See below for answers to the following questions:

• Why has Kids’ Clubs Network changed its name to 4Children?
• Is 4Children going to be working on childcare for all ages?
• How will a new name help clubs, families and communities?
• Aren’t you just following the Government?
• How will out of school clubs be part of the agenda to co-ordinate services for children and parents?
• How does the new name affect your relationship with other charities?
• What are the next steps for the charity?

Why has Kids’ Clubs Network changed its name to 4Children?

Kids’ Clubs Network is changing its name to reflect the broader environment in which it works, and to better reflect its core purpose – meeting the needs of children. 4Children believes that it can best support the needs of children out of school within the wider context of children’s services. Many local services are also following this route and have been developing their work alongside schools and other children’s services for some time.

The charity now needs an identity that better represents the work it and its members do as a whole. The new name – 4Children – will be launched on 4 March 2004.


Is 4Children going to be working on childcare for all ages?

4Children will build on Kids’ Clubs Network’s traditional experience of
providing for the needs of school age children (4 –16 years) and their families. Nonetheless, there is an increasing emphasis on the need for joined-up thinking, policy and delivery of childcare; 4Children, in continuing Kids’ Clubs Network’s lobbying role for joined-up working, is keen to take this approach forward. There are no plans to develop specialist support for pre-school children, other than as part of wider support for all children.


How will a new name help clubs, families and communities?

Through our national and local projects and initiatives, Kids’ Clubs Network will remain at the forefront of developments within children’s services. Our new name and logo will not only help identify the work we do for children and families, but ensure we can effectively profile the expertise and progress within children’s services and the out of school sector.


Aren’t you just following the Government?

The Government green paper sets out a framework for joined-up working that Kids’ Clubs Network has warmly welcomed. However, as we have argued for joined-up working for many years now, we believe Kids’ Club Network has influenced the Government in its thinking.


How will out of school clubs be part of the agenda to co-ordinate services for children and parents?

Out of school provision is an essential part of any community with enormous potential to act as a springboard and hub for wider services. It also has the potential to be at the centre of new developments. 4Children is committed to ensuring that all the services and support we provide for clubs will continue and be built upon. Central to our vision over the next ten years is that there will be out of school provision for children in every community across the UK. And that every school should have (or be connected to) a whole range of different services for children and young people in out of school clubs, extended schools and children’s centres.


How does the new name affect your relationship with other charities?

4Children is keen to work with other children’s charities to provide joined-up responses for children; initiatives such as National Sure Start Month and the Childcare Stars Awards demonstrate that commitment. As we broaden our message we will continue to consider working with others to help us achieve our goals.


What are the next steps for the charity?

More than anything, Kids’ Clubs Network (and now 4Children) is about making a difference – about identifying issues and devising and delivering solutions. It is also about change – about refocusing services onto the needs of children and their families and about bringing fresh thinking to old problems.

4Children’s key long term goal is to ensure that by 2015, every community has a range of strategic, planned, co-ordinated and integrated services for all children up to the age of 18.