Social care risks losing talented leaders who are passionate about person-centred support and human rights.
Many find it difficult to make the changes they want within existing systems and ways of working.
Radical Roots is designed to support and develop leaders who want to create positive change.
Through learning, coaching and peer support, you’ll build your confidence, skills and influence while staying connected to the values that brought you into social care in the first place.
Thanks to funding from The Rayne Foundation, there is no cost to take part.
Who is it for?
The programme is for people who are considering leaving social care because they find their values do not always align with the way care is commissioned or delivered.
You should be working in social care in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
You might be in your first or second leadership role, or have many years of management experience.
What matters most is that you:
- are committed to person-centred support,
- want to make change happen, and
- sometimes feel that traditional leadership approaches do not reflect your values or ambitions.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are particularly keen to hear from people from groups currently under-represented in leadership and leadership development in social care. This includes people from global majority communities, disabled people and people from disadvantaged social and economic backgrounds.
What will you learn?
The programme is built around three themes:
The brave individual
Explore:
- leadership theories,
- leadership stories and aspirations,
- bravery,
- psychological safety, and
- human rights-based practice.
The influential leader
Learn about:
- practical theories of change,
- asset-based development,
- influencing with and without authority,
- codesign,
- coproduction, and
- organisational development.
The radical creator
Work alongside inspiring innovators to explore:
- organisational change,
- creating new approaches,
- social entrepreneurship, and
- partnership working.
Programme structure
The programme includes:
- Three two-day residentials
- Online webinars
- Solution circle style learning events
- One-to-one online coaching
We ask participants to:
- Attend all programme events
- Complete a personal leadership project, likely in partnership with their organisation
- Set aside time for self-guided learning and reflection
Programme dates
The programme runs from March 2027 to June 2028.
Residentials will take place in Manchester on:
- 21-22 April 2027
- 15-16 September 2027
- 19-20 January 2028
Costs
The programme is fully funded by The Rayne Foundation.
We ask employers to support participants by providing paid time to attend all programme activities and by covering travel and any associated expenses.
Interested?
We’ll update this page with more information in August 2026.