Healthcare communications for vulnerable children

Summary

Childhood First, a charity providing therapeutic services for traumatised children, commissioned Blue Lozenge to develop a comprehensive communication strategy to support their five-year corporate plan. Blue Lozenge conducted a discovery phase including stakeholder interviews and document analysis, followed by a communications audit, stakeholder mapping, audience segmentation, narrative development, and content and channel planning. The resulting communication strategy included short, medium, and long-term deliverables alongside an advocacy strategy with implementation guidance, enabling Childhood First to build a stronger external profile and increase their impact for vulnerable children and young people.

Developing a comprehensive communication strategy to raise the profile of a children’s charity

Childhood First, a charity providing therapeutic services for traumatised children, needed a comprehensive communication strategy to support their new five-year corporate plan. The organisation sought to balance sustainable growth with developing a stronger external profile to increase their impact for vulnerable young people.

Approach

Using our design thinking methodology at Blue Lozenge, we began with a thorough discovery phase—interviewing stakeholders and analysing key documents to understand the landscape and challenges. Our research identified the need for formal internal and external communication mechanisms across the charity.

We developed a complete communication framework including:

• Short, medium and long-term strategic deliverables
• Comprehensive communications audit
• Detailed stakeholder mapping and audience segmentation
• Compelling narrative and key message development
• Targeted content and channel planning
• Advocacy strategy with implementation guidance

Impact

The project delivered an ambitious yet practical communication strategy that enables Childhood First to maximise the benefits of structured communication. This new approach directly supports their corporate goals and will help them increase their impact for the children and young people in their care.

“Blue Lozenge supported us to develop a communications and engagement strategy that will help us meet our ambitions for the children and young people we care for now and in the future. Their approach provided as with a solid plan to implement a formal communications and engagement mechanism within the charity at a pace that suited us.”

Gary Yexley – Chief Executive, Childhood First