by Vincent Buscemi, Partner at Bevan Brittan LLP
On 8th May 2025, Championing Social Care, in partnership with Bevan Brittan and Barclays, brought together a group of colleagues from every corner of the social care ecosystem, to discuss leadership in our sector.
This Thought Leaders in Care Roundtable saw operators, suppliers, developers, investors, funders, and advisors engaging in an insightful discussion on leadership and building world-class teams in the social care sector.
Guided by the belief that “great things in business are never done by one person; they’re done by teams” (Steve Jobs), and that “the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not followers” (Ralph Nader), our conversation focused on the human side of leadership and how it’s developed, how it’s tested, and how it can transform organisations.
And looking back now, just a couple of weeks later, it’s clear to see how this conversation could not have come at a better time.
The social care sector in England stands at a critical crossroads. While demand for care continues to grow, driven by an ageing population, increasing complexity of needs, and expectations of more personalised and compassionate care, providers are navigating an increasingly difficult operating environment. Workforce shortages, rising costs, funding pressures, and regulatory change are straining already stretched services.
Overlaying this are the megatrends reshaping care and our society more broadly:
- Demographic shift: A rapid increase in the over-85 population, projected to double over the next two decades.
- Workforce crisis: With over 150,000 vacancies in adult social care and growing competition from other sectors, the sector must find new ways to attract, retain, and support staff.
- Technological transformation: From digital care records to AI-supported systems, the role of tech is expanding, requiring new skills, investment, and leadership mindsets.
- Health and care integration: The drive towards more integrated services demands collaborative leadership that cuts across organisational and professional boundaries.
- Public and political scrutiny: Care has never been more visible or more scrutinised and leaders must embody transparency, accountability, and values-led decision-making.
- Changing expectations: Service users, families, regulators, and staff alike are demanding higher standards, greater choice, and better experiences, not just care delivery, but also culture and communication.
Against this backdrop, we explored the deeply personal and organisational dimensions of leadership. We asked: Are leaders born or made? When did your leadership emerge? Who inspired you?
Inspiration
Personal and, at times incredibly touching, stories flowed. Encouragement from family prevailed, shared alongside powerful lessons from teachers and mentors, and moments of necessity when leadership wasn’t sought but stepped into. What united the stories shared during the session was the sense that leadership in care is less about position and more about purpose.
Leadership Qualities
We reflected on the qualities that endure, including integrity, resilience, respect, humility, passion, persistence, and fairness. We agreed that leadership is about being consistent in what you stand for, showing up during difficult moments, leading by example, and being grounded in human connection.
We discussed how important it is for care leaders to be stewards of culture because in care, culture is everything. One powerful message stood out: “The standards you walk by are the standards you accept.” Culture is lived in the day-to-day. It’s how people treat each other, how feedback is given, how successes and failures are handled.
Sector Priorities
Another strong theme was wellbeing and empowerment. In a sector where people are emotionally and physically stretched, leaders must prioritise the health, both mental and physical, of their teams. Our guests talked about empowering their staff to be confident not just in their jobs, but in themselves. Encouraging them to stay healthy, feel valued, and see a future in care.
Vision and Values
This linked directly to our exploration of vision and values. Leaders must do more than set direction, they must inspire belief. They must give people the opportunity to buy into something bigger than themselves, to grow through learning and development, and to feel that they’re part of a mission that matters, and it is up to the leaders to provide the tools and the systems to enable this to happen.
We discussed accountability and ownership especially in times of uncertainty. True leadership is about stepping forward when it matters most. It’s about building a culture of trust and shared responsibility, where knowledge is shared and where everyone is supported to lead in their own way.
Perhaps, most importantly, we reminded ourselves that in care, “people don’t care what you know until they know you care.” That’s true for the people we care for, but equally true for the teams we work with.
In Conclusion
In summary, this roundtable left us with a renewed sense of clarity. Leadership in care is not just about delivering operational results, it’s about creating environments where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to be their best. It’s about turning values into action, building resilient teams, and leading with authenticity through change.
As the care sector responds to the challenges and opportunities of the years ahead, it will be those organisations that invest in their people, that cultivate leadership at every level, and that live their values consistently who will not only survive, but thrive.
Championing Social Care is a charitable organisation with a mission to shine a positive light on social care and the value of social care to society. We are a volunteer-led group of leaders from across the social care sector and our vision is to ensure a wider and deeper public understanding, appreciation and respect for social care. We do not seek to represent the care sector or care workers. Rather, we are focused on delivering positive stories and initiatives about the sector about which we all care so passionately.
Championing Social Care’s second Thought Leaders’ Lunch
