Children First Reviews

2.7

22% would recommend to a friend

(29 total reviews)

27% positive business outlook

Children First has an employee rating of 2.7 out of 5 stars, based on 29 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an average working experience there. The Children First employee rating is 28% below average for employers within the Non-profit and NGO industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

29 reviews
5.0
Jan 15, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Really supportive, valuable work and feel we can make a difference

Cons

Change due to funding and external pressures

2.0
Jan 12, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great local services, frontline staff really care about children and families Good annual leave

Cons

Toxic management culture, despite frequent surveys things never change. Poor learning and development opportunities, dishonest and insincere attitude towards diversity and inclusion, teams frequently understaffed due to people quitting from unreasonable workloads/bullying. Gaslighting and manipulation from senior leaders, bullying and intimidation frequently reported by staff but never resolved. I think senior leaders believe their behaviour can go on undisputed however from the amount of staff leaving these things cannot stay under wraps forever! You would think this review, just like the many others posted here, would prompt some sort of reflection, and yet it did not happen during my time at this organisation.

1.0
Jan 9, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

There are many lovely people and volunteers in the organisation, who are there for the right reasons.

Cons

Complete absence of stable leadership. Management are dismissive, unsupportive and dishonest. They minimise any issues raised by staff, who are then labeled as difficult or negative. No accountability by managers. Refusal by managers to document decisions, allowing them to deny anything that’s been said or agreed. Repeated instances of contradicting previous instruction or decisions, leading to confusion and discord. Managers discussing individual in open forums in a derogatory way, rather than addressing directly with individuals. Short-staffing a long standing issue, while workload continues to increase. Part-time staff and volunteers intentionally excluded from access to important information and tools, staff social occasions and training. Volunteer support actively discouraged. Absurd absence policy that treats employees like naughty children.

Viewing 1 - 3 of 29 Reviews

Glassdoor has 29 Children First reviews submitted anonymously by Children First employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Children First is right for you.