Celebrating 25 new graduates: PSDP Completion Day for Essex C39 and C40
40 cohorts of care leaders have now been through our Professional Support and Development Programme (PSDP) in Essex!
We recently celebrated the completion of two more inspiring cohorts, C39 and C40, funded by Essex County Council, and celebrated 25 new My Home Life Associates.
Cohort C39: Strengthening Leadership in Home Care and Supported Living Services
C39 brought together 13 care leaders from home care and supported living services in Essex. They hold a variety of roles in their services, ranging in seniority from care worker to manager, with the group really valuing this diversity.
At the start of the programme, the leaders reported that they were facing challenges reflecting the realities of community-based care, including: managing communication across dispersed teams, supporting staff through client loss, and maintaining boundaries in emotionally demanding roles.
Together the group learnt tools and techniques supporting them to communicate in new, more reflective ways, and to appreciate the value of active listening over immediately offering advice – recognising the empowerment that comes from letting others find their own solutions.
All surveyed participants (10) reported improvements in their:
- Leadership and communication skills
- Confidence as professionals
- Stress levels
- Relationships with their line managers / service owners
Plus an improved ability to meet CQC requirements, with 70% saying this improvement was significant.
Also evident was the positive ripple effect that strong leadership has on care services – with every participant reporting reduced staff sickness, improved team initiative, and enhanced quality of practice in their care settings.
Leaders also shared some of the positive changes they’ve implemented in their workplace since joining the PSDP, including: improving documentation in preparation for inspections, reframing challenging working relationships to recognise staff strengths and planning team meetings using My Home Life England tools.
One said:
“The programme has really helped me in all aspects of my career. I have learnt a better way of dealing with people as we come across different people from all spheres of life.”
Another care leader shared how an Action Learning session gave her the confidence to raise concerns during supervision. Encouraged by the reflective environment on her programme, she started an open dialogue with her manager about the challenges she was facing. This led to a supportive conversation and an offer to enrol in Level 5 training, funded by the company. This is a step forward for the participant’s professional development, as well as her professional confidence.
Cohort C40: Empowering Leaders Across Diverse Care Settings
C40 consisted of 12 leaders from a variety of care settings in Essex.
Their reported challenges included: motivating staff, managing workplace communication, navigating relationships with the owners of their care services, and dealing with the loneliness that can come in leadership.
Despite this, everyone had a clear vision for their care service, and demonstrated examples of going the extra mile for those they support.
Tools introduced on their Professional Support and Development Programme helped these 12 leaders to reframe their approach to leadership, team dynamics and personal wellbeing.
By the end of the programme, care leaders described feeling empowered, recognised, and more confident in their roles. They reported better relationships within their teams, improved conflict management, reduced feelings of isolation, enhanced listening skills, and greater confidence in handling inspections and meetings.
All surveyed participants (11) reported improvements in their:
- Quality of management, leadership, and communication skills
- Understanding of how to improve the culture of care
- Ability to meet CQC requirements
- Quality of engagement with team members, and ability to make sufficient time to support staff
The wider impact of this was that:
- Care team members had greater desire to take the initiative in responding to service users
- Care services became more positive communities
- The overall level of quality of practice in the care settings increased
As one participant reflected:
“Good networking with other managers helps to improve all our services, and in general improve the quality of care provided to individuals.”
Others affirmed the value of the sessions:
“The workshops have been really helpful for me. It’s been great to hear other managers speak. I have learnt that I am not alone.”
“I was in need of a place where you can talk, and no one judges you. A space where you can speak out loud.”
They also described a shift in how they approached team relationships, conflict resolution, and work-life balance:
“Now my team don’t rely on me so much. They are empowered, more open at work, and they are coming to me with solutions.”
“I see things from a different viewpoint and try to go to the root cause of the problem.”
“There are still days that are tough, but I don’t dwell on it as much. I can move more quickly towards action. I am now seen as a leader.””
Congratulations to Cohorts 39 and 40 for completing their programmes with newfound managerial skills and confidence, greater professional purpose and pride, and stronger relationships with their teams and with wider professionals.
Essex has now seen four PSDP completions in 2025, following two earlier programmes in June. We are delighted that another Essex cohort has recently begun, plus we are continuing to support leaders across the region with ongoing CPD sessions, funded by Essex County Council.
Read about the previous completion of Cohorts 37 and 38 here:
Meet C37 & C38