Some stumbled into care. Others were drawn to it. A few thought they’d leave after a month.

But they didn’t.

Red Jacket didn’t just fall into care. They’ve redefined what it means to build a local care workforce from the ground up.

They now recruit over 200 students through Bournemouth University

They've secured new partnerships with Southampton University, a Russell Group institution

Today, their 350-strong workforce is made up primarily of local talent under the age of 30

How?

They invested early.

They showed up in classrooms, at career fairs, in full team formation.

They didn’t wait for ‘qualified staff’ to appear.

They trained them.

They believed in them.

And they built a company where young carers don’t just survive ..... they rise.

In this episode of the Homegrown Talent Series, we meet three of those rising stars: Milly, Callie and Jude.

We also hear from Red Jacket’s co-founder, Jordan Towles, who shares how empathy not experience became the foundation of their recruitment model.

“We never throw bodies at a problem. We don’t do short visits. We do real relationships.”

This is what happens when care is led from the front.

Is it really possible to build a care company where people stay, grow, and lead?

Dorset care providers say yes.

The real workforce crisis isn’t finding new people.

It’s losing the ones you already have.

We know what policy says:

“Focus on homegrown talent.”

But what about the providers already doing this?

And more importantly… is it working?

Episode 2 of our 4 part Homegrown Care Talent Series takes you inside organisations that have quietly been doing what the Prime Minister is only now calling for.

Featuring:

Ash (CareSouth) – 15 years in one home, now managing it

Jeanette (Culliford House) – from carer to senior leader

Rob (Bramley Care) – leading a value driven, stable team

In partnership with Dorset Care Association and hosted by Anna Knight, we hear directly from providers on:

-What homegrown success really looks like

- How to bring young people into care and keep them even with limited interest

-Why retention starts with storytelling, not salaries (despite what most assume)

Episode now live.

Listen in. Let’s learn from it. Lead better.

#CareSectorLeadership #DorsetCareAssociation #ProviderVoices #SustainableWorkforce #HomegrownTalentSeries #FutureOfCare

Gen Zs grew up in care businesses.

But now that it’s their turn they’re saying no thanks.

In Episode 1 of the Homegrown Care Talent Series, we speak with Willow and Albert, two young creatives who had every opportunity to inherit thriving care agencies… but chose a different path.

Featuring Anna Knight, CEO of Dorset Care Association, we unpack:

The real reason Gen Z is walking away from the family business

The pressure to take over and what that does to ambition

Whether care still has a homegrown future, or if it needs a new pipeline

This episode is part of a 4-part series exploring whether the care sector can still grow its next generation of leaders from within.

️ Episode themes include:

Gen Z perspectives

Care succession & burnout

Building leadership pipelines

Provider reflections

Carer truths

Frontline realities

Subscribe and turn on notifications to catch every episode.

Drop a comment:

Do you think care is still a viable family business?

You're a health and social care provider. You understand care. But do you understand care finance?

The reality is, funding growth, buying a business, or even just staying afloat in this sector demands specific financial knowledge

knowledge that isn't always obvious or accessible.

Join us on The Health and Social Care Business Podcast as we talk with Neil, an expert commercial finance broker from Christie Finance. Drawing on years of experience at top banks and consultancies.

Neil sheds light on how care businesses can navigate the complex world of commercial finance and secure the funding essential for their vision.

You're a health and social care provider. You understand care. But do you understand care finance?

The reality is, funding growth, buying a business, or even just staying afloat in this sector demands specific financial knowledge

knowledge that isn't always obvious or accessible.

Join us on The Health and Social Care Business Podcast as we talk with Neil, an expert commercial finance broker from Christie Finance. Drawing on years of experience at top banks and consultancies.

Neil sheds light on how care businesses can navigate the complex world of commercial finance and secure the funding essential for their vision.

You might not fully grasp the complexity of dementia care… until you realise it’s about so much more than memory loss.

It’s about behaviour.

It’s about decision-making.

It’s about dignity in the smallest moments even when someone says “no” and that’s okay.

In this episode QCS dementia specialist Geraldine McMurdie helps us rethink what care really means.

️ She breaks down:

✅ Why cognitive decline doesn’t always look how we expect

✅ How tools like the PAL Assessment help tailor support to ability

✅ What the Planned Level of care is and why getting it right early matters

✅ Why carers need support to build skill, not just systems to follow

Geraldine also explores how individuals and providers can tap into evidence-based resources like the QCS Dementia Centre, and how external guidance from trusted organisations like:

Alzheimer’s Society

Dementia UK

The NHS

can empower families and professionals alike.

> “I’ve often signposted friends and family to them myself.”

Because dementia care can be overwhelming especially when someone you love is changing before your eyes. But support exists. You’re not alone. And the way you show up matters.

This episode is for providers, carers, and anyone walking alongside someone with dementia.

#DementiaCare #CognitiveImpairment #YoungOnsetDementia #QCS #AlzheimersSociety #DementiaUK #PALAssessment #EmpathyInCare #SocialCareLeadership #CareWithCompassion #GeraldineMcMurdie #HealthAndSocialCarePodcast

Why is the social care sector afraid of the new immigration white paper?

On May 12th, the Prime Minister announced a new plan to “tighten up” the UK’s immigration system a system relied on by an estimated 90% of social care providers.

But here’s the thing:

Social care is not what you think.

It’s not just personal care, shopping runs, or companionship.

It’s not just “sitting services” or care homes.

It’s people.

People who rise before dawn to catch a train and support someone with learning disabilities not just to get a job, but to get to the job.

People who help a 16-year-old manage severe anxiety just to make it through the supermarket.

People who sit beside older adults whose families are thousands of miles away.

These are carers.

And among them are migrant workers, navigating increasingly complex systems just to bring stability and independence into the lives of others.

When I transitioned from the beauty industry into care, I had no idea what I was stepping into.

I learned quickly that social care is filled with the most unexpected, compassionate, and resilient individuals lawyers, creatives, parents, students all united by purpose.

So when the PM’s announcement raised alarm bells, I knew we needed more than just reactions.

We needed a response.

That’s why we brought together five brilliant voices for our very first roundtable each representing a vital corner of the care ecosystem:

Kat Hall – Organiser of Providers Unite, amplifying grassroots voices

Anna Knight – CEO, Dorset Care Association, representing regional providers

Palvi Dodhia – Award-winning dementia care home owner and innovator

Andrew Nyamayaro – Principal Solicitor, advocating for legal fairness

Dudley Sawyerr – Co-chair, LCAS, and a leading voice on DEI

️ In this powerful conversation, we reflected, challenged assumptions, and offered real solutions.

It was an honour to host

I’d love to hear your thoughts, feedback, and reflections.

#SocialCare #MigrationPolicy #CareWorkers #WorkforcePlanning #ProvidersUnite #LeadershipInCare #HealthAndSocialCare #RoundtableDiscussion #CareSectorVoices

“I come in like Mary Poppins, tidy up and settle fractured relationships, get structure right, and then sweep off again to a new provider once my job is done.”

When providers feel buried under policies, unreliable staff, and CQC pressures, most reach for quick fixes.

But Paula Cashmore, popularly known as the Mary Poppins of Social Care, brings something different clinical expertise, leadership courage, and a bottomless bag of practical solutions.

-A manager feels stuck‍♂️

- Staff aren’t showing up

- Policies are ignored

- And a CQC inspection looms✍️

Normally? Panic.

But Paula’s advice is simple:

“You’re judged by what YOU say in your policies — so write what you can deliver, and deliver what you write.”

She shows providers how to:

1. Lead with clarity, not fear.

2. Manage poor performance without guilt because “anybody is better than nobody” is never acceptable.

3. For nurses, own their place as clinical leaders, not just “someone working in a nursing home.”

This is just one of many lessons from our latest episode:

“Using Clinical Skills to Raise Care Standards”

Featuring: @Paula Cashmore, Founder, Achievable Care Quality Commission

From Postman Pat to the London Olympics… to Care.

What began as a creative experiment inspired by Mark’s grandfather’s dementia journey is now delivering:

✅ Cognitive breakthroughs for people with dementia

✅ Unexpected visual improvements for glaucoma & macular degeneration

✅ Behavioural outcomes in children with complex needs (SEND)

I have always loved the concept of VR. But nothing prepared me for the degree of it's value in care

This conversation taught me that building anything for the care sector demands more than innovation it requires compassion, experimentation, and patience. Here are 15 lessons I’m taking with me from Mark’s journey:

1. Let personal stories guide product design

2. Start curious, not perfect

3. Test in real-world environments

4. Build with empathy, not assumptions

5. Train people before introducing tech

6. Expect resistance — and learn from it

7. Begin with calm, not wow-factor

8. Watch for surprising outcomes (like reduced PRN meds)

9. Know who not to include (safety matters)

10. Scale slowly — but personally

11. You don’t need to be a big company to drive big change

12. Let the outcomes do the storytelling

13. Collect data, but don’t wait for it to start

14. Tech should support the human touch, not replace it

15. Never underestimate older adults — they’ll surprise you!

New podcast episode now live:

Is innovation going too far in care — or are we just getting started?

What are your thoughts?

Let’s talk real outcomes.

#CareInnovation #HealthTech #SocialCare #DementiaCare #Podcast #VRinCare

Dear Carers,

We value you. We respect you. We need you.

“Stay in — and you can stay in — because now you have a recognised, trusted identity to show that you are somebody who works in health and social care.

"If my provider loses work, I don’t have to feel vulnerable.

I have the power to go and get a job elsewhere if I have to" — with ME Passport! Carly Rochester, Founder of ME Passport

This episode is all about empowerment. For carers. For providers. For the entire sector.

Tune in now to hear how ME Passport is:

Giving carers a portable professional identity

⚡ Supporting quicker onboarding and safer staffing

Creating career continuity even when contracts change

If you've ever felt stuck as a carer, or overwhelmed with HR as a provider. This episode is your reminder: you have options, and you have power.

New Podcast Episode Now Live!

Unlocking Care Careers Instantly with Carly Rochester