Harmeny Education Trust
Harmeny Education Trust is a Scottish charity providing integrated therapeutic residential care, education, and aftercare for trauma-affected children and young people aged 5-18 on a single 35-acre Edinburgh campus, funded by local authority contracts and charitable donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersBalerno, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Harmeny Education Trust does
Harmeny Education Trust Limited is a registered Scottish charity (No SC024256) and company limited by guarantee, operating a therapeutic care and education service for children and young people aged 5-18 who have experienced early years trauma. The organization is headquartered on a 35-acre estate in Balerno, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, integrating residential care (five cottages plus a semi-independent flat), formal education through Harmeny School (primary and secondary via the 2023-introduced Learning Hub), specialist therapy, outdoor education, and a transitions/aftercare programme (Here4U, launched 2025). Service delivery is anchored by the proprietary PLAR (Play, Learn, Attach, Relax) therapeutic framework and "The Harmeny Way" organizational approach, delivered by a dedicated multidisciplinary team including therapists, teachers, and outdoor educators.
The revenue model combines commissioned care and education contracts from Scottish local authorities with charitable donations, corporate partnerships, and community fundraising events (e.g., London Marathon, Kiltwalk, abseils). Local authority commissioning provides the contracted, recurring revenue base, while fundraising supports capital projects, infrastructure renewal (e.g., the 2024 Play Appeal), and supplementary programmes. Distribution is entirely campus-based, serving children referred and funded by local authorities across Edinburgh, Midlothian, and surrounding Scottish regions.
The organization was established in 1995, taking over Harmeny School from Save the Children (which had run it since 1958), and celebrated its 30th anniversary in December 2025. Governance is by a Board of Trustees, with Sarah Summers appointed Chair in May 2025 succeeding Jennifer Scott, and Gavin Calder serving as Chief Executive since 2022. Strategic priorities visible in 2023-2025 include extending the educational age range to 18, launching aftercare services beyond age 16, and reinvesting in outdoor play infrastructure through the Play Appeal campaign.
Harmeny Education Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Harmeny Education Trust
- Legal name
- Harmeny Education Trust Limited
- Website
- https://harmeny.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Harmeny Education Trust is a Scottish charity providing integrated therapeutic residential care, education, and aftercare for trauma-affected children and young people aged 5-18 on a single 35-acre Edinburgh campus, funded by local authority contracts and charitable donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Harmeny Education Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Therapeutic Care and Special Education
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (623220), Educational Services (611), Child Care Services (62441)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12) (EDAJAEAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Homeless, Foster Care & Highly Mobile Youth Education Services (EDAJAEAG), Court/Community School Programs (Diversion, Probation-Linked, Community Day Schools) (EDAJAEAI), Trauma-Informed Care & Crisis Response (School-Based) (EDAKAMAF), Family & Community Support Services (Case Management, Referrals) (EDAJAIAK), Charter Alternative & At-Risk Schools (Continuation, Credit Recovery, Juvenile) (EDAJACAE), Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO), Trauma-Informed & Resilience-Building Programs (Early Childhood) (EDACAOAD)
Keywords
Where Harmeny Education Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Balerno, Scotland
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Harmeny Education Trust business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals, trusts, and corporate partners; fundraising events including London Marathon, Kiltwalk, abseils, and community appeals
- Local Authority Service Contracts: Revenue from local authorities who commission care and education services for children and young people placed at Harmeny
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Harmeny Education Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Harmeny Education Trust provides therapeutic care and education services to children and young people aged 5-18 who have experienced early years trauma, delivered on a single 35-acre campus in Balerno on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Core offerings include residential care in five cottages plus a semi-independent flat, day care, primary and secondary education through the on-site school (including the 2023 Learning Hub), specialist therapy services, outdoor education, and the Here4U aftercare service for former pupils beyond age 16.
Product overview
Harmeny Education Trust offers a unified therapeutic care and education service for children and young people aged 5-18. The core offering combines residential care (five cottages plus a semi-independent flat) with formal education through Harmeny School (primary and secondary via the Learning Hub). The portfolio is enriched by specialist therapy services, an outdoor education team, and outdoor facilities including adventure playgrounds (The Venchie), library boxes, and a community garden. The Here4U service extends support to former pupils beyond age 16. The PLAR (Play, Learn, Attach, Relax) therapeutic framework underpins all service delivery, supported by the Harmeny Way organizational approach.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Therapeutic Residential Care Therapeutic residential care for children aged 5-18 with experience of early years trauma, delivered in cottage-based accommodation (five cottages plus a semi-independent flat) on Harmeny's 35-acre Balerno campus and commissioned by local authorities.
- Day Care Day-based therapeutic care and education services for children and young people aged 5-18, delivered on the Balerno campus alongside the residential and education programmes.
- Harmeny School (Primary and Secondary Education) Formal on-site education for primary-aged children and secondary education through the 2023 Learning Hub, allowing young people to remain at Harmeny up to age 18 alongside therapeutic care.
- Outdoor Education Programme Outdoor education programme run by a dedicated team on the 35-acre estate, covering adventure activities, cycling, and outdoor learning for children and young people at Harmeny.
- Here4U Transitions and Aftercare Service Transitions and aftercare support service for former Harmeny pupils aged 16 and above, providing mentoring, advocacy and continued engagement beyond their on-site placement, in partnership with Who Cares? Scotland.
- Therapy Services Specialist therapeutic support delivered by a dedicated therapist team as part of Harmeny's holistic, trauma-informed care and education model.
Quantifiable outcome
- Young people successfully transitioning to secondary education and beyond
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Harmeny Education Trust
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Harmeny Education Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Harmeny Education Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- NatWestminorCorporate team participated in Port of Leith Distillery abseil fundraiser for Play Appeal.
- 21 Health and Social CareminorTeam participated in Port of Leith Distillery abseil fundraiser for Play Appeal.
- Edinburgh Road ClubcoreOrganised the Edinburgh Schools Mountain Bike Championship at Harmeny, with over 160 pupils participating. ERC led course design and race organization.
- Together (Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights)coreHarmeny became a member to support young people's rights, particularly regarding financial independence and bank account access. Together helps raise these issues with The Promise and local authorities.
- CAP.COcoreCAP.CO designed proposals for the new adventure playground (The Venchie) and other play opportunities across the Harmeny estate, working with children, young people, and staff to gather input on design.
- City of Edinburgh CouncilcoreProvided support for the Edinburgh Schools Mountain Bike Championship event at Harmeny.
- Scottish CyclingminorOfficial sanctioning body for the Edinburgh Schools Mountain Bike Championship.
- British CyclingminorProvided official sanctioning for the 2025 Edinburgh Schools Mountain Bike Championship.
- Who Cares? ScotlandcorePartnership providing independent advocacy for young people, giving them safe confidential space to discuss care or family circumstances.
- National Leadership Network (NLN)corePartnership to establish peer mentoring scheme bringing care-experienced young leaders together with Harmeny secondary pupils through storytelling and mentoring.
- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)minorDelivered AI workshop during DYW Day 2025, teaching children about artificial intelligence and innovation.
- Edinburgh CollegeminorProvided roofing and tiling workshop during DYW Day 2025 careers event.
- NHS CareersminorParticipated in DYW Day 2025, explaining healthcare career paths to pupils.
- University of EdinburghminorDr Autumn Roesch-Marsh conducted research on care-experienced young people's digital lives, with Harmeny staff contributing to focus groups.
- University of the West of ScotlandminorDr Karen Cooper co-researched the digital lives of care-experienced young people with Harmeny participation.
- Balerno Village TrustminorPartnered with Harmeny to refurbish community telephone box library, with Harmeny young people building custom shelving.
- LGBT Youth ScotlandminorProvides LGBT Charter resources and Purple Friday materials to support LGBTQIA+ inclusion at Harmeny.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Harmeny Education Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- St Bride's (Bethany Christian Trust): Operates residential services for children and young people in Scotland, including trauma and attachment-focused care. Comparable as a Scotland-based nonprofit providing residential placements and therapeutic support.
- Quarriers: Scottish charity providing residential care, education and support services for children, young people and adults with complex needs. Comparable as a Scotland-wide nonprofit with residential schools and care services commissioned by local authorities.
- Aberlour Child Care Trust: Major Scottish children's charity delivering residential care, family support and education-linked services for vulnerable children. Comparable as a Scotland-based nonprofit offering residential and wraparound support with local authority commissioning.
- Children 1st: Scottish children's charity delivering family support, residential services and trauma-informed practice. Comparable in mission, geography and reliance on local authority and donor funding.
- Kibble Education and Care Centre: Scottish charity providing integrated residential care, education and therapeutic support for children and young people with complex needs, including trauma. Directly comparable as a Scotland-based campus model with schools, residential houses and aftercare services.
- Rossie School: Scotland-based independent residential school for children with additional support needs, offering integrated care and education. Comparable as a specialist trauma-informed residential school serving a similar commissioning population.
Others
- Who Cares? Scotland: Independent advocacy organisation for care-experienced children and young people in Scotland. Harmeny has a formal partnership with them; comparable as an ecosystem partner supporting Harmeny's service users and policy positioning.
- Together (Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights): Scottish alliance advocating for children's rights, including those in care. Harmeny is a member; comparable as an ecosystem partner shaping policy and advocacy relevant to Harmeny's commissioning environment.
Broad incumbents
- Action for Children: UK-wide children's charity running residential care, education and family support services. Comparable as a broad incumbent delivering local authority-commissioned placements and education-linked support across the UK.
- Barnardo's: One of the UK's largest children's charities, operating residential care, fostering, education and mental health services across multiple regions. Comparable as a broad incumbent in children's residential and education services with overlapping therapeutic offerings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Harmeny Education Trust social profiles
Digital presenceHarmeny Education Trust compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Harmeny Education Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Harmeny Education Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Harmeny Education Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Harmeny Education Trust 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 Harmeny Education Trust
What does Harmeny Education Trust do?
Harmeny Education Trust provides therapeutic care and education services to children and young people aged 5-18 who have experienced early years trauma, delivered on a single 35-acre campus in Balerno on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Core offerings include residential care in five cottages plus a semi-independent flat, day care, primary and secondary education through the on-site school (including the 2023 Learning Hub), specialist therapy services, outdoor education, and the Here4U aftercare service for former pupils beyond age 16.
Is Harmeny Education Trust a public or private company?
Harmeny Education Trust is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Harmeny Education Trust founded?
Harmeny Education Trust was founded in 1995. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Harmeny Education Trust based?
Harmeny Education Trust is headquartered in Balerno, Scotland, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Harmeny Education Trust make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are local Authority Service Contracts.
Who are Harmeny Education Trust's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are St Bride's (Bethany Christian Trust), Quarriers, Aberlour Child Care Trust, Children 1st, Kibble Education and Care Centre and Rossie School. Others are Who Cares? Scotland and Together (Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights). Broad incumbents are Action for Children and Barnardo's.
Does Harmeny Education Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for Harmeny Education Trust.
What industry is Harmeny Education Trust in?
Harmeny Education Trust's product category is Children's Therapeutic Care and Special Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAEAJ, Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12), with a secondary code of EDAJAEAG, Homeless, Foster Care & Highly Mobile Youth Education Services. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.