Spurgeons is a Christian charity that works with children and young people, young carers, struggling families and those affected by the criminal justice system. Founded in 1867 by the Baptist preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeons now runs more than 80 projects, has 420 employees and is based in Northamptonshire.

Spurgeons works with more than 37,000 children and young people and nearly 79,000 parents and carers (including 2,500 young carers) each year. It attempts to find long-lasting solutions to challenges such as poverty, abuse problems and other social issues, by partnering with local authorities and other funding bodies. In addition to its paid employees, Spurgeons has more than 370 volunteers, many of whom mentor and befriend its beneficiaries.

Among a variety of services, Spurgeons runs 50 children’s centres across the UK, working with local partners to offer a comprehensive service, one tailored to local and individual needs. The centres focus on communities with high levels of poverty and work with families at the pre-natal stage, through birth and up to when children reach five years of age.

Attention is given particularly to teenage parents who may be separated or not in a relationship. The aim is to help the parents work together for the benefit of their child, encouraging them, for example, to attend play sessions as a family at one of the centres.

Spurgeons also works, in partnership with other agencies, with more than 2,500 young carers, aged 18 to 25, a year. Young carers are more likely to be NEETS (not in education, employment or training) and, because of time constraints, to miss out on school or leisure activities with their friends. Spurgeons supports these young carers in a variety of ways, both individually and within their families.

Another focus for Spurgeons is the criminal justice system. The charity runs child focused visitor centres in London prisons that ensure children have a safe and comfortable experience when they visit a parent in prison. Spurgeons also works, in partnership with the police, schools, social workers and youth offending teams, to provide one to one mentoring and befriending for children affected by the criminal justice system.

In addition, Spurgeons runs specialist programmes of support for young offenders, both inside and outside prison. The aim is to get to the root of the reasons for offending and break the cycle of reoffending.

Spurgeons’ chief executive is Ross Hendry who joined from the Office of the Children’s Commissioner in 2014. He previously worked for Action for Children.