Lifting Limits, a charity providing schools with tools to challenge gender stereotypes, has become part of The Children’s Society.

The Children’s Society, which recorded a total income of £36.5m in the financial year to the end of March 2024, will integrate Lifting Limits, which recorded an income of £201,092 for its financial year ending January 2024, into its organisation. 

The two staff members and two consultants at Lifting Limits, which will retain its own branding, will become part of The Children’s Society’s more than 800-strong workforce, but will continue to work remotely, according to Nick Cook, director of young people’s services at The Children’s Society.

He said there would be no redundancies or job cuts as a result of the merger.

The Children’s Society’s board will assume the governance responsibilities for Lifting Limits, with its trustee board being dissolved.

Caren Gestetner, the smaller charity’s chief executive, will move to a consultancy role focused on scaling the Lifting Limits programme, said Cook.

He said the merger, effective from yesterday, would “allow Lifting Limits’ work to inform a holistic approach to supporting children and young people, particularly during critical points in their lives”. 

He said: “This includes addressing harmful gendered norms not only in schools but also through partnerships with agencies that The Children’s Society works with for the benefit of children and young people.

“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.”

The Children’s Society said the merger would combine Lifting Limits’ evidence-based training and resources, which has supported 18,000 children since 2018, with The Children’s Society’s nationwide reach.

This will scale-up the initiative, allowing it to reach a further 8,000 pupils by summer next year, the charity said.

The boosted programme, which is set to roll out this month, will offer practical workshops to train teachers to recognise and address unconscious bias, curriculum resources, guides for families and additional resources for teachers, such as assemblies and discussion cards.

Lifting Limits will also merge into The Children’s Society’s existing initiatives, including the charity’s Young Carers in Schools programme. 

“By working with professionals beyond teachers, the initiative aims to create a wider impact, tackling stereotypes that can contribute to issues like mental health challenges, exploitation, sexual violence and limited career aspirations,” The Children’s Society said. 

Mark Russell, chief executive of The Children’s Society, said: “Children thrive when they’re free to explore their strengths. Stereotypes aren’t just harmless and outdated assumptions – they’re barriers to success. 

“By scaling this work nationally, we’re giving children the chance to grow up without limits. A child free to follow their interests today could be a groundbreaking scientist, artist or business leader tomorrow.”