Dodford Children'S Farm
Charity 253596
Overview
Summary
Dodford Children's Farm appears to be a small, place-based charity whose distinctive role is to give young children—particularly those experiencing disadvantage, disability or limited access to recreation—a structured experience of countryside life. Its model combines a dedicated rural site, animal care and group visits with an explicit historic connection to Birmingham. Rather than operating as a general visitor attraction, it appears to function as a booked educational and respite resource for schools, families and professionals working with young children.
Operational geography
Coverage: Regional
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Remaining uncertainties
- Direct evidence shows that the charity delivers residential stays and day visits at its farm in Dodford, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, rather than at a Birmingham site.
- The charity's stated beneficiaries include children from Birmingham and the West Midlands, and it works through schools, social workers, health visitors and other referral agencies. This reasonably supports a regional beneficiary and referral catchment, but does not evidence service delivery within any particular Birmingham ward or recognised place.
- No current evidence identifies named Birmingham schools, referral agencies, partner organisations, outreach locations or repeat booking locations. It is therefore not possible to evidence current operations in a supplied Birmingham area.
- The registered address differs from the farm's operational location in Dodford. Both are outside Birmingham; the available evidence indicates the latter is the service-delivery site.
Additional evidence needed
- A current list of Birmingham schools, nurseries, agencies or community organisations that regularly refer children or book visits, with their areas.
- The 2024 trustees' annual report or operational monitoring data identifying the geographic origin of recent visiting groups and referred families.
- Evidence of any Birmingham-based outreach, partnership delivery, transport provision or activities delivered away from the Dodford farm.
Areas of work
- Disability
- Education/training
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who they help
- Children/young People
- People With Disabilities
How they help
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Human Resources
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A rural asset serving an urban childhood need
The charity appears to translate ownership of a rural farm into access to recreation, learning and care experiences for children connected to Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. This suggests its role is partly to bridge a geographic and experiential divide between urban childhoods and countryside environments.
Why it matters
This frames the farm as more than a venue: its physical setting is central to how it addresses inequality in access to space, animals and residential experiences.
Show evidence
“Preference is given to children attending nursery school classes in the City of Birmingham.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity gives residential educational holidays to disadvantaged children from the City of Birmingham and the West Midlands.”
Source:Organisation“It has nine acres and many animals for the enjoyment and benefit of the children.”
Source:Organisation
A specialist, relationship-led access model
The organisation appears to serve children through organised groups and adult intermediaries, rather than through open public access. Schools, parents and people working with young children may therefore be important routes through which children reach the farm.
Why it matters
This indicates that the charity's reach may depend heavily on relationships with education, family-support and disability-related networks, not simply on public awareness.
Show evidence
“Children under nine years of age, some with special needs, come in small groups either with their school or parent(s).”
Source:Organisation“Day visits are available for groups.”
Source:Organisation“We welcome enquiries from anyone who works with young children.”
Source:Organisation“We are not open to the public.”
Source:Organisation
Residential provision may be its distinctive contribution
The combination of residential educational holidays, day visits and animal care suggests that overnight stays may offer a deeper version of an experience also available in shorter form. Residential provision may be the organisation's most distinctive and potentially resource-intensive offer.
Why it matters
Understanding this distinction would help identify what the farm contributes that local day-trip, school or recreation provision may not replicate.
Show evidence
“The charity gives residential educational holidays to disadvantaged children.”
Source:Organisation“Residentials are booked on a first come, first served basis.”
Source:Organisation“Day visits are also available for groups.”
Source:Organisation
- How many children attend each year, and which communities or referral routes are least represented.
- Whether demand exceeds residential capacity and how places are prioritised beyond first-come booking.
- What educational, wellbeing or inclusion outcomes children and families experience.
Remaining uncertainties
- Annual attendance, capacity, waiting-list and referral data, broken down by visit type and beneficiary needs.
- Information from schools, parents and children about outcomes, barriers to access and the value of residential stays.
- Details of partnerships, funding sources and the practical support required to sustain residential provision.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
The Charity gives residential educational holidays to disadvantaged children from the City of Birmingham and the West Midlands. Children under nine years of age, some with special needs, come in small groups either with their school or parent(s). Founded in 1953, it has nine acres and many animals for the enjoyment and benefit of the children who have the opportunity to participate in their care.
Charity objects
FOR THE RELIGIOUS SOCIAL MORAL AND PHYSICAL WELL BEING OF CHILDREN WHO ARE IN NEED OF FACILITIES FOR HOLIDAY PERIODS AND RECREATION BY THE PROVISION OF A HOLIDAY FARM AND FACILITIES FOR HOLIDAY PERIODS AND RECREATION THERE AND FOR SUCH OTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSES FOR THE BENEFIT OF CHILDREN AS SHALL FROM TIME TO TIME BE RESOLVED BY THE TRUSTEES PREFERENCE BEING GIVEN TO THOSE CHILDREN ATTENDING NURSERY SCHOOL CLASSES IN THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM.