When Methodist minister Thomas Bowman Stephenson saw children living rough under the arches of Waterloo station in London, he decided he had to act. And his first action was to listen.

He paid children the respect of hearing their stories, before working out the most practical way to help.

A century and a half later, the spirit of our founder remains our inspiration. We take action on behalf of 301,000 children, young people, parents and carers across the UK. Our mission is to do what's right, do what's needed, and do what works for children.

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Services Offered

Parents and Families

Our services range from: children and family centres through to early help community hubs or short breaks for disabled children. Targeted services such as intensive family support, youth justice, employability and much more - all supported by evidence-based programmes.

Evidence Based Programmes

Each evidence-based programme focuses on a particular area and takes into account the individual needs of children and parents. There is a programme for every child, from the first year into the teens and looking to adulthood beyond.

We have led the way in adopting evidence-based programmes. Our highly trained staff can deliver a range of different programmes, including:
- Functional Family Therapy (FFT)
- Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST)
- Roots of Empathy (ROE)
- Treatment Foster Care Oregon (TFCO)
- Parenting programmes, including Incredible Years and Triple P

We're also developing our own evidence-based programme, Family Partners.

Functional Family Therapy (FFT)

A well-established therapy intervention for the treatment of violent, criminal, behavioural, school and conduct problems with young people and their families.

FFT targets the family relational system as the entry point and primary target for systematic and individualised treatment.

Children's Mental Health

There's lots of changes in the behaviour in young people as they grow up. While many of these come with the territory of teenage life, altogether, they could be pointing to mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. If your child is showing these signs they will need further support with the help of your GP or local support services.

Fees and Payment

Action for Children is a charity and a company limited by guarantee.

Services Offered To:
Teens
Children

Payment:
Sliding Scale
Pro-bono