Think Ahead charity will close next year after the government decided to stop funding its core programme to train mental health social workers.
Founded in 2014, the charity received almost all its income from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), with £8.79m from this source in the year to March 2025.
However, with its DHSC backing coming to an end, the charity this week announced plans to close when its current cohort of trainees complete their courses in August next year.
Over the past 12 years, the charity has trained over 1,000 specialist social workers at NHS trusts and local authorities across England through its programme.
According to its 2024-25 accounts, Think Ahead employed 40 people on average and held £912,000 in total funds as of 31 March 2025.
“Without renewed government funding, we are unable to continue delivering our programme, and our board of trustees has taken the decision to close in August 2027 after our final cohort complete the programme,” the charity’s statement reads.
The charity said its priority between now and its closure next year would be to support its final cohort of trainees and NHS and local authority partners, and to “ensure that what we have learned is not lost”.
Ella Joseph and Natalie Acton co-founded Think Ahead in 2014 and were its co-chief executives for the first six years.
Roxanne Timmis, the charity’s executive director said: “We’re proud of everything we’ve achieved and grateful to everyone who supported us.
“What we’ve built together will continue to matter long after we close.”
