Children's Alliance

What Children's Alliance does

Children's Alliance is a UK-based registered charity (number 1205189) and Community Interest Company (CIC number 12550857), founded by Water Babies Ltd — the world's largest baby swim school — as an outreach initiative to broaden awareness of children's health and wellbeing issues and to campaign for a dedicated Cabinet Minister for Children and Young People. Its core purpose is twofold: community-level grant-making to remove financial, cultural, and practical barriers preventing children from accessing swimming and water-based activities, and policy advocacy targeting the UK government. The organization's product surface comprises four pillars: (1) a Grant Funding Programme providing up to £15,000 (most circa £5,000) twice yearly to schools, registered charities, CICs, and community groups delivering water-related projects; (2) Community Swimming Outreach delivering free lessons, swimwear, and water-play resources to disadvantaged communities; (3) Splashathon, a biennial sponsored swim where Water Babies customers raise funds in fancy-dress events (raising £701,087 in 2024 and £764,785 in 2025); and (4) Policy Advocacy, including the 'Power of Play' report presented at 10 Downing Street, the University of Southampton preconception care strategy, and the Change.org petition for a Cabinet Minister for Children.

The business model is donation-funded rather than revenue-generating. Income sources comprise charitable donations (via Collection Pot and individual giving), biennial Splashathon event proceeds shared with Tommy's baby loss charity, corporate and in-kind partnerships with over 100 organizations across health, education, mental health, nutrition, child development, inclusivity, and leisure, and grants disbursed onward to beneficiaries. The organization is governed by three directors and operates with a total headcount of 13 employees; its registered office is in Ashford, Kent, with a CIC registered address in Honiton, Devon. Technology infrastructure is minimal: a website (childrensalliance.org.uk), Mailchimp email newsletter, and Collection Pot payment processing. Distribution is achieved through a grant-giving model rather than direct service delivery, with an online grant-application funnel and UK-domestic scope.

In May 2025 the organization announced the transition of its policy working groups to Alliance 4 Children, a new not-for-profit established in partnership with PH Affairs (formal partnership concluded March 1, 2025), while Children's Alliance continues as a steadfast supporter of the new entity's mission. This represents the most significant structural move in the organization's history and effectively separates its community-grant activities (retained) from its broader policy-advocacy agenda (transitioned).

Name

Children's Alliance

Legal name

Children's Alliance

Website

https://childrensalliance.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UK-registered charity and CIC founded by Water Babies, providing grants up to £15,000 and free swimming programs to nonprofits serving children, while campaigning for a dedicated Cabinet Minister for Children and Young People.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Charity and Grant-Making Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Maternal, Child & Family Health Program Funding (HLAJALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Health & Prevention Program Funding (HLAJALAF), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Charity grant funding
• Children swimming access
• Water safety programmes
• Community outreach grants
• Child wellbeing advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Ashford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations received primarily through events such as Splashathon, individual donations via Collection Pot platform, and general fundraising activities. The organization raises funds to support community grants for swimming programs.
2. Event-Based Fundraising: Major fundraising through biennial Splashathon events where Water Babies customers participate in sponsored swims. 2025 Splashathon raised £764,785; 2024 Splashathon raised £701,087.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Over 100 partners provide resources including expertise in health, education, mental health, nutrition, child development, inclusivity and diversity, and leisure industry specialists to support organizational goals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Children's Alliance provides grant funding of up to £15,000 (most circa £5,000) to UK-based schools, registered charities, community interest companies and community groups delivering water-related projects for children under 18. The organisation also runs Splashathon, a biennial sponsored swimming fundraiser, and conducts policy advocacy campaigns — most notably for a dedicated Cabinet Minister for Children and Young People. Funding supports swimming lessons, hydrotherapy, swimwear provision, transport and water play equipment to remove financial, cultural and practical barriers to water access.

Product overview

Children's Alliance is a UK-based charity (registered charity number 1205189) founded by Water Babies, offering a portfolio of programmes focused on improving children's health and wellbeing through water-based activities. The core offerings include: (1) a Grant Funding Programme providing up to £15,000 to grassroots organisations for swimming and water activities; (2) Community Swimming Outreach delivering free swimming lessons, swim equipment, and water splash areas; (3) Splashathon, a biennial fundraising swimming event; and (4) Policy advocacy campaigns for children's rights and a Cabinet Minister for Children. The organisation also publishes research reports and hosts conferences on early childhood development. The programmes work together to remove financial, cultural, and practical barriers preventing children from learning to swim and accessing water-based activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 swimming lessons provided for children with cerebral palsy
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered transition, key, founding, implementation and joint campaign.

• Alliance 4 ChildrentransitionStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2025New not-for-profit organization launched following productive collaboration since September 2023. Children's Alliance working groups transitioning to Alliance 4 Children. Joint advocacy for Cabinet Minister and Department for Children, Young People & Families.
• PH AffairskeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023Strategic partner since September 2023 driving policy advocacy including establishment of dedicated Cabinet Minister and Department for Children. Led joint initiatives on Early Years, Physical Activity, Emotional Health, AI/Social Media & Online Safety, and Food & Nutrition.
• University of WorcesterkeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2023Hosted inaugural Children’s Alliance Conference 2023 at the Arena, University of Worcester Severn Campus. Partnership for research and policy development on children's health and wellbeing.
• University of SouthamptonkeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 May 2023Jointly created Preconception Care Strategy with health professionals and academics at several UK universities to improve life chances for children. Professor Keith Godfrey contributed to research on first 1,000 days of child development.
• Water BabiesfoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder organization of Children's Alliance. The world's largest baby swim school provides foundational support, fundraising through Splashathon events, and access to customer base for community outreach. Water Babies CEO Steve Franks founded Children's Alliance to broaden awareness of children's health and wellbeing issues.
• Leigh TrustimplementationStrategic or Co-development PartnerProviding swimwear for five inner city schools in Birmingham for Muslim children through grant funding.
• Dame Vera Lynn Children's CharityimplementationStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Swimming Together Project providing ongoing hydrotherapy sessions for severely disabled children. Provided a year of swimming lessons for 25 children with cerebral palsy (over 1,000 lessons).
• The Wave ProjectimplementationStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildren's mental health charity using surf therapy to support children facing challenges. Children's Alliance funding supports 50 children in North Yorkshire with mental health issues.
• Access SportimplementationStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity integrating children with disabilities into swimming clubs across the UK. Provided over 400 swimming sessions for disabled children. Works with Zambezi Swim School on inclusive swimming programs.
• We Are BeamsimplementationStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides swimming lessons for children with ASD or ADHD aged 7-11, and water-based messy play sessions for babies and toddlers. Facilitated access for 38 children at reduced rate.
• Tommy's (Baby Loss Charity)joint campaignGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint beneficiary of Splashathon fundraising events. 2025 Splashathon funds split between Children's Alliance and Tommy's to support baby loss research and children's community initiatives.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Access Sport: Charity integrating disabled children into community sport; Children's Alliance partner providing 400+ swimming sessions through their inclusive programmes.
• Water Babies: Founding partner and parent-adjacent organisation; the world's largest baby swimming school that originated Children's Alliance and continues to drive its Splashathon fundraising channel.
• Royal Life Saving Society UK: UK charity focused on water safety, drowning prevention, and swimming education — directly comparable mission area around children's water safety and survival skills.
• The Wave Project: UK children's mental-health charity using surf therapy; one of Children's Alliance's named implementation partners, applying water-based interventions for child wellbeing.

Broad incumbents

• Barnardo's: Major UK children's charity running direct services and policy campaigns for vulnerable children; comparable integrated community-plus-advocacy operating model.
• BBC Children in Need: Major UK grantmaking charity funding projects for disadvantaged children and young people; directly comparable as a grant-distribution model in the children's sector.
• Sport England: Public body distributing National Lottery and government funds to expand sport participation, including swimming — comparable grantmaking-to-communities function.
• NSPCC: Large UK children's charity with combined service delivery, policy advocacy, and grantmaking — a comparable mission structure at much larger scale.
• Swim England: National governing body for swimming in England; addresses the same '1 million children can't swim 25m' problem Children's Alliance targets through policy and participation programmes.

Others

• ukactive: Trade body for the UK physical-activity sector with an active kids/early-years agenda; named sector stakeholder for Children's Alliance's physical activity advocacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ChildrensAlliae
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChildrensAllianceUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/children-s-alliance
• Instagraminstagram.com/childrensallianceuk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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's Alliance