Family Kids & Youth

What Family Kids & Youth does

Family Kids & Youth (FK&Y) is a London-based, specialist B2B market research and consultancy firm that operates exclusively on the segment of children, young people, their parents, carers, and teachers. Founded in 2009 by Dr Barbie Clarke and structured as an LLP in England, the firm delivers qualitative and quantitative research using methodologies including digital ethnography, co-creation workshops, in-school research, online surveys, focus groups, and longitudinal tracking studies. Its product set spans bespoke ad hoc research projects, syndicated tracking studies (most notably the Wellbeing and the Internet Study, run since 2018 and now in its seventh round), large-scale international research programs (e.g., the IKEA Play Report across 12 countries), and strategic consultancy on child development, digital media, play, and wellbeing. The research team holds postgraduate qualifications in psychology, child development, and sociology.

The company generates revenue through professional services engagements and subscription-style syndicated research products sold to multiple buyers. Pricing is bespoke and not publicly disclosed, and distribution runs through direct enterprise relationships, account-based engagement with corporate and government buyers, and a client login portal. Named clients span global consumer brands (IKEA, Nike, Warner Media, Unilever), UK government and regulators (Department for Education, Ofcom, Royal Foundation cyberbullying taskforce), charities and NGOs (GambleAware, Green Alliance, Words Matter, Techknowledge for Schools), and media agencies (OMD, News International). FK&Y operates internationally across the UK, China, Germany, Sweden, Australia, and the USA despite a headcount of 1–10, leaning on partner networks and field suppliers to execute multi-country workstreams.

Operationally the firm maintains a small, senior-led team anchored by founder Dr Barbie Clarke (Research Director and MRS Fellow) and is differentiated by domain specialism rather than scale. It holds UK Government Crown Commercial Service roster status for research with children and young people, MRS Evidence Matters Company Partner status, ESOMAR membership, and Cyber Essentials certification. The business model is asset-light, knowledge-intensive, and reputation-driven, with the IKEA relationship (10+ years, spanning the Play Report and the ongoing Children's Advisory Panel in China, Germany and the UK) acting as a marquee anchor client.

Name

Family Kids & Youth

Legal name

Family, Kids and Youth LLP

Website

https://kidsandyouth.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Family Kids & Youth is a London-based B2B market research and consultancy agency specializing exclusively in children, young people, and families, serving enterprise clients (IKEA, Nike, Warner Media, Unilever), UK government departments, and NGOs through bespoke studies and syndicated tracking research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Market Research Services: Provides quantitative and qualitative research services to B2B clients including FMCG, technology, retail and media companies, as well as government departments and universities. Work includes international projects, workshops, and literature reviews.
2. Consultancy Services: Specialist consultancy on digital media, play, children's wellbeing and developmental stages of children and adolescents. Provides informed insight and communicates research findings in clear and creative ways.
3. Syndicated Research Reports: Syndicated tracking studies sold to multiple clients including the Wellbeing and the Internet Study, with results tracking data from previous years, edited films from workshops, and presentations of results.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Family Kids & Youth is a London-based research and consultancy agency specializing entirely in children, young people, and families. It delivers qualitative and quantitative market research—including digital ethnography, co-creation workshops, in-school research, focus groups, online surveys, and longitudinal tracking studies—alongside strategic consultancy on digital media, play, children's wellbeing, and developmental stages. It serves FMCG, technology, retail and media companies, government departments, NGOs, and universities through bespoke projects and syndicated studies such as the Wellbeing and the Internet Study.

Product overview

Family Kids & Youth is a market research and consultancy agency offering specialized research services focused on children, young people, and families. The company provides qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, including ethnographic research, focus groups, online surveys, and co-creation workshops. Key offerings include syndicated tracking studies (Wellbeing and the Internet Study), large-scale international research reports (IKEA Play Report), educational technology research (Techknowledge for Schools), and bespoke research for clients including government departments, NGOs, and major brands. The company also provides advisory panel services and consultancy on child-centered design and policy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Market Research Services Qualitative and quantitative market research services specializing in children, young people, and families, covering digital media, play, wellbeing, education, and developmental stages using methods such as digital ethnography, co-creation workshops, focus groups, online surveys, and longitudinal tracking.
• Consultancy Services Strategic consultancy advising clients working with children and young people on research methodology, child-centered product design, digital media, play, and child development.
• Wellbeing and the Internet Study Ongoing syndicated tracking study on children's wellbeing and internet usage, conducted since 2018 with 7-16 year olds across the UK, including qualitative workshops, nationally representative quantitative surveys, edited films, and year-over-year data tracking.
• IKEA Play Report Large-scale international research study on child development, parenting, family life, and the importance of play, conducted across multiple countries with parents, children, and young people.
• IKEA Children's Advisory Panel Ongoing panel research program with children aged 6-14 in China, Germany, and the UK, exploring children's perspectives on IKEA products and family life using a dedicated app for picture and film responses to monthly tasks.

Quantifiable outcome

• IKEA Play Report - world's largest research study on child development covering 16,000+ parents and 13,000+ children in 12 countries
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• IKEAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership of 10+ years conducting international research. Designed and analyzed the IKEA Play Report (world's largest study on child development). Runs the IKEA Children's Advisory Panel in China, Germany and the UK with 6-14 year olds. Presented findings at MRS conferences and ongoing co-creation projects.
• Green AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted research exploring young people's attitude to jobs in the green sector for the 'Work in Progress: Getting Young People Ready for Jobs in the 2030s' report launched at Parliament in May 2026.
• GambleAwaremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for studying the impact gambling has on children and young people considered to be vulnerable. Conducted workshops in schools across the UK with 55 children and young people aged 11-17.
• Words MattermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking closely since 2023 with this children's charity on research exploring relationships between students and teachers and the types of communication young people experience.
• Techknowledge for SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormerly Tablets for Schools, an educational charity. FK&Y has conducted extensive research on tablets in education since 2011, including longitudinal studies and pedagogical research across UK schools. Maintains an independent Pedagogy Group for peer review.
• OfcommajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK communications regulator. FK&Y conducted research across the UK looking at children's behaviour online and presented findings at Ofcom events.
• Department for Education (DfE)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorked with the DfE to research learners aged 16-19 and the effect of Coronavirus on their wellbeing.
• Royal FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted research on cyberbullying for the Cyberbullying Taskforce launched by the Royal Foundation.
• ESOMARminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization focusing on developing better market research methods. FK&Y is a member.
• Market Research Society (MRS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFK&Y is a partner company of MRS whose Code of Conduct they abide by. Company Partner with MRS Evidence Matters initiative. Regular conference participation and award recipient.
• Egmont Books/PublishingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint research on reading in print versus digital with Alisons David of Egmont Books. Presented at Ofcom conference and Children's Media Conference.
• UnilevermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple research projects including report on children and music for CSR initiative with UNICEF, presented in Chile.
• Youth UnitedmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvaluators for the Youth Social Action - Journey Fund. Conducting randomized control study amongst volunteering participants and non-participants.
• Living StreetsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted survey research on the school run and parental stress for this road safety charity.
• OMD and News InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch client for 'The Real Britain: Youth' project examining every aspect of young people's lives including SEND, ESL, and deprived area youth.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GfK: Global market research firm with consumer panels covering families, children, and media consumption across multiple countries. Overlaps on international retail/FMCG/tech clients but operates at much larger scale with broader portfolios.
• Ipsos: Global market research leader with dedicated children, youth, and family research practice and substantial syndicated kids panels. Overlaps with FK&Y on government, retail, and media buyers but at much greater scale and breadth.
• Mintel: Global consumer market research firm publishing regular reports on children's and family consumer behaviour across multiple categories. Larger incumbent with overlapping client base (FMCG, retail, media) but offers a much wider portfolio beyond the children/youth niche.
• Savanta: UK-based research and insights firm with children, youth, and family research capabilities serving brands, charities, and government. Comparable in size and geography to FK&Y with broader sector coverage, making it a partial incumbent peer.
• YouGov: UK-headquartered online market research firm with proprietary youth and family panels used by major brands and government. Adjacent in methodology (quantitative surveys) and target clients, though not a niche children specialist.
• Nielsen: Global consumer measurement and insights firm with established kids and family audience research and panels. Comparable buyer overlap (FMCG, media, retail) but a much broader portfolio and stronger data infrastructure.

Direct peers

• Dubit: Leeds-based insights and strategy agency focused on kids, tweens, teens, and families, combining qualitative research with trend forecasting and youth strategy. Directly comparable niche, client overlap in media/retail, and similar B2B research-plus-consulting model.
• Kids Industries: UK-based kids and family marketing agency and consultancy with proprietary research panels and insights on children, parents, and family decision-making. Comparable specialist positioning serving FMCG, media, and toy/entertainment clients.
• Childwise: UK-based specialist research agency focused exclusively on children and young people, conducting syndicated and bespoke research for brands, broadcasters, and government. Closest direct competitor to FK&Y in terms of niche focus, methodology, and client base.
• The Insights People: UK-based consumer insights firm running Kids, Parents, and Tweens sector studies with syndicated dashboards and bespoke work. Directly competes for the same buyer budgets and serves similar entertainment, FMCG, and media clients.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/FamilyKidsYouth
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/familykidsandyouth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/family-kids-and-youth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Family Kids & Youth