Our Story

Our Story

Fledglings is a UK not-for-profit organisation providing practical disability and additional needs aids that make everyday life easier. Founded in 1998, Fledglings was created to help people access specialist products that were often difficult to source, poorly explained, or unavailable through mainstream retailers.

While Fledglings is well known for supporting children, we also support teenagers and adults with disabilities and additional needs. Many needs are lifelong, and our range reflects this — with products suitable for home, education and care settings, including items available in adult sizes and solutions designed to support independence and dignity at every stage of life.

Our Purpose

Our purpose is to make specialist support easier to access. We bring together trusted products in one place, supported by clear information to help families, carers and professionals make informed choices that work in real life.

Our Cycle of Support

Fledglings works as part of a wider support ecosystem, helping families move from advice to practical solutions while ensuring long-term social impact.

The Fledglings Cycle of Support showing how families seek advice from Contact, make informed purchases from Fledglings, meet immediate needs, generate revenue, and strengthen Contact’s support services.
  1. Families seek advice and support from Contact.
  2. Families make informed purchases from Fledglings.
  3. Immediate practical needs are met.
  4. Revenue is generated through sales.
  5. Contact’s support services are strengthened.

Not-for-profit, with impact

Fledglings operates as a Community Interest Company (CIC). This means our focus is always on social purpose rather than profit. Any surplus we generate is returned to Contact (contact.org.uk) to help enhance advice, guidance and support services for families with disabled children across the UK.

Who We Support

  • Children and young people
  • Disabled adults
  • Families and unpaid carers
  • Schools, therapists and healthcare professionals
  • Care providers and community organisations

Looking Ahead

We continue to evolve in response to real lives and lifelong needs. Our commitment is to remain inclusive of all ages, practical in our approach, and focused on providing trusted, everyday support that makes a meaningful difference.

Contact

Find out more Contact’s national advice, information and support service, helpline, parent workshops and more at www.contact.org.uk.