Our name change

We have a vision of a world where all children and young people have a sense of belonging, and are loved and valued, a world where they can fulfil their potential, shape their destiny and experience the joy of life.

In September 2008, we changed our name to Action for Children, a name that truly reflects who we are and what we do. Before the change, we were known as NCH, or National Children's Home. If you have questions about our name change, please read the FAQs set out below, or phone 0300 123 2112.

Questions:

Why did you change your name?
What are the benefits of your name change?
How did you reach the decision to change your name?
Who was consulted about the name change?
Does this mean you have lost the heritage of the National Children's Home?
How are you different from other charities with similar names?
Can I still take part in the same activities to support you - Step Out, house-to-house etc?
Can I keep my home collection box?
Do I need to change my direct debit, my will or the paying in slips I have?
Is my Gift Aid declaration still valid?
The name change clearly cost money. How do you justify spending money on this process rather than on directly helping children and young people?
How much did the name change cost?
How else do you spend your money?
Have you also changed what you do?
Does this mean you are able to increase your services to children?
Does this mean you are able to increase your campaigning?
Does Action for Children still work closely with the Methodist Church?
Can I still be kept up to date with all the latest news?
Can I still talk to my local fundraiser?

Why have you changed your name?

The name Action for Children clearly describes what we do: it underlines our focus on action and doing our best for children and young people. It also reflects the fact that residential care is now just one small part of the range of services we provide.

The name Action for Children also honours our heritage and our past: for many years, 'action for children' was our organisation's tagline, part of our ethos. Our tagline now is 'as long as it takes', which reflects our steadfast commitment to providing long-term support for children, young people and their families, for as long as it is needed.

What are the benefits of your name change?

As well as demonstrating who we are and what we do in a clear and simple way, a strong and consistent identity will enable us to:

be a strong, campaigning voice for the most vulnerable children and young people
distinguish ourselves and the services we provide from other children's charities
have more influence on public and political opinion
increase the breadth of our services for all vulnerable children
expand our wide geographic reach, responding to local needs in the UK and beyond
encourage and develop innovative and creative ways to transform young people's lives
recruit and retain more staff and volunteers
increase our voluntary income
be clear about what we do

How did you reach the decision to change your name?

In 2006, we identified key issues and opportunities for the whole charity. The name NCH was identified as an issue that was holding us back from being able to tell people about the great work we do. Despite being one of the UK's largest children's charities, only around one per cent of the general public was aware of our work. We decided that we would need to change our name if we were ever going to be able to increase public awareness and raise vital income.

Who was consulted about the name change?

We consulted stakeholders at every stage of the project, including staff and volunteers, service commissioners, representatives of the Methodist Church, donors and supporters, and the children and young people we work with. We asked them for their thoughts on the name change at the very beginning of the process, and we went back to those groups many times as the process advanced to check that we were on the right track.

Does this mean you have lost the heritage of the National Children's Home?

No! Although our name has changed, our values and mission have not. We have evolved our identity to better and more clearly communicate what we do. Changing our name has not distanced the modern Action for Children from the long and proud history of our organisation. Our heritage will always be a key aspect of the work we do. Changing our name and working to be more visible is not about forgetting our past. In fact, it is about protecting our heritage, by ensuring that a freshly refocused Action for Children continues to provide the best care and support for the most vulnerable children, young people and their families, as we have for 140 years. A heritage project was carried out at the time of the name change, to catalogue our history.

How are you different from other charities with similar names?

Action For Kids: www.actionforkids.org
A national charity, working with and for all disabled young people up to age 26.

Action for Sick Children (Scotland): www.ascscotland.org.uk
Helps sick children and young people meet their healthcare needs in partnership with parents, carers and professionals.

Action for Children in Conflict: www.actionchildren.org
Works to assist and transform the lives of children in Africa affected by various forms of conflict or crisis; be it war, extreme poverty, hunger, illness, persecution or neglect.

Can I still take part in the same activities to support you - Step Out, house-to-house etc?

Yes, you can. None of our projects or activities is directly affected by the name change, whether you are a service user or a supporter.

Can I keep my home collection box?

If you have an NCH-style home collection box, you are more than welcome to keep using it. However, if you would like a new Action for Children-style box then our Customer Support team can arrange this for you. You can contact them on 0300 123 2112 or email ask.us@actionforchildren.org.uk

Do I need to change my direct debit, my will or the paying-in slips I have?

You do not need to change your direct debit or will since we are still the same organisation. However, your bank statement will refer to Action for Children, not NCH.

Is my Gift Aid declaration still valid?

We are still the same organisation, so your declaration is still valid: you do not need to change anything for your Gift Aid to continue.

The name change clearly cost money. How do you justify spending money on this process rather than on directly helping children and young people?

Our work on developing and communicating a new identity was essential in ensuring we were able to build on past successes and to continue to make a profound difference to the lives of the vulnerable children and young people that need it most. It was funded from our reserves and a generous donation from an Action for Children supporter.

How much did the name change cost?

The overall cost was comparable to similar projects in other similar sized charitable organisations. It was much less than private companies might spend on rebranding.

How else do you spend your money?

Public donations are spent through five key areas:

providing extra resources for projects (we run nearly 450 projects around the UK)
allowing local projects to develop new ideas and services to better meet the needs of the children and young people they support in their community
funding new developments
research
campaigning and influencing government policy

Have you also changed what you do?

No, our values and purpose have remained exactly the same: to be there for the most vulnerable children and young people, helping them break through injustice, deprivation and inequality, so they can achieve their full potential.

Does this mean you are able to increase your services to children?

Yes, our new identity gives us a strong platform from which to influence government to bring about improved policies, services and facilities for the children and young people we support.

Does this mean you are able to increase your campaigning?

Yes, increased awareness of our work among the general public allows us to campaign more effectively, and is crucial for the long-term development of the charity. We will continue to campaign fearlessly, to be the voice for the most vulnerable children and young people.

Does Action for Children still work closely with the Methodist Church?

Yes, we will always continue to work closely with the Methodist Church.

Can I still be kept up to date with all the latest news?

Yes, of course. Action for Children continues to provide the usual range of news and information to its supporters, and email alerts and newsletters are being developed.

Can I still talk to my local fundraiser?

Of course! Your local fundraiser is still available as usual. You can also talk to them about our name change.