Kids Like Us
Charity 1075335
Overview
Summary
Kids Like Us appears to occupy a specialist local role at the intersection of childhood health, family support and public awareness. Its focus on juvenile arthritis in the West Midlands suggests it is not primarily a general disability charity, but a condition-specific connector: making an often overlooked childhood illness more visible, supporting affected families, and directing some resources toward research. Its model seems to combine community fundraising, awareness activity and support for wider arthritis-related work.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Bournville and Cotteridge
Confidence: medium
Direct evidence shows Kids Like Us delivered an outreach event for its families at Cadbury World in October 2024. Available evidence identifies Cadbury World as being in Bournville. The available evidence does not confirm repeated activity there after 2024.
- Kids Like Us, 'Autumn Outreach Event 2024: A Sweet Day Out at Cadbury World', 24 October 2024
The charity describes families and friends gathering for its autumn charity event at Cadbury World. - Cadbury World official contact information
Cadbury World identifies its location as Bournville.
City Centre
Confidence: low
Direct evidence shows that the charity organised a group visit for families to the West Midlands Police Museum in Birmingham in March 2024. This is evidence of a time-limited outreach event rather than a permanent operational base or continuing programme, and the available evidence does not identify a more precise Birmingham operational area.
- Kids Like Us, 'Spring Outreach Event 2024: An Exciting Day at the West Midlands Police Museum', updated 24 October 2024
The charity states that its group of families visited the West Midlands Police Museum in Birmingham in March 2024 as an outreach event.
Remaining uncertainties
- Kids Like Us' latest geographically specific website evidence located was from 2024. It demonstrates delivery in Birmingham but does not establish whether the same venues or Birmingham locations continued to be used during 2025 or 2026.
- The organisation's website describes support for young people and families across the West Midlands, while the Charity Commission records operation in Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton. This supports a regional footprint, but neither source identifies the relative volume of activity in each area.
- A PO Box correspondence contact should be treated as contact information, not evidence of a service site or operational area.
- The Charity Commission records that the charity does not own or lease land or property, so there is no evidence of a permanent physical service site in Birmingham.
- The available evidence shows use of venues for outreach events, but does not demonstrate material continuing delivery partnerships with those venues. A past joint event with CCAA is mentioned on the website, but the evidence available does not establish a current partnership or a Birmingham operational location arising from it.
Additional evidence needed
- A current annual report, activity report or event programme specifying where outreach sessions, family events and awareness talks have been delivered since October 2024.
- Confirmation from Kids Like Us of whether it has any regular meeting venue, clinical referral relationship, or recurring delivery location in Birmingham.
- Current information on any active partnership arrangements that provide access to families or enable delivery across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.
Areas of work
- Disability
- Education/training
- The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives
Who they help
- Children/young People
- People With Disabilities
How they help
- Makes Grants To Organisations
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Sponsors Or Undertakes Research
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A visibility-building role around an underestimated childhood condition
The organisation appears to address not only the effects of juvenile arthritis, but also the social invisibility of children having arthritis. Its awareness work may be intended to reduce isolation for young people and families as much as to educate the wider public.
Why it matters
This helps explain why public education is central rather than peripheral: recognition may affect families' sense of support, public understanding and the perceived legitimacy of children’s needs.
Show evidence
“Very few people realise that arthritis affects people of all ages.”
Source:Organisation“We try to raise awareness so that noone feels like they are on their own.”
Source:Organisation“TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC IN ALL MATTERS RELATING TO ARTHRITIS AND PARTICULARLY AS IT PERTAINS TO CHILDREN.”
Source:Charity Commission
Support is framed as family-system support, not solely child support
Kids Like Us appears to recognise juvenile arthritis as affecting carers and family life as well as individual children. This may position it to bridge clinical needs with the practical and emotional pressures experienced at home.
Why it matters
Understanding this wider unit of support is important for identifying potential relationships with family services, parent networks and health providers, rather than treating the charity as serving children alone.
Show evidence
“Kids Like Us is a local charity supporting young people and families living with juvenile arthritis in the West Midlands.”
Source:Organisation“TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THOSE PERSONS WHO BY REASON OF CARING FOR A PERSON WITH ARTHRITIS ARE LEADING A RESTRICTED LIFE AND IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE.”
Source:Charity Commission
A small local platform with an outward-facing research ambition
The charity appears to combine place-based support with an ambition to contribute to longer-term solutions through research funding or activity. This creates a dual role: responding to present-day family needs while supporting work on causes and potential future improvements.
Why it matters
This may make the organisation a useful link between lived experience in the West Midlands and research-focused organisations, although the evidence does not show which research is funded or how beneficiaries influence priorities.
Show evidence
“There are currently around 1200 young people who live with from arthritis in the area.”
Source:Organisation“The cause of the disease is not clear and as of yet there is no cure, which is why we also support work that is looking for answers.”
Source:Organisation“Makes Grants To Organisations, Provides Advocacy/advice/information, Sponsors Or Undertakes Research.”
Source:Charity Commission
- It is unclear what direct support, if any, the charity provides beyond awareness, fundraising and support for research.
- There is no evidence of its partnerships with hospitals, schools, clinicians, other charities or family groups.
- The scale, frequency and geographic reach of its activities are not known.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports or accounts showing expenditure, grants, beneficiaries and funded research.
- Information on programmes, referral routes and partnerships with health, education and family-support organisations.
- Feedback from young people and carers about the support they receive and unmet needs they identify.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Aims of "Kids Like Us" are 1, to educate the public in all matters relating to arthritis and particularly as it pertains to children. 2 to carry out research into the causes of arthritis. 3 to alleviate suffering of those with arthritis particularly children and to provide support for those caring for the children. The charity organises fund raising events and awareness talks. Recently money has b
Charity objects
TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC IN ALL MATTERS RELATING TO ARTHRITIS AND PARTICULARLY AS IT PERTAINS TO CHILDREN 2. TO CARRY OUT RESEARCH INTO THE CAUSES OF ARTHRITIS PARTICULARLY IN CHILDREN 3. TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING OF THOSE WITH ARTHRITIS PARTICULARLY CHILDREN AND TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THOSE PERSONS WHO BY REASON OF CARING FOR A PERSON WITH ARTHRITIS ARE LEADING A RESTRICTED LIFE AND IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE.