About us

Childhood First is a charity that provides specialist therapeutic care, education and treatment to children suffering severe emotional and behavioural disturbance as the result of early life trauma. We also provide support to their networks of adult carers.

From pioneering beginnings in 1970, with the formation of our first therapeutic community for young people, and subsequently at Peper Harow (founded 1973, closed 1993) and Thornby Hall (founded 1986), we have continued to refine our treatment method and to offer it more widely, with the development of:

further residential facilities using the same method, with variations to suit age group and size of facility - currently, Greenfields and School, Earthsea House and Merrywood House;
a Placement and Family Support service which works with networks supporting children in families, foster placements and residential placements.