Our ethos

While we’ve tailored the ethos of our international and research efforts to reflect the distinct nature of each, both are unified by a shared philosophy: to provide sustainable care and long-term solutions for children born with cleft lip and palate, both in the UK and in resource-limited countries.

At the heart of our mission is the belief that every child and adult born with a cleft, no matter where they live, deserves access to the highest quality care.

CLEFT’s International Ethos

The ethos of our international work is to support the development of multi-disciplinary cleft centres in teaching centres in low and middle income countries so that children born with clefts will have all the care they need from birth to maturity and so that future generations of specialists will be able to continue this work.

Costs will be kept low.
UK clinicians visit as the guests of the overseas centre.
The local team set the agenda.
Visitors work with the team and do not ‘take over’.
There will be no big ‘missions’ except for teaching.
CLEFT supported centres will be in training centres - preferably government hospitals.
Multi-disciplinary team care is a priority.
CLEFT will support the development of paediatric anaesthesia.
Long-term care will be encouraged.
Outcome measurement will be supported.
Training will be the priority.
CLEFT will aim to provide necessary equipment and facilities.
Collaborative research will be encouraged.
The aim will be independence of the overseas centre – in 5 years if possible.

CLEFT’s Research Ethos

The research which we support will advance knowledge on the causes of clefts, and on the most effective and kindest treatment and support for children born with clefts of lip and/or palate.

CLEFT aims to promote high quality research in the area of cleft lip and/or palate. It is committed to helping develop research that will answer questions relevant to families affected by cleft and to cleft clinicians.
CLEFT will consider applications for funding of research based in recognised UK cleft centres, linked to CRANE (the national clinical database), or linked to the Cleft Collective (the national research resource and dataset). It will also consider applications from cleft centres in Lower and Middle Income Countries (as defined by the World Bank) already linked to CLEFT.
CLEFT funding will provide support towards the costs of staff to carry out the research, Public and Patient Involvement (PPI), equipment, and dissemination of results.
CLEFT funding will not provide support for research training courses.
CLEFT will expect researchers to keep costs as low as possible and will expect receipts to be available where appropriate.
Collaborative research will be encouraged.
Development and use of reliable and valid outcome measures will be supported.
Multi-disciplinary team care is a priority.

CRANE - https://www.crane-database.org.uk/ - Cleft Registry and Audit Network

The Cleft Collective - https://www.bristol.ac.uk/dental/cleft-collective/

Find out more

To learn more about some of the work we have done working with local teams, please click here.

To find out more about research that CLEFT has funded, please visit our Research section by clicking here.

Donate here

Latest

Call for Research Proposals 2026

We invite researchers to submit high quality proposals for research grants of up to a maximum of £60,000. Proposals should focus on either clinical or basic science questions relevant to CLEFT’s research objectives. We welcome applications for smaller grants.
Georgie's Half Marathon Fundraiser

I’m fundraising to support CLEFT, a charity close to my heart, helping children born with cleft lip and palate access life-changing surgery and care. Inspired by my mum’s experience, I want to raise awareness and give back so more families receive the support they need.
Gozde's first ever Half Marathon to raise funds for CLEFT

This October, I’m taking on my first ever half marathon to raise money for CLEFT. Running 13.1 miles is not something I would normally do, but after working with CLEFT over the past three years and seeing the impact of their work, I wanted to push myself to take on this challenge for a cause I really believe in.
Ollie's Half Marathon for CLEFT

This October, I'm taking on the Royal Parks Half Marathon: 13.1 miles through four of London's most beautiful parks to raise money for CLEFT. I am raising money to provide long-term, sustainable ways to improve cleft care both in the UK and overseas.

Donate to CLEFT

You can make a one-off donation today or sign up to giving a regular monthly gift. All donations, small or large, will help us to improve the lives of those born with cleft lip and palate both now and in the future.
Our mission

CLEFT was established in 2007 with one aim, to help improve the lives of children born with cleft lip and palate, either by funding research into the likely causes of the condition or by helping support teams in lower and middle income countries.
National Institute of Burns and Plastic Surgery

We are working with Bangladeshi specialists at the new National Institute of Burns and Plastic Surgery to create a sustainable centre to treat children with cleft lip and palate.
Nawrin and the C-Arm

This important piece of equipment was supplied by CLEFT and is used to see moving images of the cleft palate. Nawrin is a 13 year old girl who was experiencing speech difficulties and needed the C-Arm to show the cleft team if further surgery was required.
About us

CLEFT was established in 2007 by cleft surgeon Brian Sommerlad - based at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, together with a former patient and a patient's grandmother.
The genetics of cleft lip and palate

Investigations into the genetics of cleft lip and palate to understand more about why cleft lip and palate occurs.
Brian Sommerlad, Consultant Plastic Surgeon and Chair of Trustees

For over 40 years, I have been involved in operating on babies, children and adults who have been born with cleft lip and/or palate.
Our research vision

At CLEFT, our vision is of a future where clefts are preventable. Until we get there, we want to improve the lives of those born with cleft lip and palate.
Trusts and Foundations

Today, 1-in-700 babies in the UK are born with a cleft lip and palate, the most common form of birth defect. The impact on a child’s life as they grow is profound. Typically, they will need at least four operations. They may also require ongoing tests, treatment or therapy. It will affect the way they look but also their speech, hearing and dental development. It can leave deep psychological scars.
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