KCA Knowledge Change Action

We provide the Knowledge base that can Change thinking and perspective so that our communities can take Action to transform the lives of others. 'Achieving breakthrough outcomes for children experiencing significant adversity requires that we support the adults who care for them to transform their own lives.' From report 'Best Practices to Breakthrough Impacts', Harvard 2016 KCA (previously known as Kate Cairns Associates) was established in 2011 to bring together the work of Kate Cairns and a group of experienced practitioners and trainers across the UK. We are now registered as Knowledge Change Action Ltd, and as of October 2021 we have become an Employee Owned Trust. As an employee-owned organisation KCA aspires to be a beacon to those who want to lead sustainable organisations, rooted in their local communities, where employees are active decision makers shaping their future together. Our small, experienced team, managed from our Head Office in Gloucestershire, has an excellent track record in running effective training programmes, rooted in the science-based theory of attachment, trauma and resilience, that are responsive to the changing needs and priorities of our Commissioners. KCA office 98.8% of the 12,478 participants who completed KCA evaluation forms between March 2020 and March 2021 said that they would recommend the training to their colleagues At KCA, relationships are key to everything we do – whether that is the relationships between our colleagues that ensure that we feel supported, enthused and committed to our work, the relationships with our commissioners that allow us to understand and respond effectively to their needs, or supporting practitioners, through our training and consultancy, to develop effective connected relationships with the children, families and teams with whom they work. Since 2011 we have delivered training to over 140,000 practitioners across the UK, to promote resilience in the individuals and networks supporting the most vulnerable people in our society. Our quality assurance processes are robust, and we take feedback and evaluation seriously, promoting our own learning and working with our associates to develop their skills. We work with commissioners to build-in effective evaluation systems that enable us to demonstrate impact on learning, confidence and practice and we seek structured feedback from our consultancy customers as each contract is completed. Our Values Knowledge. Change. Action is: Driven by evidence. Drawing on the latest research, we seek to be at the forefront of change and apply new knowledge to real life experiences. Curious. Through offering new perspectives, we ask unique questions that lead to the co-creation of new approaches and partnership. Strengths-based. We seek to unearth the value and contribution that everyone makes, through encouraging people to notice and appreciate their feelings and actions and those of others. Connected. Through intentionally nurturing relationships we seek to grow a culture of mutual trust and respect, creating a sense of safety that encourages innovation and inspires trust in each other’s judgements. Agile and flexible. We work with organisations big or small in creative ways to find new ways of working that meet their changing needs. Congruent. There is consistency between what we say and what we do. This means that nurturing authentic relationships is central to the way our team works, both with colleagues and partners. How we work with others KCA works with others and the community by: Listening to commissioning partners and co-creating with them in equal partnership. Learning with partners and using that new knowledge to proliferate ideas and actions. Building connected relationships through open and honest communication. Acknowledging that vulnerability is part of being human. It affects everyone, but it can disproportionately impact those experiencing inequalities. ● Being gently revolutionary. Acknowledging where power might need to be redistributed to advance inclusion and participation.