About The Share Foundation
Inspiring young people since 2005
At The Share Foundation, we believe that every young person deserves the opportunity to build a positive future.
For many young people, the journey into adulthood comes with support, resources and guidance from family and friends. For others, particularly those who have experienced care or disadvantage, those opportunities can be harder to access. We exist to help bridge that gap.
Our mission is to ensure that young people have both the financial foundations and the life skills they need to thrive in adult life. Through savings programmes, life skills programmes and practical support, we help young people build confidence, make informed decisions and realise their potential.
Supporting young people in care through savings and opportunity
We are proud to work in partnership with the Department for Education to manage the Government's savings schemes for children and young people in care across the UK. Starting in 2012 with Junior ISAs, and then widening this offer in 2017 to include Child Trust Funds for young people where there is no adult in a position of Parental Responsibility.
These accounts provide young people with a financial asset that becomes available when they reach adulthood. But we believe that a savings account is only part of the story.
Alongside helping young people access and understand their savings, we provide opportunities to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed for adult life. Learn more about life skills.
CTF Recovery Campaign
We also work to reconnect all young people across the UK with Child Trust Funds that may have been forgotten or lost, ensuring that money set aside for their future can be found and claimed when they need it most.
Our Story
Since 2005, The Share Foundation has been committed to helping young people build brighter futures. Over the years, our work has grown from supporting long-term savings to delivering life skills programmes, reuniting young people with lost Child Trust Funds and working alongside partners who have shared goals across the UK. Explore some of the key milestones that have shaped our journey and the impact we've made together.
2005
The Share Foundation starts operating as a registered charity, and has been making additional voluntary contributions to the Child Trust Funds of children in care.
2011
When the Child Trust Fund scheme ended, The Share Foundation, together with Barnardo’s and Action for Children lobbied the Government to introduce a long-term savings scheme for young people in care. The Junior ISA was introduced.
2012
We were awarded government contract to run the Department for Education’s Junior ISA saving/investments schemes for children in care.
2016
Stepladder of Achievement was launched, giving young people in care financial education to go alongside their long-term savings accounts.
2017
The contract widened on 2nd October 2017 to also cover responsibility for Child Trust Funds where young people in care have no adult in position of PR. This means that the Official Solicitors and Accountants of Court transferred all Child Trust Fund records to us at The Share Foundation.
2018
As the oldest Child Trust Fund recipient reaches 16 years old, The Share Foundation commits to operating a Child Trust Fund recovery campaign, to support all young people to connect with their CTF accounts especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
2023
Our contract with DfE was renewed for 4 years from April and in May, The Share Foundation took part in Public Accounts Committee hearing into Child Trust Funds.
2024
We hosted a major conference at Church House, Westminster on unclaimed adult-owned Child Trust Funds.
2025
Our second incentivised life skills programme was launched, Stepping Forward: Performing Arts for Life. Encouraging young people to build transferable skills through creativity.
Working together
Our work would not be possible without the collaboration of many people and organisations.
We work closely with young people, carers, local authorities, schools, financial providers, corporate partners, funders and supporters who share our belief that every young person deserves a fair start in life.
Together, we are helping thousands of young people access the resources, support and opportunities they need to move forward with confidence.
Our commitment
Everything we do is guided by a simple belief: young people are full of potential.
Research and experience consistently show that the vast majority of young people with care experience want to succeed, contribute to their communities and build fulfilling adult lives. Our role is to help remove barriers, open doors and provide the support that enables them to do exactly that.
By combining financial assets with practical life skills and trusted support, we are helping create brighter futures, one young person at a time.