“Thank you for helping me get my daughter back. Without this report she would have had a mental health crisis due to school not understanding her”

At Potential Plus UK we believe that children and young adults, irrespective of age and background, should have the best chances to succeed in life and fulfill their potential.  However, our brightest young people too often miss out as beneficiaries of professional help and support, due to the fact that their cognitive or creative capabilities mask a genuine need for help.

Potential Plus UK helps them, their parents and their schools better understand these needs so that, regardless of background, they can thrive and excel for everyone’s benefit.

In order to ensure support is available to all families we actively fundraise for our Scholarship Fund, which forms an integral and essential part of the ethos of Potential Plus UK. It allows us to work as an inclusive and independent organisation despite economic pressures.

I am delighted to report that in the financial year 2018-2019 the Scholarship Fund allocated £16,640¹ to disadvantaged families on low and lower incomes, who would otherwise have experienced significant financial barriers and have been unable to access many of our services; in particular our membership and assessment services which help these children grow in confidence and thrive.

“I am so grateful for the scholarship funding that we received. Without it we would not have been able to have our son, aged 6, assessed. As a result of it we now understand him and his needs better, have managed to get the school on board and have an individualised educational plan in place. Everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet – which is the Potential Plus UK report!”

We at Potential Plus UK are extremely proud of this fund and the valuable contribution made by our donors. We sincerely thank all those who have contributed to this fund including corporate donors; numerous charitable trusts and foundations such as The Potential Trust; and the many families and individuals who support our fundraising events.

However, we have already received applications from families requesting funding for the coming year (2019-2020). It is therefore imperative that we reach out to those who have so kindly supported the Scholarship Fund in the past, and also to new potential donors, so that we can continue to meet the demands in the coming year.  We welcome everyone’s support in this endeavour. If you know of a business or foundation that would like to learn more about how they can support bright, disadvantaged learners, please encourage them to call us on 01908 646433 or email amazing.children@potentialplusuk.org

Individual donations can be made at: https://www.paypal.com/gb/fundraiser/charity/66164

Thank you.

Julie Taplin
Chief Executive, Potential Plus UK

¹40 families were given financial assistance for educational assessments for their children. 27 of these 40 children had a dedicated report and support for their school; 3 benefitted from an emotional intelligence profile; and 1 required an in-depth sensory assessment.  In addition, 44 families were helped to take up membership of our charity to enable them to access all levels of support, including unlimited telephone advice and online resources.

“As schools in the UK face increasing financial pressure, an inevitable result of this is that bright children, especially those from low-income families, will not always find the support they need in school. A Potential Plus UK assessment is such a gift to children like my daughter — she is an intelligent, capable and well-behaved child and unfortunately, this means she is not a priority for overstretched and underfunded schools. The assessment makes her unique needs and capabilities harder to overlook; it ensures that our voices as parents are amplified as we seek to support her. It has also helped a little girl who is used to being overlooked feel affirmed and valued. She will carry the positive experience of the assessment with her for a long time.”