Sandwell Children’s Trust

What Sandwell Children’s Trust does

Sandwell Children's Trust is a UK non-profit organization established in April 2018 to deliver statutory children's social care services on behalf of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. Headquartered in Oldbury, West Midlands, with operational presence across all six towns of the borough (Oldbury, Rowley Regis, Smethwick, Tipton, Wednesbury, West Bromwich), the Trust employs 501-1000 staff organized into 14 distinct service lines including child protection, looked-after children, fostering (Foster Sandwell), adoption (delivered through the Adoption@Heart regional partnership with Wolverhampton, Dudley, and Walsall Councils), Youth Justice Service, the Strengthening Families Service for early help, paediatric occupational therapy (commissioned to Imperium Solutions), the House Project for care leavers, Sandwell Young Carers, DECCA drug education, and dedicated digital platforms including Sandwell Voice and the FIYA forum. The Trust is governed by a Board chaired by Graham Archer with Emma Taylor as Chief Executive and is independently operated though publicly funded through a single commissioning relationship with Sandwell Council.

The Trust's revenue model is entirely public-sector commissioning with no commercial pricing or customer-paid revenue streams; services are delivered free at point of use and accessed through statutory referrals, self-referrals for fostering and adoption, and community outreach programmes. Its go-to-market is effectively relationship-led within the local-authority ecosystem, with brand awareness built through Foster Care Fortnight, dedicated fostering films ('Any Of Us', 'Childhood', 'The Run'), local media engagement, and events across all six borough towns. The underlying technology consists of a generic social care case management platform with no proprietary AI or differentiated technical assets disclosed.

Operationally the Trust represents one of the more notable turnarounds in UK local-authority children's services, transforming Sandwell's children's services from more than a decade of Ofsted 'Inadequate' ratings through 'Requires Improvement' (May 2022) to a first-ever 'Good' overall rating in December 2025, with the adoption service subsequently receiving 'Outstanding' leadership in April 2026. It has accumulated recognition including National Children and Young People Now Partnership Working Award (2023), comms2point0 UnAwards (2024), and designation as a Top 100 UK employer for apprentices (2020). The Trust is not an investable equity target in the conventional PE/VC sense but functions as a public-sector delivery vehicle whose commercial value proposition is its demonstrable improvement trajectory and multi-agency integration model.

Name

Sandwell Children’s Trust

Legal name

Sandwell Children's Trust

Website

https://sandwellchildrenstrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Sandwell Children's Trust is a UK non-profit organization delivering statutory children's social care services, including child protection, fostering, adoption, youth justice, and early help, on behalf of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council across all six borough towns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Sector Children's Social Care

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family Coaching, Parent-Mediated & Home Visiting EI Services (EDACAFAJ)

Keywords

• Children's social care
• Fostering and adoption
• Youth justice services
• Family support services
• Safeguarding and child protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Oldbury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public sector funding: Sandwell Children's Trust is a not-for-profit organization established in 2018 to run Children's Social Care Services on behalf of Sandwell Council. Funded through public sector commissioning and government allocations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sandwell Children's Trust delivers statutory children's social care services on behalf of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. Core offerings include child protection and safeguarding, looked-after children services, fostering (Foster Sandwell), adoption (via Adoption@Heart), Youth Justice Service for 10-17 year olds, Strengthening Families early help, paediatric Occupational Therapy assessments, and care leaver support. Services are delivered free at point of use and funded through public sector commissioning.

Product overview

Sandwell Children's Trust operates as a single integrated children's social care service provider, not a technology product company. The Trust delivers a comprehensive portfolio of services for children, young people, and families through multiple interconnected programmes: core statutory children's social care services including child protection, looked-after children services, and care leaver support; fostering and adoption services through partnerships with Adoption@Heart; the Youth Justice Service for 10-17 year olds; the Strengthening Families Service providing early help; and commissioned services including paediatric Occupational Therapy. The Trust also operates dedicated digital platforms including Sandwell Voice (for children in care), Your Local Offer (for care leavers), and the FIYA forum, alongside youth support services such as Sandwell Young Carers, the House Project, Short Breaks Programme, and DECCA drug education service. These services are delivered across six towns in Sandwell through multi-agency partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sandwell Children's Safeguarding Partnership: Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children to ensure all children in Sandwell are safe, happy, healthy and achieving
• Sandwell Youth Justice Service
• Occupational Therapy Assessment Service
• Strengthening Families Service
• Adoption@Heart (Partnership)
• FIYA (Forum for Independent Young Adults)
• Sandwell Voice
• Your Local Offer
• Sandwell Young Carers

Products and services

• Children's Social Care Services Statutory assessments and care planning for children and families in Sandwell, including child protection, looked-after children services, and support for young people leaving care. Delivered by Trust social workers across all six towns.
• Fostering Services (Foster Sandwell) Recruitment, assessment, training and ongoing support of foster carers (mainstream and connected persons) to provide safe, stable homes for children who cannot live with their birth families in Sandwell.
• Adoption Services Adoption services delivered in partnership with the regional adoption agency Adoption@Heart, identifying children requiring adoption and matching them with adoptive families across Sandwell, Wolverhampton, Dudley and Walsall.
• Youth Justice Service Prevention, intervention and court-related services for young people aged 10-17 in Sandwell who get into trouble with the law, including the Brotherland Project and partnership work on criminal exploitation.
• Strengthening Families Service Bespoke family support for families at tiers 3 or 4 of the Sandwell Children's Safeguarding Partnerships Threshold Document, delivered through Team Around the Family plans with co-located teams in each of the borough's six towns.
• Occupational Therapy Assessment Service Paediatric occupational therapy assessments for children and young people under 18 with disabilities impacting daily activities, provided through commissioned partner Imperium Solutions.
• House Project Support initiative enabling young people leaving care to lead successful lives through cooperative principles, helping them create first homes and build pathways into education, employment and training.
• Sandwell Young Carers Guidance and support services for children and young people aged 5-18 whose health, education and social lives have been affected as a result of caring for a dependent family member.
• Short Breaks Programme Additional Short Breaks activity programme providing fun activities and respite for children and young people with additional needs (SEND) and their families, including Summer Holiday Schemes and Saturday Clubs delivered by 4CT.
• DECCA (Drug Education, Counselling and Confidential Advice) Drug Education, Counselling and Confidential Advice Team providing alcohol, drug and tobacco advice services for young people in Sandwell.
• Sandwell Voice Platform Dedicated website for children in care and care experienced young adults providing information, support networks, news, videos, activities and contact routes with the Trust.
• Your Local Offer Online guide for care experienced young people outlining their legal entitlements and additional support available through Sandwell Children's Trust.
• Forum for Independent Young Adults (FIYA) Forum for care experienced young adults providing peer support, advocacy, awards events, and opportunities for participation in shaping services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved 'Good' Ofsted rating for overall children's services in December 2025, transforming from 'Inadequate' rating maintained for over a decade
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and support.

• Imperium SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Sandwell Council commissioned Imperium Solutions to provide paediatric occupational therapy assessments for children and young people in the Sandwell area. The partnership aims to ensure timely and high-quality assessments that support children's development, independence, and participation in everyday activities.
• West Midlands PolicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Partnership including Sandwell Council's youth service and police working together to protect children from criminal exploitation through the County Lines Intensification Week initiative. Won the Partnership Working Award at Children and Young People Now Awards 2023.
• Adoption@HeartcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2018Regional adoption agency partnership with City of Wolverhampton Council, Dudley Council, and Walsall Council. Sandwell Children's Trust works closely with Adoption@Heart focusing on identifying which children require adoption and working with those children to place them with adopters. Ofsted recognized this strong, joined up way of working as contributing to timely, well informed decisions and positive outcomes for children.
• Sandwell Council - Multiple ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrengthening Families Teams share offices with Neighbourhood Service, Adult Social Care and Anti-Social behaviour teams across all six towns of Sandwell, enabling integrated service delivery for families requiring early help support.
• Black Country Children Society (Advocacy Service)supportStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides advocacy service for children and young people with contact number 0808 169 9954, supporting the voice of children in care.
• Sandwell Young CarerssupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing guidance and support to children and young people (aged 5-18) whose health, education and social lives have been affected as a result of caring for a dependent family member.
• Sandwell Advocacy - Young Carers ProjectsupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmpowering young carers to have greater control over their everyday lives through dedicated advocacy services.
• Coram VoicesupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorks to get the voices of children in care and care experienced young adults heard in decisions that matter to them.
• DECCA (Drug Education, Counselling and Confidential Advice)supportStrategic or Co-development PartnerSandwell's young people's alcohol, drug and tobacco advice service working with children and young people.
• Sandwell Children’s Safeguarding PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-agency safeguarding partnership promoting the welfare of children to ensure all children in Sandwell are safe, happy, healthy and achieving. Operates under the icon of the Sandwell Children's Safeguarding Partnership.
• RemedisupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerRestorative justice organization that conducted an audit on the victims offer, highlighting responsibilities under the 'Victims code of practice' and areas for focus.
• DignifisupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented about the Regional Disparity pathfinder and work being undertaken across the region to address disproportionality in the youth justice system and wider systems.
• Community Trust Community Interest Charity (4CT)supportStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvider of Additional Short Breaks Activity Programme delivering Summer Holiday Schemes and Saturday Clubs for children with additional needs on behalf of the Trust. Founded in 2018, operates 11 wraparound care clubs and supports over 5000 children each year.
• Sandwell Parents Voices UnitedsupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent and Carer Forum that co-facilitates sessions at the Additional Short Breaks programme launch.
• Sandwell Parents for Disabled ChildrensupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing information at the Additional Short Breaks programme launch.
• KIDSsupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvider organization providing information at the Additional Short Breaks programme launch.
• Sandwell Asian Family Support ServicesupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvider organization providing information at the Additional Short Breaks programme launch.
• The Fostering NetworksupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization running the Foster Care Fortnight campaign. Chief Executive Sarah Thomas quoted in support of fostering recruitment efforts.
• Barnardo'ssupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency attending FIYA Awards along with colleagues from Sandwell Children's Trust and Sandwell Council.
• The House ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization with 17 projects across the country. Sandwell House Project launched to extend support offer to young people leaving care, taking a ground-breaking approach through young people's ownership to enable successful lives. There are now 17 projects across the country.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Action for Children: Major UK national charity delivering fostering, adoption, children's services, and family support across England, Scotland, and Northern Wales. A broad incumbent competing for similar contracts and operating overlapping service categories including early help and disability services.
• Barnardo's: The UK's largest national children's charity, delivering fostering, adoption, child protection, and family support services across all English regions. Already a listed partner of Sandwell Children's Trust, it represents a broad incumbent operating across the same service categories but at national scale.
• NSPCC: The UK's leading child protection charity, operating specialist services including therapeutic and safeguarding programmes. A broad incumbent in children's social care with overlapping safeguarding, child protection and family support capabilities, though operating nationally rather than for a single borough.

Direct peers

• Together for Children: An arms-length organisation delivering children's social care, early help, fostering, and SEND services on behalf of Sunderland City Council. Operates as a council-owned company on essentially the same independent trust operating model as Sandwell Children's Trust, making it a directly comparable peer in structure and remit.
• Birmingham Children's Trust: The largest independent children's trust in the UK, established in 2019 to run children's services for Birmingham City Council after sustained improvement concerns. Closely comparable to Sandwell as a standalone trust delivering statutory services in a West Midlands metropolitan borough, with identical regulatory and operating context.
• Achieving for Children: Independent children's services social enterprise jointly owned by the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Operates under the same independent trust model as Sandwell, delivering statutory children's services including fostering, adoption, and safeguarding - directly comparable in operating structure and service mix.
• Doncaster Children's Services Trust: One of the earliest independent children's services trusts in England, established in 2014 to deliver statutory children's services for Doncaster Council. Operates the same independent trust model with comparable service mix including fostering, adoption, child protection and early help.

Others

• The Children's Society: National charity supporting disadvantaged children, young people, and care leavers across the UK. Operates in adjacent thematic space to Sandwell's care-leaver and SEND support services rather than competing for the same statutory contract, but represents an ecosystem participant in the broader children's social care landscape.
• Coram: National children's charity specialising in adoption, children's rights, and advocacy. Already a listed partner via Coram Voice, Coram represents an adjacent enabling organisation that supports the Trust's care-experienced young people services rather than directly competing for the same commissioning contract.

Regional players

• Telford & Wrekin - Children and Family Services: Neighbouring West Midlands local authority delivering in-house children's social care services including fostering and adoption. Provides a regional benchmark for in-house service delivery versus the independent trust model, directly comparable for Sandwell due to geographic proximity and similar demographic context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sandwellchildrenstrust
• Xx.com/sandwellct
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sandwell-childrens-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Sandwell Children’s Trust