All about family since 1869
Family Action was born in Victorian England, when norms about family were rigid and attitudes to struggling families mostly harsh. Our archive is full of stories showing how we’ve evolved along with attitudes about what it means to be a family.
A golden thread through our long history has been working with the whole family, and understanding the effect of family relationships on individuals – recognising that we draw strength from our relationships with others, especially when times are hard.
Family Action’s history is one of practical action:
- 1901: Setting up first social work training course at what is now LSE
- 1938 : Running some of the first Citizens’ Advice Bureaux in London
- 1950s : Major role in establishing social work as a profession in the UK
- 1975: Organising first family therapy conference
- 2021: Winning Third Sector Charity of the Year award
- 2024: CEO David Holmes is knighted for services to children and families
Charities like Family Action are plugging the holes in a safety net that feels as if it's being stretched tighter by the day. We don’t want any family to slip through the gaps.
Part of the fabric of family life
Incredibly, the challenges that faced society in 1869 are not so very different to those we navigate today. The context has changed enormously, sadly the need for many families has not.
You can learn more about Family Action’s history in more detail with this interactive timeline, kindly prepared by researchers from the University of Southampton and Goldsmiths, University of London.
Where we are now
Today Family Action is a large national charity working across England, Wales and the Isle of Man, under the patronage of the Princess of Wales who took over from Queen Elizabeth II in 2019, at the same time as we opened our national helpline, FamilyLine to provide emotional support and advice in communities across the UK where we didn’t yet have services on the ground.
The history of Family Action up to the present day is that of a charity that knows how to get things done and stay relevant to the challenges of the time. We aim to reflect, respond to and represent the realities of family life in the UK, celebrating family in all its diversity and forms. Whatever family looks like or means for you, Family Action is here to offer support through change, challenge and crisis. For as long as we’re needed.
