The Giving Tree Foundation - Turning Autism Around
Charity 1158100
https://thegivingtreefoundation.co.uk
Overview
Summary
The Giving Tree Foundation appears to occupy a focused, specialist role in the autism support landscape: it channels charitable funding, family support and public advocacy around early Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) intervention. Rather than offering a broad autism service, it seems designed to help a narrowly defined group of young children access an intervention that families may struggle to obtain through public provision. Its connection with UK Youth Autism Project and the Westminster Commission on Autism suggests it works across direct support, knowledge-sharing and policy influence.
Operational geography
Coverage: Regional
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Remaining uncertainties
- Direct evidence supports service eligibility and support-group activity across Birmingham, but does not identify any Birmingham ward, neighbourhood or recognised place in which the charity currently delivers services.
- The charity's website includes an outdated London support-group listing dated 22 May 2018 and gives no current Birmingham meeting venue, schedule or address. It therefore does not confirm that a Birmingham support group is presently active at a particular location.
- Bursary-funded ABA is described as an intensive home programme delivered through UK Young Autism Project, and availability is stated to depend on UK-YAP availability. This supports a geographically distributed, beneficiary-home model rather than a fixed Birmingham site, but the current number and distribution of Birmingham beneficiaries is not published.
- The Charity Commission records Birmingham City as an area where the charity operates, but this is organisation-reported, city-level information and does not establish universal availability in every Birmingham ward.
- There is no evidence of a Birmingham physical site. The Charity Commission states that the charity does not own or lease land or property, while its published contact address in London should not be treated as a service location.
Additional evidence needed
- A current annual report, impact report or trustee statement specifying the number of Birmingham bursary recipients and support-group sessions in the most recent reporting year.
- Current UK Young Autism Project confirmation of its Birmingham delivery availability, including whether it has active programmes or clinicians serving Birmingham.
- Current support-group venue information or a current Birmingham programme calendar, if meetings are active.
- Non-identifying ward-level or locality-level service data sufficient to establish where Birmingham delivery is concentrated, while protecting beneficiary privacy.
Areas of work
- Disability
- The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives
Who they help
- Children/young People
- People With Disabilities
How they help
- Makes Grants To Individuals
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A targeted access route to a specific intervention
The organisation appears to reduce financial barriers to intensive ABA therapy for means-tested families with severely autistic children aged two to five, rather than providing general support across the autism spectrum.
Why it matters
This clarifies its distinctive role: it may be most relevant where early intervention, affordability and access to a particular therapeutic approach intersect.
Show evidence
“The charity intends to provide bursaries for means-tested severely autistic children aged two to five in Greater London and Birmingham for intensive ABA therapy.”
Source:Charity Commission“Bursaries are designed to fund a full year of ABA therapy delivered by the UK Young Autism Project.”
Source:Organisation
Its operating model depends on a delivery partnership
The Foundation appears principally to fund access to therapy delivered by UK Youth Autism Project, making it an intermediary between donors, families and a specialist provider rather than an independent clinical service.
Why it matters
Understanding this relationship is important when assessing the organisation's capacity, reach and potential points of collaboration: its impact may be closely linked to the availability and model of its delivery partner.
Show evidence
“The charity's intended bursaries are for intensive ABA therapy through UK Youth Autism Project.”
Source:Charity Commission“The Foundation provides a number of bursaries every year to qualifying children and families.”
Source:Organisation
Direct family support is paired with attempts to shape the wider conversation
The organisation appears to combine individual assistance with parent groups, public education and engagement with policymakers, suggesting that it sees access problems as both family-level and system-level.
Why it matters
This indicates potential influence beyond bursary recipients and identifies the Foundation as a possible connector between families' experience, autism information and policy advocacy.
Show evidence
“The charity intends to provide parent and family support groups and promote education and evidence-based information sharing in relation to autism.”
Source:Charity Commission“The Foundation states that it founded the Westminster Commission on Autism with Barry Sheerman MP.”
Source:Organisation
- How many families receive bursaries each year, and whether demand exceeds available funding.
- Whether parent groups and policy activity remain active, as the visible website news includes dates from 2018.
- How the Foundation evaluates outcomes for children and families, including the accessibility and effectiveness of its support.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports, accounts and impact data showing bursary numbers, geography, income sources and expenditure.
- Current information from UK Youth Autism Project and families about referral routes, therapy delivery and outcomes.
- Evidence of recent support-group activity, public education work and Westminster Commission involvement.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
To provide bursaries for means tested severely autistic children between 2 and 5 years old in Greater London and Birmingham for intensive Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) therapy through UK Youth Autism Project To provide parent and family support groups in the above areas and to educated these on autism and ABA To promote education and evidence based information sharing in relation to autism
Charity objects
THE OBJECTS OF THE CIO ARE:(1)TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM THROUGH THE PROVISION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, SUPPORT, EDUCATION AND PRACTICAL ADVICE (2)TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN ALL AREAS RELATING TO AUTISM. IN ORDER TO FURTHER THE OBJECTS THE GIVING TREE FOUNDATION INTENDS:(A)TO PROVIDE BURSARIES FOR MEANS TESTED SEVERELY AUTISTIC CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 2 AND 5 YEARS OLD IN THE GREATER LONDON AND BIRMINGHAM AREAS FOR INTENSIVE APPLIED BEHAVIOURAL ANALYSIS (ABA) THERAPY THROUGH UK YOUTH AUTISM PROJECT. (B)TO PROVIDE PARENT AND FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS IN THE GREATER LONDON AND BIRMINGHAM AREAS AND TO PROVIDE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN BE EDUCATED ON AUTISM AND ABA. (C)TO PROMOTE EDUCATION AND EVIDENCE BASED INFORMATION SHARING IN RELATION TO AUTISM THROUGH THE FOUNDATION'S WEBSITE AND MEMBERS' AREA.