Our History

The protection of vulnerable children is the main focus, helping parents and families to explore and develop positive relationships.

The Lilias Graham Trust as it now stands was founded in 2006, but our history of helping families affected by poverty and social exclusion began long before that.

Lilias Graham, from whom the charity takes its name, devoted her life to working with those struggling to cope with troubled and poverty-stricken circumstances.

For 20 years, her flat in the Gorbals district of Glasgow was a meeting point for local people seeking advice, groups for women, children playing, volunteers and trainee social workers on placements from the London School of Economics.

In 1972 Lilias moved to Braendam House – now our main residential facility – where she welcomed families from Glasgow and all over the country for holidays. She also set up the Braendam Link group, which provided a meeting point in Glasgow for families between visits to the house.

As retirement approached, Lilias entrusted the house and grounds to ATD Fourth World (UK) – the large international charity committed to ‘putting an end to poverty and social exclusion’.

In May 2006, a special resolution was passed to change the company name from Braendam Family House to The Lilias Graham Trust.

The charity now offers parenting capacity assessments for families throughout Scotland and the UK, whilst staying true to Lilias’s legacy by helping families who are affected by adverse childhood experiences, trauma, social exclusion and poverty.