# **Happy Days Community Childcare Centre** ## **Company Limited by Guarantee** **Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report)** **Year ended 31 March 2024** The trustees, who are also the directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024. ## **Reference and administrative details** > **Registered charity name** Happy Days Community Childcare Centre > **Charity registration number** 105710 **Company registration number** Nl603898 **Principal office and registered** 14 Garryduff Road **office** Ballymoney BT53 ?AF **The trustees** Pastor J Payne Mrs H Kyle Mr J McCrellis Mrs H Patterson > **Company secretary** Mrs H Kyle > **Auditor** Aubrey Campbell & Company Chartered Accountants & statutory auditor 631 Lisburn Road Belfast BT9 ?GT - 1 - Happy Days Community Childcare Centre Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (continu•dJ Year ended 31 March 2024 Structure, governance and management Happy Days is a Company Ltd by Guarantee {N1603898) and was established by Ballymoney Church of God on 21st July 2010. We are registered wrth the Charity Commission for Northem Ireland INIC105710}. For the purposes of Company Law, the Trustees also act as Directors. Our Board meets on a regular basis in line wrth our governing document, the Memorandum and Articles of Association. All members are provided with updates including operational and financial reports and minutes are kept of all meetings. The day-ttrday management of the centre is undertaken by the manager Lyndal Speers and the Deputy Manager Judith Moorhead. Happy Days is registered by the Northern Health & Social Care Trust and the current registration allows us to have 80 under 5s and 24 school aged children at any given time: Room 1.. Lrttle Treasures 12 Room 2.. Precious Pearls 12 Room 3.. Gems of Genius 16 Room 4.. Ready Rubies 16 Room S.. Little Leamers - including Sessional Playgroup am only 24 Room 6.. Wise Owls - Church (pm temi time & all day hol￿aY time) 24 Social Services conducted our annual Inspection in December 2023,. they assessed our compliance with the DHSSPS Minimum Standards for Daycare (2012) in terms of Safeguarding. Qualty of the Physical Environment and Monitoring & Evaluation. The outcome of the inspection was very positive,. it was advised that formal training in the management of complaints be undertaken by management staff and this was subsequently completed. We have a full range of policies in place which provides a robust framework for the strategic and operalional activities of the Centre. All policies are kept under review and updates circulated to parents and staff. Privacy of children, parents and staff is respected and information is only shared on a 'need to know. basis and in line wtth GDPR and our detailed Data Protection pdicy. Happy Days is registered with the Information Commissioner. Happy Days complies with all Recruitment & Employment regulations, ensuring that new staff are selected on merit and that the principles of fairness and equity underpin day to day management of the staff team. Happy Days is registered with the Equality Commission Nl and maintains the requirad records and submits annual retums in respect of this. As a busy Daycare Centre, we recognise the extensive responsibilities we have to the children in our care and to our staff team. We adhere to all relevant legislation and place great emphasis on strict Health, Hygiene and Safety practice. We have exiensive Employer and Public Liabilty Insurance provided by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Ltd. Our'child Protection & Safeguarding, Policy complies with the Regional Safeguarding Child Protection Policy and Procedures as issued by the Safeguarding Board N.1. All staff receive training in line with requirements of the Minimum Standards and a number of staff act as Designated Officers. Happy Days Community Childcare Centre Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (contlnued) Year ended 31 March 2024 Objectlves and activlties Purposes Our charity's purposes are set out in the objects clause contained in the Memorandum and Articles of Association as follows.. 1. To enhance the development and education of young children by encouraging parentslguardians to understand and provide for the needs of their children by: (a) Offering appropriate play and educational facilities, with the right of the parentslcarers to take responsibility for and to become involved in the activities of Happy Days, ensuring that Happy Days offers opportunities for all children, regardless of ability. religion, culture, race or means., Ib) Encouraging the study of the needs of such children and their families and promoting public interest in and recognition of the needs of such children and their families in the local community., {c) Providing the necessary facilities for the daily care, recreation and education of children during out of school hours and school holidays., (d) Advance the education and training of the persons who provide such care, education and recreational facilrties. 2. To promote such other charitsble purposes as may from time to time be detemiined. Activities and Public Benefit In planning our activilies, the Trustees have considered the Charity Commission for Northern Irelands guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities have helped futfil the overall purposes and provide benefit to the children and families who use our services. Happy Days provides day care for children aged from 6 weeks to age 11. The main activities include.. Parents and families have benefited from a 'One Stop Shop, with a flexible affordable seNice tailored to their needs, this includes.. half day care, full day care, Pre-school Playgroup, After Schools Club. wrap around care, Nursery & School drop offs and pickups where required and holiday care for school aged children. The children are provided with inclusive, sensory, fun and stimulating leaming experiences which support and nurtufe all areas of learning and development. The children learn through stwctured and unstructured play building on individual abilities and specifically developed to maximize and encourage age appropriate developmental milestones. Children's Confiden￿ and skills are enhanced thereby building foundations for a happy, secure childhood. The children benefit from physical play activities where their confidence and coordination are enhanced,. they also learn the importance of adopting a healthy diet. Children learn about tolerance, respect, diversity and inclusion through the use of appropriate Happy Days Community Childcare Centre Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (contlnuod) Year ended 31 March 2024 resources and activities. Staff are provided with training opportunities that enable them to develop individual capabilities, Competences. skills and understanding in order to support the children's leaming and development. Students are provided with placements that enable them to develop the practical skills required to attain professional childcare qualIf￿tiOns. Strategic report The following sections for achievements and perfonnance and financial review fonn the strategic report of the charty. Happy Days Community Childcare Centre Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (contlnu8d) Year ended 31 March 2024 Achievements and performance During 202312024, Happy Days has continued to provide the highest quality of care to children that we possibly can. There is a spirrt of excellence at the core of all services provided and a good reputation has been established among parents, agencies and the wider Community. Our facilities make the best use of space and provide a welcoming and stimulating environment for all children. All aspects of children's needs are catered for and we treasure each and every child entrusted to our care. Once again, our staff team have done a tremendous job in helping us fulfil our objectives. We are blessed to have such dedicated and professional practitioners, who always give of their best to ensure that all the children are well cared for. Their qualifications exceed what is required in the Minimum Standards for Daycare and ongoing professional development is encouraged. At 31 st March 2024, we employed 39 members of staff. The Happy Days family is a diverse one,. children come from a wide cross-section of backgrounds including working families, single parents, foster families, parents in education, socialty disadvantaged families and those of mixed racelculture. Some children have SEN slatements, others have additional needs and we regularly provide care for children placed through Social Services. Happy Days takes a holistic approach to each child's care thus ensuring that we minimise barriers to participation and fully support a child's right to develop social relationships and leam new skills in an inclusive environment. At 31st March 2024, there were 110 children registered in our daycare.. 0-2 25 2-3 26 3441 4+18 Places in our self-funded Playgroup were again in great demand with 20 children attending during the year. We have continued to lobby the Education Authority in order that we might be included in the PEAG and be awarded funded places,. unfortunately they consider that there is sufficient capacity among existing local pre-school providers. In Happy Days each child is cherished and treated as an individual. We provide a sensory. fun and stimulating learning space for children of all abilities and ages. We recognise that every child's learning journey is unique and we offer a nurturing environment to encourage and support the children to reach their developmental milestones and potential. Our staff provide quality play opportunities for children that encourage creativty, imagination, dexterity, physical, cognitive and emotional strength. We maximise the use of all our outdoor spaces and have an extensive covered play space and a play area which supports physical and cognitive development. In addition, we have a multi-sensory garden which provides a sensory, fun and stimulating learning space for children of all abilities and ages. The Precious Pearls and Ready Rubies also have outdoor areas adjacent to their rooms. All children have an opportunity for outside fun and aclivty on a daily basis. We continually consider ways to enhance the resources and facilities we provide for the benefit of the children. In November 2023, we invited all our families registered at that time to complete a brief suNey about important aspects of our childcare service. Of the 90 families (representing 107 children) invited to participate 44 completed the brief questionnaire, representing a 49/0 response rate. We were delighted that from the total responses 98 % were positive and only 2 % negative. During the year, families and staff raised £398 for Macmillan Cancer and £226 for Children in Need. Further staff donations of £158 were given for Nl Children's Hospice and £135 for Sandelford School. Happy Days Community Childcare Centre Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (￿ntInUe Year ended 31 March 2024 Flnancial revlew Good governance practice is embedded in day-to-day financial management and we operate robust controls in order to fulfil all our obligations. We a￿ayS seek suppliers that offer the best value for money and detailed financial records are maintained. Invoices are issued on a rolling monthly basis so families pay the same amount each month and this helps to manage cash flow across the year. Accounts updates a￿ presented at each Board meeting. The results for the year are outlined on pages 15. Overall income for the year was £688,759 which is a marginal increase on the same period last year (2023.. £668,663). To ensure we adhered to the requirements relating to inC￿aSed rates of Living Wage and to cover the rising costs of supplies and overheads, we implemented a fee increase in April 2023. This was a significant rise and we acknowledge that for some families the rising cost of childcare is becoming prohibitive. More are relying on family members to provide some childcare and have reduced the number of days they require our services. We recognise that this is a sector wide issue and fully support the development of an Early Learning Strategy for Nl and would welcome any financial support Ihat may emerge from this. In temis of other income, we received grant assistance of £2,160 from HSCBINorthern Childcare Partnership allowing us to repair an area of wet pour safety surface and also repair wooden steps on an item of the fixed play equipment. We review such potential funding opportunities on an ongoing basis (with the exception of Lottery grants, however no further grants were received within the year. £1,734 was claimed under the 'Free milk scheme, administered by HSC Business Services Organisation during the year {2023.' £1.979). And we raised £168 in commission through using Tempest Photography. Expenditure for the year increased substantially to £735,208 (2023.. £675,652) as referred to above, wages costs were the main source of the increase. Arxordingly, Happy Days retumed a loss for the year of £46,449 {2023.-1oss of £6,989) and, as at 31st March 2024, the total charity's liabilities were in excess of its assets by £13,098 (2023.. net assets of £33,351). Having reviewed all relevant financial infomation. the Trustees are cognisant of the need to respond to the growing challenges faced across the Early Years sector and are considering ways to adapt and modify seNices accordingly. Based on the continued support of Ballymoney Church of God and the surrounding community, they are, however, satisfied that Happy Days continues to be a viable enterprise. Plans for future perlods Happy Days is committed to the delivery of the charty's key objectives across future periods.. providing day care services for children aged from 6 weeks to age 11 and ensuring that the activities help fulfil the overall purposes and provicle benefit to the Child and families who use our seNices. Trustees. responslbllities statement The trustees, who are also directors for the PUTposes of company law, are responsible for preparing the trustees, report and the financial statements in accordance wsth applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Happy Days Community Childcare Centre Company Limited by Guarantee Trustees. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (contlnu8d) Year ended 31 March 2024 Company law requires the charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing these financial ststements, the trustees are required to- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; observe the methods and principles in the applicable Charities SORP,. make judgm8nts and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent. state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disc5os8d and explained in the financial statements. prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business. The trustees are responsible for keeping adequale accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy al any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Auditor Each of the persons who is a trustee at the date of approval of this report confimis that: so far as they are aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charity's auditor is unaware., and they have taken all steps that they ought to have taken as a trustee to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity's auditor is aware of that information. The auditor is deemed to have been re-appointed in accordance with section 487 of the Companies Act 2006. The trustees, annual report and the strategic report were approved on 16 December 2024 and signed on behalf of the board of trustees by: Pastor J Payne Trustee Mrs H Kyle Charity Secretsry