During 2003-2006 the Foundation was at an embryonic stage in regard to influencing policy regarding child protection.  Yet this aspect of the Foundation work was frustratingly limited due to the constrictions of funding, but nevertheless we were involved in campaigning via the media and lobbying legislators in regard to strengthening the Green Paper ‘Every Child Matters.’ This is an area of work that the Foundation was keen to develop as it is vital that child protection policy is not directed by (and wittingly or unwittingly ends up serving) the needs of agencies with statutory powers rather than the needs of children.

Our focus has primarily been led by the needs of families and children from ethnic minority communities.  The Foundation has consequently been involved in case work associated with supporting users to raise child protection awareness and challenge inaction or bad practice and thus failings to protect children.  In many such cases the Foundation has been successful in achieving change in agencies so that good practice is adhered to. The Foundation has been involved with and helped over 300 families/children.

After four years of the Foundation responding to grass roots needs we had reached a limit which was above our workload capacity.  There was a need to consolidate and reflect on future developments and needs of the Foundation to provide the most viable and effective services outlined in our aims.

The Foundation relied heavily on the goodwill and commitment of independent specialists who had given their time freely. The Foundation was only too aware that it urgently needed to find funding in order to maintain the input of consultants otherwise the service of such individuals would not be sustainable in the future.

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