Family Caring Trust - Annual Report for the year to 31[st] December 2017
Family Caring Trust
Annual Report
For the year to 31[st] December 2017
Registered in Northern Ireland. Charity no 100404. Company no 19317M. Registered office: 44 Rathfriland Road, Newry, BT34 1LD, Co. Down
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Family Caring Trust - Annual Report for the year to 31[st] December 2017
From the Archives (2012)
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Family Caring Trust - Annual Report for the year to 31[st] December 2017
Contents
Achievements and Performance ......................................................................................................... 5 Financial Review .................................................................................................................................. 6 Financial Performance .................................................................................................................... 6 Income ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Expenditure ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Stock ................................................................................................................................................ 7 Gifts and Support in Kind ................................................................................................................ 7 Funds Materially in Deficit .............................................................................................................. 7 Major Risks ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Financial Management and Reserves Policy ................................................................................... 8 Reference and Administrative Details ................................................................................................ 8 Charity Name .................................................................................................................................. 8 Principal Address ............................................................................................................................. 8 Charity Trustees as at December 31st 2017 ................................................................................... 8 Advisors ........................................................................................................................................... 8 Structure, Governance & Management.............................................................................................. 8 Governing Document and Constitution .......................................................................................... 8 Trustee Selection and Management ............................................................................................... 9 Objectives and Achievements ............................................................................................................. 9 Charitable Objects ........................................................................................................................... 9 Public Benefit Statement ................................................................................................................ 9 Summary of Main Activities ............................................................................................................ 9 Appendix: Research Reports to demonstrate Public Benefit ........................................................... 10
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Family Caring Trust - Annual Report for the year to 31[st] December 2017
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Family Caring Trust - Annual Report for the year to 31[st] December 2017
Achievements and Performance
In 2017 the total number of items sold was 1,530 (compared to 1,765 in 2016), which includes handbooks, facilitator guides and DVDs. In 2017 we sold 1,286 handbooks compared to 1,327 in 2016. We sold 108 leader’s guides in 2017 compared to 193 in 2016. We use handbook sales to measure the number of parents reached. We use the number of facilitator handbooks as a measure of new potential customers. Clearly the sales of parent guides compared to 2016 shows the demand, and therefore the reach, is remaining more or less stable. Of greater concern this year is the decline in the sales of leader’s guides. In 2016 our volunteer Training Coordinator delivered a greater number of facilitator training courses compared to 2017 which could account for some of the
decline.
We continue to have enquiries for facilitator training which airy iA are forwarded to our volunteer Training Coordinator. Three fy .—— FY Jy} facilitator trainings took place this year in Yorkshire this year, in Leeds in May, Bradford in September and Wakefield in November. Nineteen new individuals have registered with us as facilitators via these trainings and via our website, compared to six in 2016.
We have also continued to promote the Family Communication Scale and the Family Satisfaction Scale to clients to use as standardised pre- and post-evaluative measures for their parenting programmes. Data supplied to us by one group in Harrogate, north Yorkshire illustrates the value of these measures and therefore of our programmes.
Seven parents, with 16 children between them ages 4 to 12, following the primary age course in January, measured an
average increase in satisfaction of 26.5%. In pre-programme assessments all of these measured as ‘moderate’ on the Family Satisfaction Scale. In post-programme assessments one measured as ‘moderate’ but at a higher rating, six measured as ‘high’ and one measured as ‘very high’.
Four parents, with 12 children between them ages 2 to 21, following the primary age course in November, measured an average increase in satisfaction of 17.5%. In pre-programme assessments all of these measured as ‘high’ satisfaction. In post-programme assessments all were more satisfied with their family life, all moving from a high rating to a ‘very high’ rating.
“Family satisfaction is defined as the degree to which family members feel happy and fulfilled with each other. The operational definition includes the three dimensions that are related to the Circumplex Model—cohesion, flexibility and communication. So items in the family satisfaction scale assess the satisfaction in all three of these dimensions.” (Olson)[1]
1 http://facesiv.com/
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Family Caring Trust - Annual Report for the year to 31[st] December 2017
Family Caring Trust continues to enjoy a fairly good web presence, coming 2[nd] in a google-search for universal parenting programmes. The analytics for 2017 suggest a regular stream of visitors to our website most of whom remain new to the site.
We also have a Facebook page and Twitter account through which our customers can connect to us and feed their work into.
In 2017 we granted rights to small charities working in Brazil and Poland for translation and distribution of our materials.
Financial Review
Financial Performance
Financial performance in the year to December 31st 2017 continued to reflect a declining pattern of sales; however, an operating loss of £558 compared to losses of £6,335 in 2016 and £12,731 in 2015 show that the charity has considerably improved its efforts to balance its books over the year. This was achieved principally through staff cuts and a renegotiation of rent and energy bills with the landlord.
The year ended with a fund balance of £16,688 (compared with £17,246 for the same date last year). Detailed accounts are included in a separate report.
Income
Income receipts for the year totalled £14,714, a decrease of £3001 on 2016 (compared with a decrease of £11,312 on 2015). The only income in 2017 arose from sales of products.
Expenditure
Expenditure through the year amounted to £13,332 £19,491 which includes staff, printing, despatch and office overhead costs (see illustration). This is a decrease of £6,159 on 2016 when it totalled £19,491.
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Family Caring Trust - Annual Report for the year to 31[st] December 2017
Stock
As of December 31[st] 2017 the Trust held stock of books and CD’s with a resale value of £10,093.
Gifts and Support in Kind
In assessing the finances and assets of the Trust it must be noted that the pro-bono Chair gave generously of her time, which is valued at £40 per hour by her current employer. The directors wish to place on record their recognition of and gratitude for her contribution.
Funds Materially in Deficit
As at December 31[st] 2017 the Trust had no funds in material deficit.
Major Risks
Family Caring Trust is an infrastructure charity in the sense that it does not directly work with individuals or families but sells materials to others for use in their work with individuals and families. The major risk to the Trust therefore is that insufficient material purchases will be made.
The Directors have reviewed this risk and noted the following points:
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The customer base, though declining, remains relatively strong. Though the total number of individuals and organisations which ordered materials in 2017 is 116 this has not declined substantially since 2016 when we had 139 customers.
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The price point of Family Caring Trust and the ‘off the shelf’ approach mean that its materials are within reach of charities which are also financially challenged. Kits sell for £55 and handbooks for £8.50. Training is strongly encouraged but not a requirement. There are few practical obstacles to using Family Caring Trust resources.
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Credibility within the Catholic community in particular is long and well-established. The Catholic Church is currently undergoing a renaissance in its family ministry following two World Synods of bishops on the family. In 2018 the World Meeting of Families will take place in Dublin, with the possibility that this might help us promote our work.
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Family Caring Trust - Annual Report for the year to 31[st] December 2017
Unfortunately an approach made in 2016 to a larger family charity with a view to a merger was rejected in early 2017.
The considerable reduction in total operating losses in 2017 to just over £558 compared to losses of £6,335 in 2016 and £12,731 in 2015 demonstrates the financial viability of Family Caring Trust and that the Directors are addressing financially challenges effectively. Looking forward the goal is to turn an operating loss into a profit.
Financial Management and Reserves Policy
The Trust maintains a policy of holding three months’ operating costs in reserve to enable a managed closure should the need arise.
Reference and Administrative Details
Charity Name
Family Caring Trust
Charity Number
Registered Charity in Northern Ireland no 100404
Principal Address
44 Rathfriland Rd, Newry, Co. Down BT34 1LD
Charity Trustees as at December 31st 2017
Martin Butterfield Chair Paul Butterfield Secretary
Advisors
Banking : First Trust Bank, 42-44 Hill Street, Newry, Co. Down, BT34 1AU and Allied Irish Banks, Clanbrassil Street, Dundalk
Insurance broker and Underwriter: Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance PLC, St Marks Court, Chart Way, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1XL
Accountants: Kevin Jennings and Co Chartered Accountants, 40 Greenan Road, Newry, Co. Down, BT34 2PZ
Structure, Governance & Management
Governing Document and Constitution
Family Caring Trust is a Company limited by Guarantee and not having a Share Capital. It is governed by a (revised) Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 22[nd] August 1986.
The Company was incorporated on 28 March 1986, and was accepted under Section 360 (3) of the I.C.T.A. 1970 as a charity on 18 April 1986. The Trust registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland in 2015 when our charity number changed from XN73838 to NIC100404. The business continues to function in the sale of books, dvds, and related materials for Parent and Family Education. The Company is Limited and has no share capital. No dividends will be paid, and any surplus for the period is to be transferred to reserves.
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Family Caring Trust- Annual Report for the year to 31" Dernber 2017 The Trust is run alrnost entirely by the part-time Offi stsff suppc*ted by the pro4ono Chair. Throughout 2017 we had staff member working 12 hours a week. Trustee Selection and Management The Directors have been in post since 2011 and have been due for replacement since 2014. One Dirertor, Peter Butterfield, resigned in 2017. The Trainer bo(ty has proven to be a useful Sour of direttion and infonnan in previous years btrt has not met this year, partly in an effort to keep operating costs low. Objectives and Achievements Charitable Objects Family Caring Trust is a charitable cornpany. registered in Northem IrelarKI. established in 1986 for the purpose of advancing public education in tamily Itfe, by promoting interest and forwarding its development within the community at national. local ar ir)dividual levels. The main way it has continued to dp this over the years is by developin& publishing and distributing programmes for the preventatNe care of famlly liFe at different Stages. prirnarily in the area of parenting. Publlc Beneflt Statement The Directors of Family CarirE Trust confirm that they have complied with their duty to have gard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefft under section 4lbl of the Charities Act. In evaluating public benefft the Directors note the rnost recent sample of evaluation5 (see p51 using standardised measured provided by facilitstors in 2017. which demonstrates the continued efficacy of Family Caring Trust parenting programmes. This confim5 the continued public benefit established over many years and refiected in a series of published artides arKI reports (see Appendix). The Direttors also note the continued adheren to a Iow-COSt metFKJdok)gi whith enables all members of the public to ha access to the materials. Training is available arKI a list of Approved Trainers is available on our webslte a5 well as a list of Registered Facilitators. Summary ofmaln Actlvlties The main activities of Family CaringTrust are the sale of books. DVDS and kits which enable small community group5 to provide self-help programmes in 5UPPOrt of family relation5hip5 to parents, couples and young adults. Secondary actNities are to enable frdcilitators to register with us and to access training through a network of contacts provided on our website. During 2016 there has not been capacity to convene the trainer body. Elizabeth Davies Prn0 Chair 16.12.18 SW Martin Butte Id, Chair Paul 8utterfield, Secretary
Family Caring Trust - Annual Report for the year to 31[st] December 2017
Appendix: Research Reports to demonstrate Public Benefit
East Berkshire NHS/University of Reading
An evaluation of the use of the 0-6 and 5-15 Programmes was carried out in co-operation with the Dept of Community Studies at the University of Reading by Chris Petford, Parenting Project Coordinator for East Berkshire Community Trust. 33 health visitors and 10 school health sisters cooperated with the action research project involving 13 courses run within the project timeframe. The main findings were that the courses were effective in meeting parents' expectations and needs. Parents liked the fact that the courses were part of a universal service and thus not stigmatising. The referral through health visitors and school health sisters added to this acceptance of the 'normal.' Issues around time and crèche facilities did cause problems, but both health visitors and school health sisters found that the courses provided an effective and valuable tool to help them in their health promotion role.
Down-Lisburn NHS Trust/University of Ulster
The results of the standardised tests used by the Dept of Psychology at the University of Ulster show a significant decrease in both clinical anxiety and depression in parents attending the 5-15 course. There was also an increase in coping strategies, parents shouted less, and they were calmer and had more energy by the end of a course. Further testing 3 and 9 months later confirmed that these changes were internalised by parents. One negative result, however, was that there was no significant change in how parents saw themselves or in their enjoyment of parenting. This is not surprising because, unlike the 0-6 and 'Parenting Teenagers' courses, there had been little emphasis in the 5-15s course on parents taking care of themselves. That emphasis on parents' own needs is now included in the revised Handbook and the Planning section at the end of each session also now focuses on adults as well as on children.
University of Leeds/Barnardo's South Lakeland Family Support Service 2001
The University of Leeds School of Continuing Education conducted an independent evaluation of the Barnardo's South Lakeland Family Support Service (which uses the Family Caring Trust courses) in 2001. The before and after surveys revealed a marked increase in parental confidence after completing a course, and this was also supported by qualitative responses. Parents reported improvement in their parenting and a reduction in stress. A strong recommendation was to make the provision of parenting support much more widespread and cost effective by providing training and support to new volunteers.
West Lothian Primary Care Trust Validation Study 2006
In January 2006 a new validation of the Family Caring Trust ‘Noughts to Sixes Parenting Programme’ was begun by two Chartered Child Psychologists, Dr Ion Wyness (West Lothian Primary Care Trust) & Dr Elise Kearney (NHS Lothian), beginning with questionnaires administered six weeks before and then immediately before a course (to rule out the possibility of the changes happening before the course began), and again at the end of the course and three months after the courses finished. The three short questionnaires were the Child Behaviour Checklist for ages 18 months to 5 years; The Parent Stress Index; and HAD – Hospital Anxiety & Depression Score.
Eight 6-week courses were run by trained facilitators between March and November 2006 – 80% Mums (4% Ethnic Minority) and 20% Dads. The last follow-up questionnaires were administered in Feb. ‘07, with analysis then done by Dr Wyness and Dr Kearney. The final draft report was submitted to the Childcare Health & Development Journal in January 2008. The report states that “the FCT ‘Pram to Primary School’ parenting programme significantly reduced parenting stress and child behavioural difficulties. These positive effects were shown to have been maintained at three-month follow-up, and child behaviour problems continued to decrease. These results have important implications for practice. They demonstrate that Health Visitors can have a significant impact on
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Family Caring Trust - Annual Report for the year to 31[st] December 2017
parenting practices and improving children’s behaviour in the pre-school years. This is extremely important given the rising levels of children’s behavioural problems. The ‘0-6’ programme is a short intervention, which is relatively inexpensive to purchase and implement. With time and resource at a premium in services, this is an encouraging outcome for those working with parents in primary care.”
Caution naturally needs to be exercised in applying these results to the general population, and it would also be interesting to continue testing at six months and a year after completion of the courses, but it should be borne in mind that this course has already been popular for well over a decade throughout Britain and Ireland with parents from all socio-economic groups, and it is obvious from the research findings detailed above that the results of other evaluations confirm these findings.
The report continues, “The current research is very promising in that it suggests that the 0-6 programme is a cost effective and easily implemented programme for primary care workers, with the potential to be an effective intervention for increasing parental well-being and decreasing children’s behavioural problems in the area of primary care health promotion. It has also demonstrated an ability to significantly reduce parenting stress for parents experiencing stress within the clinical range.
Select Bibliography
Bidmead, Christine (in) Families come first: creating a new agenda to deliver family led care. Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association national conference, London, 19 September 1997: conference proceedings.
French, G., 1998. Enhancing our future: a profile of parenting programmes in Ireland. Barnardo’s.
Frost, N., 2001. Providing family support in rural communities – parenting programmes and home visiting (in) Family Support in Rural Communities. Ilford: Barnardo’s. pp 44-64.
Fleetville Family Centre, Hertfordshire Social Services & Edwards, L., 1997. Evaluation of the parenting project: St Albans City and District 1996-1997.
Hillen, P., 2004. Qualitative Research: The meaning of 'parenting' and the impact of groupwork. Community Practitioner, 77 (11): 422-425
Long, A., McCarney, S ., Smyth, G., Magorrian, N,. & Dillon, A., 2001.The effectiveness of parenting programmes facilitated by health visitors. Journal of Advanced Nursing 34(5): 611-620
Parker, A. & Fielden, I., 2000. From pram to primary school: evaluating a course for parents. Community Practitioner 73 (5): 605-607
Rooke, O., Thompson, M. & Day, C., 2004. School-based open access parenting programmes: factors relating to uptake. Child & Adolescent Mental Health 9(3): 130-138
Petford, C. & Howkins, E., 1998.Parenting programmes: parents and professionals working together. University of Reading, 1998.
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