Growing the Next Generation of Registered Managers

Why leadership development in social care matters more than ever

One of my enduring passions in social care has always been this - growing people.

Not fast-tracking titles. Not creating managers in name only. But patiently developing leaders, individuals who understand responsibility, personhood, accountability, and the quiet moral weight that comes with being entrusted with other people’s lives.

In recent years, as the sector has become more complex, more regulated, and more scrutinised, the role of the Registered Manager has quietly become one of the most demanding leadership positions in public service. And yet, too often, we talk about recruitment and compliance without talking enough about development.

I believe that how we grow new Registered Managers says everything about our values as a sector.

The reality of becoming a Registered Manager

Becoming a Registered Manager is not a moment, it is a journey.

It is rarely linear. It often starts without intention.

Most exceptional Registered Managers I have known did not arrive saying, “I want to run a care home.”

They arrived saying, “I want to do a good job.”

They stayed because they cared.

And they grew because they were supported.

The role demands technical competence, emotional intelligence, ethical judgement, and resilience, often all at once. It requires leaders to hold accountability for things they did not personally do, to answer for systems they are still learning, and to remain calm while carrying responsibility that can feel relentless.

That is why I have never believed in throwing people into Registered Manager roles and hoping for the best. Hope is not a strategy. Development is.

Why I am personally committed to leadership growth in care

Social care does not fail because people do not care.

It fails when people are not supported to lead.

Over the years, I have seen what happens when emerging leaders are rushed, isolated, or left without reflective space. I have also seen the opposite - what happens when organisations invest time, patience, mentoring, and trust.

When we grow leaders properly:

• Standards rise

• Cultures stabilise

• Teams feel safer

• People living in services experience better care

Leadership development is not an “extra”. It is quality assurance.

Abi’s journey - a quiet case study in leadership growth

One example that reflects this belief so clearly is Abigail Denford, who recently reached five years with Evolve Care Group.

Abi did not join with a background in nursing homes. She arrived during Covid - one of the most disorientating and unforgiving times our sector has ever faced. There were no neat inductions, no gentle transitions. Learning happened in real time, under pressure, with responsibility increasing as circumstances demanded it.

She started in administration.

She observed.

She asked questions, often the same ones repeatedly.

She took responsibility when others stepped back.

Over time, she moved into general management and later into the Registered Manager role. Not because she was “ready” in the abstract sense, but because she had been grown, mentored, and trusted.

What makes Abi’s journey powerful is not the speed of progression, but the depth of it. She learned the building. The people. The systems. The nuance of behaviour. The emotional realities of families. The accountability that comes when your name sits on the registration.

And crucially, she never stopped seeing learning as part of the role.

What good leadership development really looks like

Using Abi’s journey as an example, there are a few principles I hold firmly:

1. Exposure before expectation - people must see complexity before they are held accountable for it.

2. Support before scrutiny - oversight should feel like safety, not surveillance.

3. Reflection before reaction - leaders need permission to pause, think, and ask why, not just what.

4. Accountability with humanity - being accountable does not mean being alone.

5. Growth without ego - the best leaders are still learning, openly.

When organisations create environments where these principles are lived, not just stated, people rise to the responsibility placed upon them.

The future of social care leadership

If we want a stronger, more ethical, more resilient social care system, we must stop asking,

“How do we fill Registered Manager vacancies?”

And start asking,

“How do we grow Registered Managers?”

That means investing in people who may not yet see themselves as leaders.

It means recognising that confidence often comes after competence, not before.

And it means valuing leadership development as a long-term commitment, not a short-term fix.

A final reflection

Watching new Registered Managers grow into themselves, finding their voice, learning to hold complexity, and leading with humanity, remains one of the most rewarding parts of my work.

Abi’s journey is not unique, but it is instructive. It shows what is possible when potential is met with patience, and responsibility is paired with support.

This is the kind of leadership social care deserves.

And it is the kind I will continue to champion.