16th July 2026 marked a significant milestone as we hosted our very first Leaders Forum, bringing together over 70 colleagues from across the organisation for a day of reflection, learning, and open discussion.

The day provided an opportunity to celebrate the progress we have made together over the past year. Our senior leadership team shared highlights from across SBCH, including key achievements, success stories, new partnerships, charitable initiatives, and the positive progress being made across our services.

However, the most powerful reminder of why we do what we do came from hearing first-hand about the difference our colleagues make to the lives of young people. We were privileged to hear from R who previously lived in one of our homes, as she reflected on her journey before, during, and after her time with us. R spoke openly about the significant challenges she had faced before coming into our care, including experiencing abuse and struggling with self-harm.

She shared how, through the support of our team, she was able to stop self-harming and begin rebuilding her confidence. She paid particular tribute to Home Manager Mark, who helped overcome her fear and mistrust of men. She now feels able to trust others and is optimistic about building a happy future of her own, including one day having a family. Although R has since moved on, the relationships she built with our team have continued, and they still check in on her wellbeing.

We were also delighted to welcome Chris Wild, Director of Foster Greatness UK, who shared his lived experience of growing up in care. Chris spoke about his work to build a national platform that improves long-term outcomes for care-experienced people, as well as his campaign to have care experience recognised as a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.

We were also joined by an Ofsted Regulatory Inspection Manager, who took part in an open Q&A session exploring the qualities, leadership, and child-centred approaches that help create outstanding homes and, most importantly, achieve the best possible outcomes for children.

The day concluded with interactive breakout workshops, where our team explored ways to strengthen communication, recognition, wellbeing, career development, and progression across the organisation.

Overall, the inaugural Leaders Forum was a huge success, and marks the beginning of what will become an annual tradition providing the opportunity for our team members to come together under one roof to learn, listen, share ideas, and reflect on the values that define SBCH. Above all, it was a reminder of our commitment to Kaizen – and of why the work we do matters so much to the children and young people we support.

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We are proud to be a member of The Children’s Homes Association

The Children’s Homes Association (CHA) supports providers of residential childcare throughout England and Wales in transforming the lives of children and young people. As the only source of comprehensive guidance, representation, and support in the sector, the CHA helps its members navigate the complexities and challenges of running children’s homes – sharing a vision for exemplary care and improved outcomes.

The aim of membership is to bring together local authorities, providers, and stakeholders to address challenges and drive improvements for children and young people – and to ensure that government and regulators understand what’s happening on the ground and what needs to change.

The CHA works directly with government and key stakeholders to raise issues, influence policy, and drive positive change – all with the goal of securing better outcomes for children and young people.

Founded on the belief that the sector is stronger together, the CHA promotes shared knowledge, collaboration, and genuine partnership working, so that members can provide the best possible care for our society’s most vulnerable children and young people. Learn more on their website: https://the-cha.org.uk/.

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