useful lives on the following basis:

Computer and other equipment – 3 years on a straight line basis

Freehold Property – over 50 years to an estimated residual value of £592,000

1.9. Foreign currencies

Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at rates of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date. Transactions in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rate ruling on the date of the transaction. Exchange gains and losses are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities.

1.12 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. Fixed assets are recorded at depreciated historical cost.

1.13 Cash at bank and in hand

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

1.14 Pension costs

The Charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the Charity. The annual contributions payable are charged to the statement of financial activities.

1.15 Taxation

The company is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the company is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.

1.10 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. Accrued income and tax recoverable is included at the best estimate of the amounts receivable at the balance sheet date.

1.11 Creditors

Creditors are recognised as soon as there is legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources.

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 33

2. Donations and Legacies

3. Trading Activites

4. Investment Income

5. Expenditure on Raising Funds

34 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

6. Expenditure on Charitable Activities

7. Expenditure by Charitable Activity

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 35

8. Support Costs

9. Net (Expenditure)/Income for the Year

10. Staff Costs

36 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

11. Tangible Fixed Assets

12. Debtors 13. Creditors

14. Pension Commitments

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 37

15. Statement of Funds

Summary of Funds

38 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

Prior Year - Statement of Funds

Prior Year- Summary of Funds

16. Analysis of Net Assets Between Funds

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 39

Purpose of Restricted Funds

----- Start of picture text -----
Assessments
These funds were used for specialist consultations at the Michael Palin
Centre.
Julia and Hans Rausing Trust These funds were used for the core costs and overheads of the Charity
City Bridge Trust These funds are being used for specialist consultations at the Michael
Palin Centre and for the core costs of the Charity
Harrison Frank Foundation These funds are being used for specialist consultations at the Michael Pa-
lin Centre.
Peter Sowerby Foundation These funds were used for a “Talking Out” outward-bound residential in
the year.
Woodroffe Benton Foundation These funds are being used for a research priority setting project with the
James Lind Alliance.
The Weinstock Fund These funds are being used for the development of a Northern Youth
Panel.
PIMCO These funds will be used for the Elevator Pitch project, strategic work
that refines the charity’s messaging and visual representation in the
broader stammering community.
Stambition Mentoring Project These funds were used to train and supervise a group of volunteer
mentors to support young people who stammer and are at the start of
their careers.
Bain Capital These funds were used to support the helpline, residential and intensive
courses for children who stammer.
Stuttering Foundation of America These funds were used for specialist clinical, research and training activi-
ties at the Michael Palin Centre.
Pat Bartle Charitable Trust
These funds are being used for specialist consultations at the Michael
Palin Centre.
MPC Carol Concert These funds will be used to support the services provided by the MPC in
line with our charitable objectives
----- End of picture text -----

40 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

17. Financial Commitments

18. Related Parties

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22 | ASC | 41

Reference and Administrative Details of The Charity, its Trustees and Advisers For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

Trustees Trustees Jane Roberts (appointed Chair 1st April 2021)
David Broom (Honorary Treasurer)
Jessica Robinson (Company Secretary – retred 7th
September 2021)
Samira Ahmed
Balshen Izzet
Vicky Slonims
Anne Whateley
Richard Murray
Anya Paul (joined September 2021)
Company Registered Number 2328627
Charity Registered Number 801171
Company Status A company limited by guarantee
Day-to-Day Management The trustees delegated day-to-day management to
the Charity’s Chief Executve Steven Gauge during this
fnancial year. Following retrement in June 2022, the
charity delegated day to day management to
Ria Bernard.
Registered Ofce Acton for Stammering Children
Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children
13-15 Pine Street
London
EC1R 0JG
Independent Examiners Price Bailey LLP
Chartered Accountants
Causeway House
1 Dane Street
Bishop’s Stortord
Hertordshire
CM23 3BT
Bankers Lloyds
Pall Mall St James’s
London
SW1Y 4BE

42 | ASC | Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2021/22

Action for Stammering Children c/o The Michael Palin Centre 13-15 Pine Street London, EC1R 0JG

020 3316 8113

@ascstammering

www.actionforstammeringchildren.org

Charity Number: 801171

Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements - 2020/21 | ASC | 43