This plaque was unveiled on the site of the first Children’s Home to celebrate the 140th anniversary of Action for Children; in 2009: www.actionforchildren.org.uk/about-us/our-history
Shocked by the plight of homeless children on the streets of London in 1869, a young Methodist minister, the Revd Thomas Bowman Stephenson, with the help of two Methodist friends, converted a disused stable block into ‘The Children’s Home’ and took in their first two boys.
The organisation has since been known as National Children’s Home/NCH (from 1908), and now Action for Children. Action for Children continues in close partnership with the Methodist Church.
Over time, their work has shifted away from children’s homes towards community-based projects such as children’s centres and intensive family support services, to support vulnerable families and try to prevent potential problems.
The Children's Home (Action for Children)
8 Exton St, London