The client

One of the UK’s largest and most established children’s charities, our client delivers vital services for vulnerable children, young people, and families. With a strong legacy and national reputation, the organisation was looking to evolve its growth strategy – shifting beyond traditional funding models to explore new opportunities for scaling and diversifying their impact across England and Wales.

To support this ambition, they approached 50 Degrees for expert guidance in shaping a more proactive and sustainable approach to growth. The organisation was seeking a partner to help identify high-potential opportunities, strengthen their market position, and align their strategic planning with their mission to reach more children and families in needs.

The challenge

Our client was operating in a commissioning environment that was becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. Local authorities and funding bodies were moving towards more integrated service models, demanding greater collaborating across sectors and the ability to deliver joined-up support for children and families.

The charity needed a clear, informed, and forward-looking view of where future opportunities would emerge and advise on how to align their strengths to meet them. This required a well-researched and strategic approach to identifying growth pathways, targeting the right partnerships and building a compelling case for funding in a rapidly evolving landscape.

What we did

50 Degrees were engaged to undertake a comprehensive market development review, supporting strategic planning and business development via:

Market Review & Opportunity Identification: conducting a detailed review of the existing children’s services and health markets, focusing largely on residential care, edge-of-care services, and child and adolescent health. The review mapped the charity’s capabilities against emerging commissioner needs and identified several opportunities for service expansion

Soft Market Testing: validating key findings and gaining a deeper insight into the market via a series of soft market testing exercises with senior stakeholders across Local Authorities, Combined Authorities, and the NHS

Sales and Account Management Design: working closely with the client’s internal leadership and business development teams to refine their sales and account management approach, ensuring clearer alignment between frontline delivery, strategic relationship management, and regional growth targets