Our strategy

Our vision and ethos

At Family Action, our vision is of a society that understands the importance and power of family as a foundation for individual futures and connected, resilient communities.

Because family is the key to positive futures, for individuals and society: whether it’s recognising the value of family networks and support in the present or understanding the impact of trauma from the past, understanding the power of family to shape futures at every age is vital.

We know, first-hand, that our early experiences of family stay with us, for better or worse. That’s why we work across the lifespan, with people of all ages, so that we protect children today, safeguard futures tomorrow and support people going through hard times in the here and now.

We believe that the path in front of us connects back to our past, so it’s never too early, but also never too late to change things. Intervening as early as possible is key to safeguarding children and promoting their development. Love and experiences, good and bad, shape our brains dramatically in early childhood, but the process doesn’t stop aged five. We are all capable of change throughout life and the power of family extends throughout our lives.

We believe there are many ways to be a family – it’s relationships that matter. Family should be safe and supportive, loving and protective – beyond that there is no blueprint for what a family ‘should’ be. Too many people have been badly hurt in the past by damaging ideas about the ‘right’ way to be a family.

Everyone deserves dignity, respect and an equal chance at life. At Family Action we believe no-one should feel forgotten or be left behind. It’s why we work with people through all sorts of change, challenge and crisis and with some of the most vulnerable in our society: those who are in or have experienced state ‘care’ systems, those whose experience of family is traumatic and painful, and families who are living in or close to poverty.

Our context and approach

As it was at the time of our founding over 150 years ago, a key context for much of Family Action’s work is hardship and poverty. This has been intensified in recent years by the cumulative effects of austerity, global pandemic, war and the continuing cost-of-living crisis. We find ourselves living and working in an increasingly divided society.

We recognise systemic problems of poverty, inequality, inequity and loneliness; that some family stories start out much tougher than others and that effecting change is always harder for those facing multiple sources of pressure and disadvantage.

We base the development of our services on a realistic assessment of the strengths of our organisation, our ability to maximise our benefit to society, both in our own capacity and through partnership, and on what we learn from what families tell us about their daily lived experience.

We have built on our long legacy of family support to establish a dynamic, holistic and strengths-based approach to work with people in need, whatever their background or circumstances, whatever has happened in the past and whatever is happening now in the present.

As we continue to expand nationally and develop communities of reflective practice, we can increasingly transform our frontline experience into an evidence base of what works when placing family, and their voices, at the heart of support work in our communities.