A reflection on 2025 from our CEO, Sue Bell OBE DL

This year, many of the children, young people and families referred to Kids Inspire (KI) arrived carrying significant and complex needs. They came to us at moments of rupture - after loss, disruption, trauma, or prolonged uncertainty. Throughout 2025, we have been there for them: offering steadiness where things felt chaotic, relationship where trust had been shaken, and care that did not ask them to be anything other than who they were.

The year has asked a great deal of the children, young people and families we support. We saw this clearly in the response to our Christmas Appeal, with a 20% increase in nominations compared to last year. Behind every nomination is a child who needed a little more support, understanding and stability at a time when life felt uncertain or overwhelming. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters and partners, over 4,000 children and young people received gifts and practical support this Christmas - a message to them that they are seen and that they matter.

Growing with purpose and integrity

2025 has also been a year of significant growth and change at KI. Our work reached more than 15,000 children, young people and adults through therapy, consultation, training and community engagement. Over 4,500 individuals received direct therapeutic support, and 74 young people were matched with trained mentors — each relationship offering consistency, encouragement and a safe space to grow. Behind every number is a story, and behind every story is a child or family navigating complexity with courage. Meeting this level of need requires more than goodwill alone. It takes skill, reflection and strong foundations - and I am deeply proud of how KI has continued to grow in depth as well as reach.

One of the most important developments this year has been the establishment of our Impact Team. This team is pivotal to KI’s long-term future, helping us evidence and communicate the difference our work makes with greater clarity and integrity. What has been especially powerful is seeing people grow into new roles with confidence and purpose. We are increasingly working alongside partners to refine how meaningful change is measured in trauma-responsive services, and KI is now widely recognised as a trailblazer in this space.

Our therapists continue to do extraordinary work with children and families who have experienced early trauma and adversity. Securing Internal Family Systems and NeuroAffective Touch training for forty members of our therapy team has been a major investment in our people and our practice. It has deepened our ability to work relationally and somatically, strengthened team cohesion, improved the support families receive, and helped to ensure that KI remains at the forefront of developmental trauma healing.

Of course, none of this happens in isolation. Across the organisation — from fundraising and communications to business support, community engagement, HR, finance and therapy support services — colleagues bring care, creativity and commitment into their roles every day. Our volunteers, mentors and supporters are equally part of this story. Whether you have given time, expertise, resources or encouragement, you are part of a community that shows children they are not alone. In a world that can feel increasingly fractured, that matters deeply.

KI has continued to share learning, build relationships and widen its reach. Delivering trauma-responsive training to organisations and being invited to develop further leadership work has reinforced the importance of trauma stewardship, reflective leadership and organisational wellbeing. These themes resonate far beyond any single organisation or sector, and I am proud of the role KI is playing in shaping this conversation.

At the heart of KI’s growth is the belief that lasting change happens when everyone is heard, valued, and moving forward together. Through regular team meetings and departmental away days, colleagues at every level have been encouraged to reflect, contribute and help shape our direction. Our most recent staff survey shows high levels of optimism, clarity and engagement — a reflection of a culture rooted in inclusion, purpose and care.

Looking ahead, there is real hope on the horizon.

As we move into 2026, we are working towards breaking ground on our permanent head office — with purpose-built therapy rooms designed to offer safety, consistency and healing for generations of children and families to come. It represents not just bricks and mortar, but a long-term commitment to being here, steady and rooted, when we are needed most.

Alongside this, Inspire Wellbeing Services continues to grow steadily and sustainably, with our upcoming conference marking an exciting milestone. My focus — and the organisation’s — is on sustainability: developing new skills, including AI literacy, that enhance creativity and efficiency; making space for reflection; and ensuring that leadership remains grounded and human.

As the year comes to a close, whatever this season looks like for you, I hope you find moments of rest, connection and fun. My heartfelt thanks to each of you — our staff, volunteers, supporters and partners — for believing in KI’s work, for walking alongside us, and for helping children feel seen, safe and held.

With all my love,

Sue Bell OBE DL
CEO and Clinical Director, Kids Inspire