On Tuesday, 10^th March, The School & Family Works hosted a Giving Circle at Kensington Prep School, bringing together parents, supporters and philanthropists interested in helping children and families facing adversity.

The event was part of our growing Giving Circle initiative, designed to connect people who want to make a meaningful impact while helping us respond to the increasing demand for mental health support in schools.

Demand is growing

Across the UK, many children arrive at school already carrying the weight of complex family circumstances, including poverty, trauma, isolation and language barriers. These challenges can affect their wellbeing, their relationships, and ultimately their ability to learn and thrive in school.

Through our Family Group model, we work directly inside schools to strengthen the relationships between families and the school community. Parents are supported to connect with one another, share experiences and develop the confidence and tools to support their children.

The result is powerful: families who once felt isolated begin to rebuild connection, trust and resilience.

An evening of shared commitment

The Giving Circle evening at Kensington Prep offered guests an opportunity to learn more about this work and why community-led support matters.

The event included contributions from long-standing supporters connected to the school, including Jojo Qiao, host of the podcast Jojo’s Cross Borders. Jojo discovered the work of The School & Family Works through the Kensington Prep School community and invited personal friends to the event to learn more about how therapeutic support for children and families can be truly transformative.

We are also grateful to Rachel Floyd, Head of Kensington Prep School, who spoke passionately about the impact of Family Group and reaffirmed the school’s commitment to its partnership with The School & Family Works.

Hearing directly from supporters helped illustrate how partnerships between schools, families and philanthropists can extend the reach of this work.

A new way to support families

The Giving Circle reflects the same philosophy that sits at the heart of Family Group: people helping people.

Rather than relying solely on traditional funding streams, we are building a community of committed supporters who want to contribute financially, introduce us to new networks, and champion the importance of early support for families.

At a time when schools are seeing rising need but fewer resources, these partnerships are becoming more important than ever.

Growing the circle

We are grateful to Kensington Prep for hosting the evening and to everyone who attended and shared their support.

Our hope is that the Giving Circle continues to grow into a community of people who believe that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive in school and in life.

If you are interested in learning more about the Giving Circle or supporting our work with schools and families, we would love to hear from you.