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2024-03-31-annual-report

Company registration number: NI044660 Charity registration number: NIC102442

Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

(A company limited by guarantee) Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Catherine McRory FCMA CGMA Baxterworld Ltd Unit 3, Dargan Industrial Park 60-84 Dargan Crescent Belfast Co. Antrim BT3 9JP

Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Contents

Reference and Administrative Details 1
Strategic Report 2 to 3
Trustees' Report 4 to 5
Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities 6
Independent Examiner's Report
Statement of Financial Activities
Balance Sheet
Notes to the Financial Statements
7
8
9
10 to 16

Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Reference and Administrative Details

Trustees

Jayne Ballentine Richard Marshall Karen McConkey Diane Burgess Fran O'Boyle James Mahon Elaine McDonald

Secretary Heather Caldwell Principal Office Naomi Centre 2 Cullybackey Road Ballymena BT43 5DF Registered Office Naomi Centre 2 Cullybackey Road Ballymena BT43 5DF The charity is incorporated in Northern Ireland. Company Registration Number NI044660 Charity Registration Number NIC102442 Bankers Danske Bank Broadway 1-2 Broadway Ballymena BT43 6EA Independent Examiner Catherine McRory FCMA CGMA Baxterworld Ltd Unit 3, Dargan Industrial Park 60-84 Dargan Crescent Belfast Co. Antrim BT3 9JP

Page 1

Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Strategic Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

The trustees, who are directors for the purposes of company law, present their strategic report for the year ended 31 March 2024, in compliance with s414C of the Companies Act 2006.

Performance and achievements 2022 - 2023

The financial year 2022 / 23 has seen the charity continue to offer a much needed service to the community, supporting separated families to have contact, especially after the effects and impact of Covid.

Thankfully, we appear to have come out of the most severe impacts of Covid, and have been able to return to full in person / face to face service, with provisions in place for families e.g. having individual stations, limiting the number of families to 6 in the halls, to minimise the potential for spreading infections.

With our first full year of weekly service at both centres since the start of the pandemic, we saw the centres provide contact for a total of 416 Family Visits, which 1033 hours of contact.

Contact children would not have had without the service provided by the charity.

Our main achievements over this financial year were

Thursday sessions - Thursday sessions were started in Ballymena, providing additional support and options for families that cannot commit to Saturday contact. This addition also brings BACCS in line with other contact centres.

Child Protection - We updated Child Protection Training for many of the volunteers, ensuring their knowledge and skills are up to date in order to support vulnerable families.

Toys and Resources - Toys and resources in the centres have also been updated, to help provide and facilitate more ‘natural contact’ with families, and give them opportunities to interact and engage

Christmas - With the support of Women’s Aid, we were able to give much needed and much appreciated presents to all the kids in the centre. All available volunteers were also taken for their traditional Christmas Lunch.

Uplift - We have received a 3.54% uplift in our funding from the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, to support with the rising costs of day to day running, and help facilitate the addition of Thursday contact.

Antrim Centre

Over the financial year, we provided total of 228 family visits, and a total of 529 contact hours.

Ballymena Centre

Over this financial year, we provided 188 family visits and a total of 504 contact hours.

Page 2

Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Strategic Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Financial review

Policy on reserves

It is the Charity's policy to maintain unrestricted reserves equal to 6 months running costs. In 2024, that value is £18,332. The Unrestricted reserves total £43,781 for 2024 which is equivalent to just over 1 year's running costs.

The strategic report was approved by the trustees of the charity on 4 November 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

......................................... Karen McConkey Trustee

Page 3

Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Trustees' Report

The trustees, who are directors for the purposes of company law, present the annual report together with the financial statements of the charitable company for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Objectives and activities

Public benefit

The benefits which flow from this purpose include: 1. The relief of the emotional impact of separation due to family breakdown 2. The re-establishment of a level of trust between the parents. 3. Increased contact between the child and the absent parent within a safe neutral environment 4. The child is safe from risk of harm e.g. domestic abuse or substance abuse. These benefits will be evidenced by 1. The number of families using the service 2. The number of families moving on to more positive contact outside the centre (presently 70% plus) 3. Family evaluation sheets 4. Anecdotal evidence from users of the centres 5. Feedback from referrers, e.g. social services, solicitors, child court officers and courts. 6. Research The purposes of our charity may lead to the following harm 1. Confrontation between parents. 2. Families become reliant on the centres We can minimise the harm and show it is outweighed by the benefits by 1. Pre visits with families to carry out risk assessment and address the need for the centre to be a temporary solution to child contact 2. Staggered arrival and departure times for families 3. Carry out regular reviews with all family members to address ways of moving on. 4. Research showing the success of the centres and their objectives. The only private benefits flowing from this purpose are 1. Volunteers may enhance their employment opportunities through the training and experience gained from supporting child contact. This training may be transferable to other settings. 2. Volunteers may receive travelling expenses. 3. Volunteers who are Directors or sit on the management committee may enhance their employment opportunities through the skills gained as part of the Management Board. These private benefits are incidental and necessary to ensure that the benefit is provided to our beneficiaries. The beneficiaries are the people of Ballymena, Antrim and Larne areas who are experiencing family breakdown and wish to establish contact with their children, whether parents, grandparents or siblings. Although most of our families reside in these three areas, it is not our policy to refuse people from other areas of Northern Ireland or outside the province. Other aspects Staff and volunteers are found to facilitate the smooth running of the centre; Volunteers benefit from increased skills through ongoing training which could enhance their career opportunities and gain experience through teamwork and networking with other volunteers Volunteers may find themselves in confrontational situations or may become emotionally affected by the needs of the children but this is minimised by: 1. Vetting of volunteers 2. Ongoing training 3. Support policies to assist volunteers We also promote and publicise the concept of Child Contact Centres: this leads to awareness by the public of the role of Children’s Contact Centres so that they can seek referrals in times of need and this is demonstrated through the number of referrals, whether through social services, courts, solicitors, or self-referral.

The trustees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of section 3 of the Charities Act 2008 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.

Structure, governance and management

Nature of governing document

Ballymena Area Children’s Contact Centre is a Company Limited by Guarantee, governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association and registered as a charity with the Charities Commission of NI.

It is governed by a voluntary Management Committee which is responsible for strategic planning and decision making, financial governance and probity and have employment responsibility for all staff. Volunteering opportunities within the organisation are openly advertised through a wide range of media outlets. All volunteers complete a mandatory training programme, are subject to a six-month probationary period and complete a comprehensive induction process. Those volunteers who are to be appointed to the Management Committee receive specialist training to assist them to fulfil their roles in relation to governance of the organisation.

Page 4

Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Trustees' Report

Recruitment and appointment of trustees

Members to the Management Committee are proposed at the annual general meeting. Office bearers are elected at the first Management Committee meeting following the annual general meeting.

Organisational structure

The day-to-day management and operation of the activities are carried out by a staff team, led by the Centre Co-ordinator, who also reports to the Committee. Operational volunteers contribute to the day to day activities of the charity and their contribution is invaluable to the charity meeting its aims and objectives.

Financial instruments

Objectives and policies

The charity's activities expose it to a number of financial risks including credit risk, cash flow risk and liquidity risk. The use of financial derivatives is governed by the charity’s policies approved by the board of trustees, which provide written principles on the use of financial derivatives to manage these risks. The charity does not use derivative financial instruments for speculative purposes.

Cash flow risk

The charity’s activities expose it primarily to the financial risks of changes in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. The charity uses foreign exchange forward contracts and interest rate swap contracts to hedge these exposures.

Interest bearing assets and liabilities are held at fixed rate to ensure certainty of cash flows.

Credit risk

The charity’s principal financial assets are bank balances and cash, trade and other receivables, and investments. The charity’s credit risk is primarily attributable to its trade receivables. The amounts presented in the balance sheet are net of allowances for doubtful receivables. An allowance for impairment is made where there is an identified loss event which, based on previous experience, is evidence of a reduction in the recoverability of the cash flows.

The credit risk on liquid funds and derivative financial instruments is limited because the counterparties are banks with high credit-ratings assigned by international credit-rating agencies.

The charity has no significant concentration of credit risk, with exposure spread over a large number of counterparties and customers.

Liquidity risk

In order to maintain liquidity to ensure that sufficient funds are available for ongoing operations and future developments, the charity uses a mixture of long-term and short-term debt finance. Further details regarding liquidity risk can be found in the Statement of accounting policies in the financial statements.

The annual report was approved by the trustees of the charity on 4 November 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

......................................... Karen McConkey Trustee

Page 5

Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities

The trustees (who are also the directors of Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with the United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) and applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. 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 incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate 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 charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Approved by the trustees of the charity on 4 November 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

......................................... Karen McConkey Trustee

Page 6

Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024 which are set out on pages 8 to 16 .

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 65(2) of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (the 2008 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

have not been met; or

......................................

Catherine McRory FCMA CGMA

Baxterworld Ltd Unit 3, Dargan Industrial Park 60-84 Dargan Crescent Belfast Co. Antrim BT3 9JP

4 November 2024

Page 7

Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 (Including Income and Expenditure Account and Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses)

Note
Income and Endowments from:
Charitable activities
3
Investment income
4
Total Income
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
5
Total Expenditure
Net income
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
12
Income and Endowments from:
Charitable activities
Investment income
Total Income
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
Total Expenditure
Net income
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
Unrestricted
funds
£
-
479
479
-
-
479
479
43,303
43,782
Note
3
4
5
12
Restricted
funds
£
38,541
-
38,541
(36,663)
(36,663)
1,878
1,878
7,155
9,033
Unrestricted
funds
£
-
101
101
-
-
101
101
43,201
43,302
Total
2024
£
38,541
479
39,020
(36,663)
(36,663)
2,357
2,357
50,458
52,815
Restricted
funds
£
37,339
-
37,339
(34,350)
(34,350)
2,989
2,989
4,166
7,155
Total
2023
£
37,339
101
37,440
(34,350)
(34,350)
3,090
3,090
47,367
50,457
Total
2023
£
37,339
101
37,440
(34,350)
(34,350)
3,090
3,090
47,367
50,457

All of the charity's activities derive from continuing operations during the above two periods. The funds breakdown for 2024 & 2023 is shown in note 12.

Page 8

Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

(Registration number: NI044660) Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024

----- Start of picture text -----
2024 2023
Note £ £
Current assets
Debtors 9 3,394 -
Cash at bank and in hand 51,358 52,876
54,752 52,876
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 10 (1,938) (2,418)
Net assets 52,814 50,458
Funds of the charity:
Restricted funds 9,033 7,155
Unrestricted income funds
Unrestricted funds 43,782 43,302
Total funds 12 52,815 50,457
----- End of picture text -----

For the financial year ending 31 March 2024 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Directors' responsibilities:

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements on pages 8 to 16 were approved by the trustees, and authorised for issue on 4 November 2024 and signed on their behalf by:

......................................... Karen McConkey Trustee

Page 9

Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

1 Charity status

The charity is a charity limited by guarantee and consequently does not have share capital. Each of the trustees is liable to contribute an amount not exceeding £Nil towards the assets of the charity in the event of liquidation.

2 Accounting policies

Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates

The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.

Statement of compliance

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 Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Basis of preparation

Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.

Going concern

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern nor any significant areas of uncertainty that affect the carrying value of assets held by the charity.

Exemption from preparing a cash flow statement

The charity opted to early adopt Bulletin 1 published on 2 February 2016 and have therefore not included a cash flow statement in these financial statements.

Income and endowments

Investment income

Dividends are recognised once the dividend has been declared and notification has been received of the dividend due.

Expenditure

All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources, with central staff costs allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use. Other support costs are allocated based on the spread of staff costs.

Page 10

Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Charitable activities

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

Governance costs

These include the costs attributable to the charity’s compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements, including audit, strategic management and trustees’s meetings and reimbursed expenses.

Taxation

The charity 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 charity 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.

Trade debtors

Trade debtors are amounts due from customers for merchandise sold or services performed in the ordinary course of business.

Trade debtors are recognised initially at the transaction price. They are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less provision for impairment. A provision for the impairment of trade debtors is established when there is objective evidence that the charity will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the original terms of the receivables.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.

Trade creditors

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Accounts payable are classified as current liabilities if the charity does not have an unconditional right, at the end of the reporting period, to defer settlement of the creditor for at least twelve months after the reporting date. If there is an unconditional right to defer settlement for at least twelve months after the reporting date, they are presented as non-current liabilities.

Trade creditors are recognised initially at the transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

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Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Borrowings

Interest-bearing borrowings are initially recorded at fair value, net of transaction costs. Interest-bearing borrowings are subsequently carried at amortised cost, with the difference between the proceeds, net of transaction costs, and the amount due on redemption being recognised as a charge to the Statement of Financial Activities over the period of the relevant borrowing.

Interest expense is recognised on the basis of the effective interest method and is included in interest payable and similar charges.

Borrowings are classified as current liabilities unless the charity has an unconditional right to defer settlement of the liability for at least twelve months after the reporting date.

Fund structure

Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees's discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity.

Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose.

Financial instruments

Classification

Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised when the charity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the charity after deducting all of its liabilities.

Recognition and measurement

All financial assets and liabilities are initially measured at transaction price (including transaction costs), except for those financial assets classified as at fair value through profit or loss, which are initially measured at fair value (which is normally the transaction price excluding transaction costs), unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction. If an arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, the financial asset or financial liability is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest for a similar debt instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are only offset in the statement of financial position when, and only when there exists a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and the charity intends either to settle on a net basis, or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Financial assets are derecognised when and only when a) the contractual rights to the cash flows from the financial asset expire or are settled, b) the charity transfers to another party substantially all of the risks and rewards of ownership of the financial asset, or c) the charity, despite having retained some, but not all, significant risks and rewards of ownership, has transferred control of the asset to another party.

Financial liabilities are derecognised only when the obligation specified in the contract is discharged, cancelled or expires.

Page 12

Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Investments

Investments in non-convertible preference shares and non-puttable ordinary or preference shares (where shares are publicly traded or their fair value is reliably measurable) are measured at fair value through profit or loss. Where fair value cannot be measured reliably, investments are measured at cost less impairment.

Investments in subsidiaries and associates are measured at cost less impairment. For investments in subsidiaries acquired for consideration including the issue of shares qualifying for merger relief, cost is measured by reference to the nominal value of the shares issued plus fair value of other consideration. Any premium is ignored.

3 Income from charitable activities

3
Income from charitable activities
Charitable Activities
4
Investment income
Interest receivable and similar income;
Interest receivable on bank deposits
5
Expenditure on charitable activities
Note
Charitable Activities
Staff costs
Governance costs
6
Restricted
funds
£
38,541
Unrestricted
funds
General
£
479
Restricted
funds
£
7,972
27,865
826
36,663
Total
2024
£
38,541
Total
2024
£
479
Total
2024
£
7,972
27,865
826
36,663
Total
2023
£
37,339
Total
2023
£
101
Total
2023
£
6,049
27,150
1,151
34,350

£Nil (2023 - £Nil) of the above expenditure was attributable to unrestricted funds and £36,663 (2023 - £33,436) to restricted funds.

In addition to the expenditure analysed above, there are also governance costs of £826 (2023 - £914) which relate directly to charitable activities. See note 6 for further details.

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Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

----- Start of picture text -----
6 Analysis of governance and support costs
Governance costs
Restricted Total Total
funds 2024 2023
£ £ £
Other governance costs 826 826 1,151
826 826 1,151
7 Staff costs
The aggregate payroll costs were as follows:
2024 2023
£ £
Staff costs during the year were:
Wages and salaries 26,469 24,611
Social security costs - 991
Pension costs 990 793
Other staff costs 406 755
27,865 27,150
No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000 during the year.
----- End of picture text -----

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Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

8 Taxation

The charity is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from taxation.

9 Debtors

----- Start of picture text -----
2024
£
Accrued income 3,394
10 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
2024 2023
£ £
Trade creditors 22 984
Other taxation and social security 467 381
Other creditors 129 129
Accruals 1,320 924
1,938 2,418
----- End of picture text -----

11 Pension and other schemes Defined contribution pension scheme

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The pension cost charge for the year represents contributions payable by the charity to the scheme and amounted to £990 (2023 - £793).

12 Funds
Unrestricted funds
General
Restricted funds
Total funds
Balance at 1
April 2023
£
(43,303)
(7,155)
(50,458)
Incoming
resources
£
(479)
(38,541)
(39,020)
Resources
expended
£
-
36,663
36,663
Balance at 31
March 2024
£
(43,782)
(9,033)
(52,815)

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Ballymena Area Children's Contact Centre

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

----- Start of picture text -----
Balance at 1 Incoming Resources Balance at 31
April 2022 resources expended March 2023
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General (43,201) (101) - (43,302)
Restricted funds (4,166) (37,339) 34,350 (7,155)
Total funds (47,367) (37,440) 34,350 (50,457)
13 Analysis of net assets between funds
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
General funds Total funds
£ £ £
Current assets 36,376 18,376 54,752
Current liabilities (1,938) - (1,938)
Total net assets 34,438 18,376 52,814
14 Analysis of net funds
At 31 March
At 1 April 2023 Cash flow 2024
£ £ £
Cash at bank and in hand 52,876 (1,518) 51,358
Net debt 52,876 (1,518) 51,358
----- End of picture text -----

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