We proudly present our new 5-year strategy, which will shape our journey as we pave the way to Challengers’ 50th anniversary.
For 45 years, Challengers has stayed true to its vision of creating a world where all children can play together freely.
Though we are exceptionally proud of our heritage, we know there is still so much to do. Our work is as vitally important today as when the charity was founded, because disabled children are still routinely excluded from participating in everyday activities.
Our new strategy marks a significant milestone in advancing our work, driven by an ambitious new charitable mission:
To transform the lives of disabled children, young people
and their families through the power of play.
The demand for support services for disabled children and their families is ever-growing, which is why our strategy sets out our plans to expand capacity and services to meet this urgent need – providing the help that families depend on.
Read Challengers’ 5-year Strategy.
Short on time? Read our one-page summary.
Our work is more important than ever…
- Social isolation is an epidemic among disabled children and their families. 70% of disabled young people are chronically lonely which has a detrimental impact on their mental and physical health.
- Over half of the families with disabled children that use Challengers services are excluded from other settings due to their child’s disability, and 79% of families feel they don’t get the right level of support.
- As of 2024, the number of EHCPs in the UK has increased by its highest rate in 6 years. Disabled pupils in the UK are significantly more likely to be permanently or temporarily excluded in comparison to their non-disabled peers, and nearly 5 times as likely to be suspended.
- The investment from the local authorities for disabled children and young people does not meet the need. The demand for support services for disabled children and their families is bigger than ever, and continues to grow.
We currently have capacity to help 750 disabled children and young people each year, but there are many more families who are asking us to help them.
Families of disabled children simply aren’t getting enough respite. They’re facing social isolation, deteriorating mental health and family breakdowns, and their children are still being excluded and denied their basic right to play. There is a growing demand for all Challengers services, including an increased need for 555 – our alternative provision that supports disabled children who are excluded from school.
Our new strategy addresses these urgent needs and has been created in collaboration with our service users, parent carers and staff, looking at how we can add the most value to disabled children, young people and their families.
Our plan to help 1,000 families through 100,000 hours of support
We pledge to increase our capacity so that we can support 1,000 families by 2029, and provide them with more frequent access to our services.
We will do this by working toward four strategic aims:
- Enriching the wellbeing and confidence of disabled children and young people
- Advocating for families and challenging the barriers that exclude them
- Connecting families together to reduce isolation and create a community of support
- Increasing capacity and securing the resources needed to invest in our vital services.
The difference Challengers makes
Behind every number and statistic is a disabled child and family who need us. Your support helps Challengers to be there for them.
More than half of the families who attend Challengers are excluded from other services due to their child’s complex needs. Our unique non-exclusion policy means we will never turn a child away based on the complexity of their needs, and will always find a way to support them. But with so many families waiting for our help, now is not the time to rest on our laurels.
Our new strategy will drive us to be ambitious and create greater change to for disabled children and their families using the transformative power of play.
“Every child has the right to play, every child has the right to be themselves. Challengers enables that. They’re lifesavers”
Charlie, Challengers parent
Can you play a part in helping us to realise our new strategy? Get in touch to see how you can help us support more disabled children, young people and families.
