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Reaching Families 2025/26 Impact Report

Reaching Families' 2025/26 Impact Report covers its one-stop shop of services for parent-carers and SEND families in West Sussex. The charity delivered training to over 1,300 parents, gave benefits advice to 318 parents, advised 424 parents through its ND Navigation Service, gave 687 parents short term case work support and saw more than 300 parents attend its groups. Its benefits advice helped families raise over £2.9 million in claims for Carers Allowance, DLA and other entitlements, and its Facebook group welcomed its 10,000th member.

Report snapshot
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About

Reaching Families works to empower, inform and support parent-carers and SEND families in West Sussex. Its services include information resources, training, benefits advice, information and advice for neurodivergent families, volunteer befriending, parent-carer support groups and an online community, supporting over 3,000 families each year.

Key Metrics

88% of parents have an improved knowledge of SEND and where to access support
£2.9 million+ raised in benefit claims for families through the Benefits Advice Service
1,300+ parents received training in 2025/26

Key Outcomes

  • 88% of parents have improved skill and self confidence in supporting their child with SEND
  • 85% of families who used the benefits advice service have improved financial wellbeing
  • 75% of parents have improved connections with other parent-carers

Geography

South East

Impact Snapshot
568,000
babies reached by Bookstart Baby in 2025/26 (93% of all babies born)
Over 1.1 million
children and families engaged with Bookstart programmes in 2025/26
80%
of parents and carers receiving Bookstart Baby say they now read or share books and stories more with their child
445,600 children aged 1-4 reached through Bookstart Toddler and Pre-schooler, including 37% of all 1-4-year-olds living in low-income households
Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
440,000+ young people aged 4-18 active members across 7,000 Groups
Key Metric 2
140,000 volunteers supporting the movement across the UK
Key Metric 3
373 Sections opened or re-energised in England between April 2024 and March 2025
0.3% overall growth in young people (ages 4-18), driven by 31% increase in Squirrel Scouts (5,200 young people)
Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
55,000 foster carers and 370 fostering service providers as members across the UK
Key Metric 2
45 new Fostering Friendly Employers recruited, bringing the scheme to over 680,000 employees across the UK
Key Metric 3
95 Fostering Wellbeing Pioneers in Wales offering peer support and mentoring to fellow foster carers
191 children and young people engaged in outdoor adventure weeks through the Fostering Attainment and Achievement programme in Northern Ireland