A charity that aims to address gender stereotypes has become part of the Children’s Society, the organisations have announced.
Founded in 2018, Lifting Limits announced this week it is merging into the Children’s Society, with the larger organisation to launch a national programme in schools to address gendered expectations of children.
The merger will combine Lifting Limits’ training and resources with the Children’s Society’s national reach to scale up its work with children with a further 8,000 pupils by summer 2026.
Lifting Limits will also integrate its programme with the Children’s Society’s existing initiatives by working with other professionals including social workers, youth project leaders, and carers.
The smaller charity had two members of staff and two consultants, according to its accounts for the financial year ending January 2024. It had an income of £201,000 and expenditure of £130,000.
There will be no job cuts or redundancies as part of the merger, a spokesperson told Civil Society.
Meanwhile, the Children's Society had an income of £36.5m and expenditure of £41m for the financial year ending March 2024, according to its latest accounts.
‘Commitment to grow the programme’s impact’
Nick Cook, director of young people’s services at the Children’s Society, told Civil Society: “The merger is driven by the combined and shared commitment to growing the programme’s impact over the coming years.
“By bringing together the expertise and experience of both charities, we will deliver the Lifting Limits programme to even more schools and education establishments, nationwide.”
Caren Gestetner, Lifting Limits’ co-founder, said: “This isn’t about telling children what to do – it's about giving them the freedom to choose.
“When a girl believes she ‘can’t do PE’ or a boy feels pressured to hide his feelings, their opportunities shrink.
“Our work helps schools spot and challenge these biases, so every child feels free to be themselves.”
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