Stepping Stones
Stepping Stones (Luton) is a registered charity founded in May 2008 that provides free, confidential support services to women in Luton experiencing domestic abuse, substance misuse, offending, and parenting challenges, including free onsite childcare.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersLuton, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Stepping Stones does
Stepping Stones (Luton) is a registered charity (Charity number 1162349) structured as a charitable company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (Registered number 6588338), founded in May 2008 and headquartered at 9a George Street West, Luton, Bedfordshire. It delivers free, confidential, and non-judgmental support services exclusively to women in the Luton area who are experiencing domestic abuse, substance misuse, or are at risk of offending, alongside parenting support. The product portfolio comprises five integrated service lines: Domestic Abuse Support, Offending and Rehabilitation, Parenting Support, Drug and Alcohol Support, and free onsite Childcare Services, all operated from a single physical site.
The business model is a non-commercial charity: no fees are charged for any service, and there is no price list or transactional revenue stream. Funding is raised through donations, matched-giving campaigns (notably the Big Give Small Charity Week referenced 22-29 June), the annual Shero Walk community fundraiser, and partnerships with platforms such as Give as You Live Online. Distribution is single-channel direct service delivery, accessed via referrals and self-referral, with services reaching over 485 women and children in the year referenced in the June 2026 Impact Report and 56 local events attended.
The organization is certified against the Women's Aid National Quality Standards and has received regional recognition through the SME Bedfordshire Business Awards and CI Luton Community Awards. There is no disclosed technology platform, API, mobile application, AI/ML capability, headcount figure, or financial statement in the source data; the entity operates with single-geography scope (Luton, UK), an independent trustee-governed structure, and no parent company, subsidiaries, or external institutional investors.
Stepping Stones firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Stepping Stones
- Legal name
- Stepping Stones (Luton)
- Website
- https://steppingstonesluton.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Stepping Stones (Luton) is a registered charity founded in May 2008 that provides free, confidential support services to women in Luton experiencing domestic abuse, substance misuse, offending, and parenting challenges, including free onsite childcare.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Stepping Stones industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Women's Social Support Services
- NAICS
- Other Individual and Family Services (62419), Individual and Family Services (6241), Child Care Services (6244)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)
Keywords
Where Stepping Stones is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Luton
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Stepping Stones business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Stepping Stones product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Stepping Stones provides free, confidential, and non-judgmental specialist support services for women experiencing domestic abuse, substance misuse issues, and those at risk of offending. The charity also delivers parenting support and free onsite childcare so that mothers can engage with its therapeutic and crisis-intervention programmes. It operates as a registered charitable company limited by guarantee based in Luton, Bedfordshire.
Product overview
Stepping Stones Luton is a registered charity (Charity number 1162349) founded in May 2008, providing free, confidential, and non-judgmental support services for women. The organization operates as a unified service portfolio offering four core support programs: Domestic Abuse Support, Offending and Rehabilitation, Parenting Support, and Drug and Alcohol Support. Additional support includes free onsite childcare services. The organization helped over 485 women and children last year, with services including Health and Wellbeing, Skills Training, and Raising awareness of abuse.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Domestic Abuse Support
- Substance Misuse Support
- Offending Behaviour Support
- Parenting Support
- Free Onsite Childcare
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% of clients reported improved confidence and self-esteem
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Stepping Stones
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Stepping Stones technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Stepping Stones partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Stepping Stones competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Turning Point: UK social enterprise providing substance misuse, mental health, and social support services. Directly comparable to Stepping Stones on the drug and alcohol support line of service, though Turning Point operates nationally and across multiple client groups.
- Galop: UK charity providing advice, advocacy, and support to LGBT+ people experiencing domestic abuse and sexual violence. Comparable on the domestic abuse service delivery model for a specific community segment, though focused on LGBT+ survivors rather than women in general.
- The Hampton Trust: UK charity providing intervention and rehabilitation services for perpetrators and families affected by domestic abuse, including the Drive program. Directly comparable to Stepping Stones' offending and rehabilitation pillar and operating in adjacent regional geographies.
- Respect (UK): UK charity working with perpetrators, survivors, and young people around domestic abuse. Partially comparable on the offending/violence behavior side of Stepping Stones' mandate, though Respect's work is more perpetrator-focused while Stepping Stones' is survivor-focused.
- The Nelson Trust: UK charity supporting women with complex needs including substance misuse, offending, and trauma. Closely comparable to Stepping Stones on the integrated women-centred recovery model, particularly on the substance misuse and offending rehabilitation intersection.
- Refuge (UK): National UK charity providing specialist domestic abuse support for women and children, including refuge accommodation and community-based services. Directly comparable to Stepping Stones on the domestic abuse support line of service, though operating at significantly larger national scale.
- Rise (Rise Mutual / RISE Domestic Abuse Service): Domestic abuse service supporting women and children in another UK region with similar integrated recovery services. Closely comparable on mission (women and children fleeing abuse) and service mix, though operating in a different geographic footprint.
Others
- SafeLives: UK charity focused on improving the response to domestic abuse, providing training, accreditation, and data tools used by frontline services. Comparable to Stepping Stones as a sector enabler rather than a direct service competitor; relevant because SafeLives' tools may be deployed by Stepping Stones.
- Solicitor at Stepping Stones (placeholder): Omitted - I do not have sufficient confidence in the existence of this entity to include it.
Broad incumbents
- Women's Aid Federation of England: National umbrella federation that sets the National Quality Standards against which Stepping Stones is certified. It coordinates a network of local domestic abuse service providers and represents the sector to government, making it a structural incumbent rather than a direct competitor for service delivery.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Stepping Stones social profiles
Digital presenceStepping Stones compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Stepping Stones financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Stepping Stones leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Stepping Stones funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Stepping Stones M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Stepping Stones
What does Stepping Stones do?
Stepping Stones provides free, confidential, and non-judgmental specialist support services for women experiencing domestic abuse, substance misuse issues, and those at risk of offending. The charity also delivers parenting support and free onsite childcare so that mothers can engage with its therapeutic and crisis-intervention programmes. It operates as a registered charitable company limited by guarantee based in Luton, Bedfordshire.
Is Stepping Stones a public or private company?
Stepping Stones is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Stepping Stones founded?
Stepping Stones was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Stepping Stones based?
Stepping Stones is headquartered in Luton, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
Who are Stepping Stones's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Turning Point, Galop, The Hampton Trust, Respect (UK), The Nelson Trust, Refuge (UK) and Rise (Rise Mutual / RISE Domestic Abuse Service). Others are SafeLives and Solicitor at Stepping Stones (placeholder). Women's Aid Federation of England is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Stepping Stones have an API?
No public API is recorded for Stepping Stones.
What industry is Stepping Stones in?
Stepping Stones's product category is Women's Social Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAC, Family & Parenting Support Services. Its NAICS code is 62419 and its SIC code is 8300.