About Kids in Action Children's Charity
Our mission is to bring joy and positivity to children and adults with special needs in a safe, non-judgemental environment reducing isolation and loneliness.
It’s distressingly common for young people with learning difficulties to face loneliness, prejudice, bullying, exclusion and discrimination, on top of the day-to-day challenges they deal with. Kids in Action is here to counter all that damaging negativity. Since 1995, we have provided a safe, supportive social space for kids and young adults with disabilities and special needs.
We enable a positive transformation. A secure place where our visitors can be themselves, experience all sorts of activities, get to know more people and build lasting friendships. A boost for self-esteem and happiness.
And if you’re the family of one of our members, you’ve got a ready-to-go social spot, some respite from full-on parenting, and a sympathetic support network, full of positive people who are dealing with all the same challenges you are, too.
The difference we make
Our members’ parents describe significant, visible differences they have seen in their child or young adult since attending regular sessions. Lots of them have only ever had adult company; now they’re befriending other young people, reducing their isolation and loneliness, depression and anxieties.
The benefit to parents, carers and siblings is enormous, too – an invaluable break from full-time caring, making new friends themselves and the priceless experience of seeing their child relaxed and having fun.
Our mission is to bring joy and positivity to more families every week, until we have reached everyone we can.
Our History
Kids in Action was the vision of Paul Bowen-James, who recruited 2 trustees to join him on the journey and who are still with him today, we have since recruited 2 more. He wanted to create an ‘old-fashioned youth club’ for special needs children, where their siblings would be welcome, too.
From small beginnings in 1995, we’ve grown from a once-a-week club in a community centre with 12 young people attending, to leasing a 10,000 square foot building hosting various club days, evening and weekend sessions for 250+ people with special needs every week.
We even have 2 holiday caravans near the coast, so members and their families can have their own getaway.
