The Foundation For Professionals In Services For Adolescence

Quick Stats

• Annual Income: £224,027 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: 6-10 weeks from deadline
• Grant Range: Up to £3,000 per person per year
• Geographic Focus: UK-based professionals (11-18 age group services)

Contact Details

Website: www.foundationpsa.org.uk

Email: SECRETARIAT@FOUNDATIONPSA.ORG.UK

Phone: 01295 750182

Address: Holtwood Red Lion Street, Cropredy, OX17 1PD

Pre-Application Support: The Secretariat welcomes contact if applicants are unsure whether their application meets FPSA criteria.

Overview

The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescence (FPSA) was established in 1968 as the Association for the Psychiatric Study of Adolescence to support emerging inpatient units for adolescents. In 2011, it transformed from a membership organisation into a grant-giving foundation with its current name. With an annual income of £224,027 (2024), FPSA is funded solely from profits of the Journal of Adolescence, which it owns and publishes. The foundation's mission is to improve adolescent mental health through professional development by making grants and awards for conferences, events, research, training, and education. The charity operates with eight trustees who receive no remuneration, ensuring all funds support frontline professionals working with adolescents aged 11-18 across CAMHS teams, social services, youth teams, and related services.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Individual Professional Development Grants (up to £3,000 per person per year)

• Conference bursaries covering fees, travel, accommodation, and sustenance
• Academic courses relevant to adolescent mental health
• Skill-based training
• Clinical supervision (maximum 1 year funding)
• Preventative intervention courses
• Consultation support
• Innovation projects
• Travel grants
• Discretionary awards

Research and Clinical Audit

• Research projects improving adolescent mental health services
• Clinical audits with direct service improvement applications

Team-Based Approaches

• Staff development initiatives
• Support for frontline staff across child and adolescent mental health services

Application methods: Three annual deadlines with online application portal (rolling basis not available).

Priority Areas

FPSA actively funds professionals who:

• Work directly with adolescents aged 11-18 in mental health services
• Demonstrate creative approaches to improving adolescent mental health services
• Are employed in mental health work (full-time students are ineligible)
• Seek training that will be directly applied in their current role working with adolescents
• Can show their training is identified in appraisal or professional development plans

Service settings include: CAMHS teams, inpatient units, day patient services, outpatient units, social services, youth teams, and other frontline adolescent mental health services.

What They Don't Fund

• Retrospective funding - applications submitted after course/conference start dates or after payment has been made
• Professional qualifications (art psychotherapy, social work, clinical psychology)
• PhD programs
• Non-clinical master's degrees
• Courses focused on children younger than 11
• Career-change focused courses
• Supervision or supervisory skills training
• Institutional or professional membership fees
• Exam fees
• Publications

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Governance and Leadership

FPSA is governed by eight trustees who bring direct experience from adolescent mental health services:

Chair: Neil Hemstock - Qualified as a nurse in 1982, worked in Leicestershire CAMHS, currently Lead Nurse for the Families Young People and Children's Division

Trustees:

• Dr Alan Cockett (appointed 7 February 2012) - Previously a member of APSA (founding organisation), joined FPSA Board in 2011
• Janine Smith - Involved for many years, instrumental in the strategic development transforming FPSA from a membership organisation to a grant-giving foundation in 2011
• Paul Joseph Mitchell (appointed 21 June 2019)
• Claire Louise Moran (appointed 21 June 2019)
• Graham John Head (appointed 21 June 2019)
• Alia Mumtaz (appointed 15 September 2023)
• Keith Wilshere

All trustees have backgrounds in nursing, psychiatry, occupational therapy, or related professions and work or have worked in relevant services. No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through FPSA's online application portal before the published deadlines. FPSA does not provide retrospective funding - applicants must apply before paying for training or attending conferences.

Five Essential Documents Required:

1. Course/Conference Documentation: Website link, brochure, or flyer showing costs with a clear breakdown of total expenses (citing sources for travel estimates)

1. Current CV: Must be a standalone document, not integrated into study leave forms or training body applications

1. Personal Statement: Limited to half an A4 page, focusing on service benefits and stating contact time with 11-18 year olds

1. Reference 1 (Peer Support): From a colleague vouching for integrity, on headed paper with signature or sent directly to the secretariat via email

1. Reference 2 (Employer Confirmation): From operational day-to-day manager confirming support and explaining how acquired skills will be applied in current role

Self-Employed Applicants: Require at least three documents: personal statement, professional colleague reference, and either a contract manager reference OR a character reference from a community figure with advanced qualifications.

Decision Timeline

FPSA operates three annual funding rounds with fixed deadlines:

• Deadline 1: 31 March → Decision by 16 May (6-7 weeks)
• Deadline 2: 31 July → Decision by 12 September (6 weeks)
• Deadline 3: 30 November → Decision by February following year (10 weeks)

Award amounts vary based on application volume and available resources.

Success Rates

FPSA does not publicly disclose success rates or the number of applications received versus awards made.

Reapplication Policy

Not explicitly stated in available guidance. Contact the Secretariat for clarification on reapplication after unsuccessful applications.

Application Success Factors

FPSA trustees evaluate applications based on specific criteria clearly documented in their guidance:

Reference Quality is Critical: Trustees specifically look for references that address:

• The age group the applicant serves
• Duration of the referee's relationship with the applicant
• Specific connection to the applicant's work with adolescents
• Confirmation that training is identified in appraisal or professional development plans
• Evidence of professional integrity

Cost Transparency: Applications must “provide a clear breakdown of how you arrived at your total cost” with cited sources for travel and accommodation estimates.

Service Impact Focus: The personal statement (limited to half an A4 page) must clearly demonstrate how the training will benefit services for adolescents aged 11-18 and specify “contact time you have with 11-18 year olds.”

Creative Approaches Valued: Successful applicants “demonstrate creative approaches improving adolescent mental health services” - showing innovation in practice is important.

Common Rejection Reasons (direct from FPSA guidance):

• Non-compliance with guidance
• Incomplete submissions (unsigned references, unclear costs)
• Weak content quality
• Applications submitted after course start dates
• Career-change courses or courses outside adolescent mental health focus

Employer Support is Essential: The employer reference must explain “how the acquired skills will be used or applied in your current role” - demonstrating organizational commitment to utilizing the training.

Post-Grant Requirements: All recipients must deliver a post-grant report, demonstrating FPSA's commitment to understanding impact and learning outcomes.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Apply early and plan ahead - No retrospective funding means applications must be submitted before payment and before course start dates across three annual deadlines
• Focus on the adolescent age group (11-18) - This is non-negotiable; courses for younger children or adults are ineligible
• Demonstrate direct service application - Trustees want to see how training will be immediately applied in your current role working with adolescents
• Secure strong references - Both peer and employer references must specifically address age group served, relationship duration, and how training connects to development plans
• Be transparent about costs - Provide clear, itemized breakdowns with sources for all estimates; incomplete financial information leads to rejection
• Half-page personal statement limit - Be concise and focus on service benefits and contact time with 11-18 year olds; quality over quantity
• Contact the Secretariat with questions - FPSA welcomes pre-application queries to confirm eligibility before investing time in applications

References

• FPSA Official Website -
• FPSA Funding Information -
• FPSA Funding Guidance -
• Charity Commission Register - Charity 1122189 - Financial and trustee information
• Giving is Great Charity Factsheet -
• Journal of Adolescence - FPSA Information -