Achieving for Children

Achieving for Children (AfC) is a United Kingdom social enterprise company established in 2014 by the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It was created to provide children's services through a shared and more commercially structured operating model, while remaining closely connected to its local-government owners. The organisation has been described as an early example of a local-authority-owned company established specifically to deliver children's social services. AfC's work covers children's social care, child protection, early help, family support, education-related services and support for young people. Its role is primarily institutional rather than consumer-facing: it works for or alongside local authorities, operating professional services and service-management functions under public-sector arrangements. The precise responsibilities assigned to AfC can differ by borough and by commissioning agreement. The organisation was launched during a period when English local authorities were under pressure to improve children's services while controlling expenditure. Its founding model allowed Kingston and Richmond to share capacity and reduce duplication, while giving the service organisation greater operational flexibility than a conventional council department. Supporters presented the arrangement as a possible future model for children's services, arguing that it could combine public accountability with more adaptable management and shared resources. Critics questioned whether the model amounted to privatisation of children's social care, whether democratic scrutiny would be weakened, and whether service quality could be protected during spending reductions. AfC subsequently became associated with an improvement in Kingston's children's services. Following an Ofsted inspection in October 2019, children's services in Kingston were rated outstanding. Earlier, Kingston's service had been assessed as inadequate before improving to good, a change that was cited as evidence that the operating model could support service recovery. A 2016 independent government review of AfC's establishment reported positive results in relation to service quality and financial returns, while also identifying lessons from the transformation. On 1 August 2017, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead became a co-owner, expanding AfC's ownership base and the area in which it delivered children's services. In December 2019, Kingston and Richmond agreed to recommission AfC to provide their children's services through 31 March 2026. The organisation therefore represents a continuing local-government partnership model rather than a conventional private consumer brand. Publicly documented material does not establish a complete current leadership roster, detailed financial statements, or a single permanent headquarters address for this dossier.

Achieving for Children was formed in 2014 by the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The two councils sought to create a shared organisation capable of delivering children's social services while reducing duplication and achieving financial efficiencies. Instead of maintaining entirely separate council departments, they placed the service within a social enterprise company owned by the participating authorities. The arrangement was presented as a new model for children's services because it retained a public-sector ownership connection while allowing the organisation to operate with greater managerial flexibility. The model emerged against a difficult policy and financial background. Local authorities in England were expected to improve child-protection and social-care outcomes while managing substantial pressure on public spending. AfC's structure enabled the founding councils to combine resources, share specialist capacity and avoid some of the organisational constraints associated with delivering services directly through separate local-government departments. Supporters argued that the arrangement could make it easier to redesign services and concentrate expertise across borough boundaries. The structure also attracted criticism. Some observers regarded the creation of AfC as a form of privatisation of children's social services, even though the company was owned by local authorities. Others raised concerns about the potential reduction in democratic accountability and scrutiny, and questioned whether service quality could be sustained in an environment of spending cuts. These concerns formed part of the wider debate about alternative delivery models for public services. A 2016 independent government review of the organisation's establishment concluded that the transformation had produced positive results in service quality and financial return. The review also identified benefits and lessons that could inform other councils considering similar arrangements. AfC was later credited with helping Kingston's children's services improve from an inadequate assessment to a good rating. Following an Ofsted inspection in October 2019, Kingston's children's services were rated outstanding, providing an important public indicator of improvement associated with the service's operation. The ownership and operating footprint expanded on 1 August 2017, when the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead became a co-owner. AfC then delivered children's services across Kingston, Richmond and Windsor and Maidenhead. In December 2019, Kingston and Richmond councils agreed to recommission the organisation to provide their children's services until 31 March 2026. This decision indicated continued confidence in the partnership model and gave the organisation a further multi-year service mandate. AfC is best understood as a public-service delivery organisation rather than a conventional commercial brand. Its services are commissioned by local authorities and directed toward children, young people and families. The documented service portfolio includes children's social care, safeguarding and child protection, early help, family support, education-related assistance and youth services. Because its responsibilities are shaped by individual council arrangements, the exact scope of activity may vary between participating authorities. The available reference material does not provide a sufficiently reliable current executive list, comprehensive financial data, or a confirmed corporate headquarters address.

• 2019

  Kingston children's services rated outstanding

  [1]Achieving for Childrenen.wikipedia.org

  After an Ofsted inspection in October, children's services in Kingston receive an outstanding rating.

• 2019

  Kingston and Richmond extend the service commission

  [1]Achieving for Childrenen.wikipedia.org

  The two councils agree in December to recommission Achieving for Children until 31 March 2026.

• 2017

  Windsor and Maidenhead joins as co-owner

  [1]Achieving for Childrenen.wikipedia.org

  The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead becomes a co-owner on 1 August, expanding the partnership to three boroughs.

• 2016

  Independent review evaluates the establishment model

  [1]Achieving for Childrenen.wikipedia.org

  An independent government review reports positive outcomes for service quality and financial return, alongside lessons from the organisational transformation.

• 2014

  Achieving for Children is founded

  [1]Achieving for Childrenen.wikipedia.org

  Kingston and Richmond councils establish Achieving for Children as a social enterprise to deliver children's services through a shared local-authority-owned structure.

A local-government-owned social enterprise and delivery partner for children's, young people's and family services.

• Public services

  Children's social care services

  Children's social-care delivery for local-authority partners, including assessment, casework, family intervention and service management. The precise responsibilities and organisational boundaries depend on the commissioning arrangements of each participating borough.

• Public services

  Child protection and safeguarding

  Safeguarding and child-protection work intended to identify risk, protect children and coordinate action among social services and other agencies. It forms part of the statutory children's-services system operated for local-government partners.

• Family support

  Early help and family support

  Early-intervention and family-support activity for children, young people and parents. These services are designed to address needs before they escalate into more intensive statutory intervention, with programme details varying by local authority.

• Education and youth support

  Education and youth services

  Education-related and youth-support services delivered within the wider children's-services system. Potential areas include support for young people, schools and families, although the specific offer is determined by each council's responsibilities and contracts.

• 2019

  Recommission children's services through 2026Strategy

  Background

  Kingston and Richmond reviewed the continuing arrangement after improvements in the reported quality of children's services.

  Action taken

  Both councils agreed in December 2019 to recommission Achieving for Children until 31 March 2026.

  Aftermath

  The organisation retained a multi-year mandate to deliver children's services for the two councils.

  Source

• 2017

  Expand ownership to Windsor and MaidenheadM&A

  Background

  The existing partnership model was extended to another local authority seeking to participate in the organisation's children's-services arrangement.

  Action taken

  The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead became a co-owner of Achieving for Children on 1 August 2017.

  Aftermath

  Achieving for Children delivered children's services across Kingston, Richmond and Windsor and Maidenhead.

  Source

• 2014

  Create a shared local-authority social enterpriseStrategy

  Background

  Kingston and Richmond sought to improve children's services, share resources and reduce costs while avoiding some of the organisational constraints of separate council departments.

  Action taken

  The councils established Achieving for Children as a jointly owned social enterprise to deliver children's services.

  Aftermath

  The model became an early example of a local-authority-owned company for children's services and was later reviewed by government.

  Source

• 2019

  Kingston children's services receive an outstanding Ofsted rating[1]Achieving for Childrenen.wikipedia.org

  Regulation · Other

  An Ofsted inspection conducted in October 2019 rated children's services in the Kingston borough outstanding, following an earlier period in which the service had been assessed as inadequate.

• 2019

  Kingston and Richmond recommission Achieving for Children[1]Achieving for Childrenen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  In December 2019, Kingston and Richmond councils agreed to continue commissioning Achieving for Children to deliver their children's services until 31 March 2026.

• 2017

  Windsor and Maidenhead becomes a co-owner[1]Achieving for Childrenen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead joined Kingston and Richmond as a co-owner of Achieving for Children, extending the organisation's local-authority partnership.

• 2016

  Government review reports positive results from the AfC model[1]Achieving for Childrenen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  An independent government review of the organisation's establishment reported benefits for service quality and financial returns, while also recording lessons from the transformation.

• 2014

  Achieving for Children established by Kingston and Richmond[1]Achieving for Childrenen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames created Achieving for Children as a social enterprise to provide children's services through a shared delivery structure.

1. 1Achieving for Childrenen.wikipedia.org