Skip to main content

Our History

Partnership for Children was set up in September 2001 to promote the mental health and emotional wellbeing of young children.

Key Milestones

1997

  • Befrienders International, a global suicide prevention agency with telephone hotline services in 41 countries has the opportunity to develop a new programme for young children. They decide to develop a programme that gives children the skills to cope with difficult situations and be better equipped to deal with crises and difficulties as teenagers and adults. Reaching Young Europe, is developed by a group of psychologists from Canada, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands. It is a school-based programme to teach six and seven year olds healthy coping and social skills.

1998

  • Denmark runs the first pilot. Initial results are promising but not good enough so the programme is re-developed.

2000

  • The new version of the programme is piloted in Lithuania and Denmark and finds significant impact on children’s coping skills.

2001

  • Partnership for Children is founded as a charity.

2002

2003

  • The first partner outside Europe comes on board when Zippy’s Friends starts in India and Brazil.

2007

2013

2014

  • Over 1 million children in over 30 countries have taken part in Zippy’s Friends.

2016

2018

  • Passport for children age 9-11 is launched.

2020

  • Training courses move online and materials available for digital download

2021

  • SPARK Resilience for 10-12 year-olds launched. Partnership for Children celebrates 20 year anniversary and reaching two million children around the world!

2022