Children North East

What Children North East does

Children North East is a registered charity (Charity Number 222041) and company limited by guarantee (Company Number 90288), founded in 1891 as the Poor Children's Holiday Association and rebranded in 1988. Headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne with 51–100 employees, the organisation delivers therapeutic, community, and advisory services to babies, children, young people (ages 0–25), and families across North East England through 69 projects spanning pregnancy through young adulthood. Core service lines include counselling (CBT, EMDR, art/play therapy), the SAFE programme for victims of sexual abuse, Little Minds in Mind parent-infant therapy, the Nook mental health safe haven, domestic abuse recovery, sexual health services, neurodivergence support (Masquer-Aid), and intensive family intervention. The charity also operates a registered trademark, Poverty Proofing®, a nationally recognised audit and consultation methodology that identifies and removes barriers for those living in poverty across schools, healthcare settings, and cultural venues.

The business model is multi-stream grant and contract funded rather than commercially priced. Revenue is generated through commissioned services from Newcastle City Council, NHS Foundation Trusts, Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, and the Children and Families Newcastle Family Hub network; charitable trust and foundation grants, including People's Postcode Lottery (£5.2M cumulative over 18 years) and the Kavli Trust; training and consultation services; donations and individual giving (1,456-strong supporter community); and a newly opened flagship charity shop in Morpeth (October 2025). Beneficiaries receive services free of charge. The organisation is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Mark Stoddart, with Leigh Elliott as Chief Executive (20 years' tenure), and is supported by patrons Tim Healy and Denise Welch.

Distribution is delivered through six physical locations across Newcastle and Gateshead plus embedded delivery in schools, GP surgeries, hospitals, community venues, and cultural organisations. The Welsh Government has commissioned a three-year programme (April 2026–April 2029) in partnership with Resolve Poverty, marking the first documented expansion beyond the North East. The charity holds Investors in People Silver (2021), Living Wage Employer status, and was shortlisted for the 2022 HSJ Partnership Award for Most Impactful Project Addressing Health Inequalities.

Name

Children North East

Legal name

Children North East

Website

https://children-ne.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1891

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Children North East is a UK-registered charity, founded 1891 and based in Newcastle, delivering therapeutic services, family support, youth programmes, and the trademarked Poverty Proofing® methodology to children, young people, and families primarily across North East England, funded through grants, public sector contracts, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children and Family Welfare Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Child Care Services (62441)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

Keywords

• Children's charity services
• Family support programs
• Youth mental health services
• Therapeutic counselling services
• Poverty proofing audits

Headquarters

HQ city

Newcastle Upon Tyne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Charitable Trust and Foundation Funding: Children North East receives significant funding from charitable trusts including Postcode Lottery Players (£5.2 million over 18 years), Kavli Trust for poverty-related initiatives, and other regional/national charitable foundations.
2. Government and Local Authority Contracts: Commissioned services from Newcastle City Council, Children and Families Newcastle (UK Government funded Inner West Family Hub), and other government bodies for delivery of specific programs including sexual health services, parent support services, and family intervention.
3. NHS Trust Funding: Funding from Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust for Masquer-Aid programme (neurodivergence support) and counselling services, and Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner for SAFE programme.
4. Retail Operations: Revenue generated from flagship charity shop in Morpeth selling second-hand clothing, homeware, books, toys. Opened October 2025.
5. Donations and Fundraising: Voluntary donations from individuals, corporate supporters, and fundraising activities including events, regular giving, and birthday celebrations.
6. Training and Consultation Services: Professional training services including infant mental health courses (NEWPP), Zippy's Friends/Apple's Friends school programs, and consultation/research services commissioned by various organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Children North East is a registered charity delivering therapeutic, family support, youth and community services for babies, children, young people and families across the North East of England. Its distinctive commercial offering is the trademarked Poverty Proofing® audit methodology, sold to schools, NHS trusts, healthcare settings and cultural organisations across the UK to identify and remove financial barriers faced by those living in poverty. The charity also operates a flagship retail shop and provides commissioned training, consultation and research services.

Product overview

Children North East operates as a charity offering a portfolio of interconnected therapeutic, community, and advisory services spanning pregnancy through young adulthood. Core therapeutic services include counselling (with multiple modalities including CBT, EMDR, art/play therapy), the SAFE programme for sexual abuse victims, Little Minds in Mind infant-parent therapy, and the Nook mental health safe haven. Community services encompass domestic abuse support, intensive family intervention, youth groups, and neurodivergence support including Masquer-Aid. The organisation's distinctive Poverty Proofing® methodology (a registered trademark) extends across schools, healthcare, and cultural settings to address child poverty barriers. Additional offerings include consultation/research services, professional training (infant mental health CPD courses), and retail operations including a flagship shop and Activity Packs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Children North East Est 1891: Brand used for the flagship shop in Morpeth, emphasizing the charity's heritage since 1891.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of 400+ children and young people accessing counselling reported improved mental health
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Children and Families NewcastlecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCowgate location operates as Inner West Family Hub within the Children & Families Newcastle network, funded by UK Government, providing integrated services for children and families in local communities.
• Resolve PovertycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnering with Children North East and Welsh Government to deliver a three-year programme to reduce the cost of the school day and lessen the impact of poverty on learners across Wales through evidence-based support and professional learning.
• EveryturncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver Nook, Young People's Mental Health Safe Haven. Everyturn provides mental health support services while Children North East hosts the safe spaces in Newcastle and Gateshead.
• Baltic Centre for Contemporary ArtminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCultural organization that underwent Poverty Proofing Culture consultation to identify and remove barriers for visitors living in poverty. Part of case study demonstrating methodology impact.
• Sage GatesheadminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCultural venue that received Poverty Proofing Culture services to improve inclusive access to arts regardless of financial background.
• Newcastle UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on VOICES project examining pandemic impact on young people. University partnership to consult with 1,780 children aged 5-18 from across the North East.
• North East and North Cumbria Child Health and Wellbeing NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity oversees Young Advisors group for the network and provides consultation expertise on child health and wellbeing matters.
• National TrustminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership to help National Trust incorporate voice of children and young people within organizational decision making and policy frameworks.
• British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBACP funded research into barriers children from asylum-seeking backgrounds face accessing counselling. Research led to changes in counselling practices including interpreter services.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Place2Be: UK children's mental health charity providing in-school counselling and mental health support, with national reach across primary and secondary schools. Directly comparable to Children North East's School Counselling Service, both delivering embedded therapeutic support inside schools with reported mental health improvement outcomes.
• Family Action: National UK charity delivering family support, mental health services, and early-years programmes including perinatal mental health. Directly comparable to Children North East's family resource centre model, infant mental health work (NEWPIP), and parent support services.
• Action for Children: National UK charity delivering services for vulnerable children, young people, and families including counselling, family support, fostering, and mental health. Closely comparable business model (commissioned services + donations), target population, and service mix to Children North East, though at significantly larger national scale.
• Home-Start UK: UK family support charity offering volunteer-led home visiting and family group programmes for families with young children. Highly comparable to Children North East's Baby & Toddler Groups, Little Minds in Mind, and Intensive Family Support services, both organisations targeting vulnerable families with children 0-11.
• The Children's Society: National UK charity focused on disadvantaged children, young people, and families, with services including mental health support, exploitation recovery, and youth work. Directly comparable service portfolio and beneficiary segments (young people 11-25, mental health, counselling) to Children North East, though with national footprint and stronger brand.
• Resolve Poverty: UK alliance organisation tackling child poverty through school-based intervention and cost-of-the-school-day work. Directly comparable to Children North East's Poverty Proofing® methodology and is a current delivery partner on the Welsh Government 2026-2029 programme.

Broad incumbents

• Barnardo's: The UK's largest children's charity, delivering services across child protection, mental health, sexual exploitation, and family support nationally. Directly comparable to Children North East in service portfolio (counselling, family support, sexual abuse recovery) but operates at a much larger scale across all UK regions and with significantly greater brand recognition and government lobbying capacity.
• NSPCC: The UK's leading child protection charity, running therapeutic services for abuse victims, helplines, and school-based programmes including 'Speak Out Stay Safe'. Directly comparable to Children North East's SAFE programme and school counselling, but operates nationally with a much larger fundraising base and policy influence.
• Coram: Long-established UK charity group supporting children and young people through adoption, fostering, early years, and creative arts therapies. Comparable to Children North East's therapeutic services and early-years focus (Little Minds in Mind), but with broader portfolio including Coram's Fields, Coram Voice, and Beanstalk reading support.

Emerging players

• Centre for Mental Health: UK mental health think tank and consultancy focused on children and young people's mental health, health inequalities, and policy. Partially comparable to Children North East's research/consultation work (VOICES, Change Now report) and Poverty Proofing® Healthcare sector, though more policy/research oriented than direct service delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ChildrenNE
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChildrenNorthEast
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/children-north-east
• Instagraminstagram.com/childrennortheast

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

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 Children North East