We are delighted to announce that John Lyon’s Charity has awarded The School & Family Works a major grant of £50,000 per year for the next five years to support The Challenging Barriers Family Group Programme.

This generous funding will enable us to deliver Family Groups in five schools across three London boroughs, providing vital therapeutic support to children and their families. Four of these Family Groups will run from September 2025, expanding the reach of our work to even more children who will benefit from this unique, relationship-based approach to improving emotional wellbeing, school engagement, and family relationships.

John Lyon’s Charity has been a longstanding and valued supporter of The School & Family Works, sharing our commitment to improving outcomes for children and families. Their continued support helps us enable meaningful, sustained change in the lives of those who need it most.

We are especially proud to share these words from Karen Millen, Director of Impact & Grant Practice at John Lyon’s Charity:

"John Lyon’s Charity is committed to supporting early interventions like Family Group to help children to thrive, both in and out of school. We’re delighted to have been long-term supporters of The School & Family Works model as we recognise its lasting, transgenerational impact, particularly on children's education. Not only does it support parents, children and the wider family unit, but it plays an important role in building a healthy school ecosystem."

Reflecting on this partnership, Mark Griffiths, CEO of The School & Family Works, said:

"This is the largest and longest grant we’ve ever received from John Lyon’s Charity in our long-standing partnership. Their support will have a transformative impact on the children and families we work with. In difficult times for small charities, this endorsement of our work is powerful and timely and we know it will help us engage new partners and reach even more families."

One of the schools to benefit from this grant is Avondale Park Primary located in North Kensington. Thanks to the funding from John Lyon’s Charity, Family Group has been running at the school since 2023. Headteacher Ben McMullen describes Family Group as:

“A lifeline for many of our families. It creates a safe, consistent space for parents and carers to come together, share honestly, and learn new ways of supporting their children and themselves. For children, it has offered a chance to feel seen and understood in both school and family contexts. Staff, too, have gained new insights into the lived experiences of our families, helping us to build more compassionate, informed approaches throughout the school.”

We are incredibly grateful for this partnership with John Lyon’s Charity and we are excited to build on the impact of Family Group together.

Thank you, John Lyon’s Charity, for your continued belief in our work.