Category: Progress

Progress is delighted to announce that our Annual Conference will take place next week, Tuesday 7 October 2025, bringing together staff from across the organisation for a day of learning, connection, and celebration.

The conference is one of the most important events in the Progress calendar. It provides an opportunity to reflect on achievements, share organisational updates, and hear directly from staff whose voices and experiences continue to shape the future direction of Progress.

This year’s agenda has been carefully designed to combine inspiring updates with interactive workshops, ensuring that colleagues can both contribute to discussions and take away new ideas to support their work.

Claire Rogers, Managing Director of Progress, said:
“Our Annual Conference is about more than just bringing people together in one room. It is about creating a space where every voice matters, where staff can share ideas and experiences, and where we can celebrate the incredible work being done every single day across Progress. I am looking forward to seeing everyone and hearing the conversations that will help us grow stronger as an organisation.”

A highlight of the day will once again be the Progress Superstar Awards and Long Service Awards, shining a spotlight on colleagues who have gone above and beyond in their roles, as well as those who have dedicated many years of service to supporting children, young people, and adults in our care.

The event also provides an opportunity to celebrate the unique Progress culture — one rooted in care, trust, respect, and progress for every individual. With food, conversation, and connection, the conference promises to be both an inspiring and memorable day.

Stay tuned for updates and highlights from the conference on the Progress website and social media channels.

At Progress, we are committed to making a difference not only in the lives of the children, young people, and adults we support, but also in our wider community. This year, we are proud to take part in National Food Bank Day on Friday, 5 September 2025.

Observed on the first Friday of September, National Food Bank Day raises awareness about hunger and encourages people across the UK to donate food, time, or resources to their local food banks. Food banks play a vital role in supporting individuals and families facing hardship due to illness, job loss, or financial challenges. They ensure no one has to go to bed hungry.

As part of our contribution, Progress will be collecting donations for Good Shepherd Wolverhampton. From 1–5 September, donation boxes will be available at our Head Office. Every donation, no matter how small, will help provide vital support to families in need. Together, we can make a meaningful difference.

We encourage everyone to get involved, spread the word, and support this important cause.

As part of our 25th anniversary celebrations, Progress Care Solutions was proud to host an unforgettable evening that honoured our journey, our people, and the communities we serve. Among the many highlights of the event was a stunning performance by Bollywood Dreams Dance — a troupe that brought rhythm, colour, and joy to the stage.

Their high-energy routine transported guests into the vibrant world of Bollywood, combining tradition and creativity in a performance that left everyone smiling, clapping, and even dancing along.

The performance was more than just entertainment; it was a symbol of the diversity, inclusion, and shared joy that have shaped Progress over the past 25 years. It reminded us that at the heart of our work — and our celebrations — is people.

Thank you to Bollywood Dreams Dance for helping us mark this milestone in such a memorable way.

Here’s to the next 25 years of care, trust, respect and Progress.

https://youtu.be/EqNaSE3q-oY

Olympic medallist and lifelong advocate for children in care, Fatima Whitbread, delivered a moving keynote speech at Progress’ 25th anniversary celebration, sharing her own lived experience in the care system and calling for urgent reforms to improve the lives of vulnerable young people.

Addressing a packed room of Progress team members and guests that include policymakers, social workers, care leavers and campaigners, Whitbread offered a raw and deeply personal account of her early years. From enduring abandonment and abuse, to discovering healing and belonging through sport and mentorship, her story struck a powerful chord.

“I didn’t ask to be put in care. No child does,” she said. “But every child has the right to feel safe, loved and supported. That should never be up for debate.”

Recalling the traumatic moment she was taken from the only home she knew, she spoke of the emotional chaos and fear that defined much of her early life. But it was the arrival of a warm and spirited residential worker — “Auntie Ray” — that brought her the first taste of kindness and stability.

 

“She was  my bright, shining star,” said Whitbread, referencing the title of her new illustrated children’s book, My Bright Shining Star, which she wrote to help schools and families better understand the experiences of children in care. “She taught me that by helping others, I could help myself.”

Whitbread spoke candidly about the systemic failures in the care system, from ineffective foster placements to a lack of continuity and emotional support. Yet her message was ultimately one of hope, rooted in her belief that with the right investment and understanding, children in care can thrive.

“Not all of the children I grew up with are still here,” she said. “Some took their own lives. Others repeated the same traumatic cycles. But I was one of the lucky ones. Sport saved me.”

She recounted the moment she saw Mary Peters win Olympic gold and decided that she too could dream big. From there, she began her journey in athletics, eventually earning an Olympic bronze and a World Championship title in javelin.

Whitbread also used her speech to promote Fatima’s UK Campaign, which is advocating for urgent care reform, including:

• A National Register for foster carers
• Early intervention and prevention programmes
• Extending care support to age 25
• Community-based youth leadership and mentoring schemes
  

“We need to give children in care what we’d want for our own children,” she urged. “That means strong role models, real opportunity, and long-term support.”

Her final call to action was a poignant reminder of what’s at stake: “You wouldn’t expect your own child to live independently at 18. Why should we expect it of the most vulnerable? These children are our future. Let’s invest in them properly.”

The audience responded with a standing ovation, affirming Whitbread’s enduring legacy not only as an athlete, but as one of the country’s most powerful voices for children’s welfare.

During her response to Whitbread’s speech, Bal Dhanoa MBE, Founder and CEO of Progress, reflected on the transformative strides made in the twenty-first century in the care sector. Stressing the power of collective effort, Bal noted, “It’s people like you who have changed the narrative.” She highlighted the role of collaboration in driving progress and fostering a more inclusive future.