The Project That Tested Everything We Believed In…
It began with a bold idea, a lot of resistance, and a team determined to make it work.
As Progress celebrates 25 years of delivering quality care and outcomes, it’s only fitting that we spotlight some of the most transformative projects in our journey, especially those that have redefined what support can look like during times of crisis and complexity.
In a recent conversation with our Managing Director, Claire Rogers, and Founder and CEO, Bal Dhanoa MBE, were asked which of our services they each felt was the most challenging to set up. Take a guess. Today, that service has grown into a truly unique offering; it is now a pillar of innovation, resilience, and hope.
Bridging the Gap with Courage and Conviction
When asked which project had been the toughest to bring to life, both Claire and Bal responded without hesitation. Stourbridge House.
The concept behind our short break services was bold: to create a safe and supportive space for families of children with complex needs when they were approaching breaking point. But turning that vision into reality meant navigating a labyrinth of regulatory frameworks and challenging long-held assumptions about how such services should operate.
“There was a rub with the way the regulator regulates and the way they want services to be set up,” Claire explained. “I had to present an academic paper to justify our approach. It couldn’t just be about what we believed, it had to be backed with evidence.”
Yet belief was at the heart of it. Progress believed in its model and the difference it could make. That conviction paid off. Today, Stourbridge House delivers exactly what it set out to: a calm, stabilising refuge during times of crisis. It is a place where families and professionals can pause, regroup, and make thoughtful decisions, avoiding unnecessary breakdowns in care.
Equally powerful has been the impact of our wider Short Breaks provision. For families raising children with complex needs, the journey can be isolating and exhausting. Short Breaks offer vital respite, helping families stay together and thrive over the long term.
“We know that without that support, some of those families would have broken down,” Bal reflected. “Parents used to sit in my office in tears, saying they couldn’t cope anymore. Creating a service that could change that reality, even for one family, was reason enough.”
“But we’ve done that tenfold,” Claire added.
At the core of these services are our people. A shining example is Kim, the manager at Stourbridge House. Her journey began as a volunteer, and her entire career has grown within Progress.
“She came to us straight from school,” Claire recalled. “She has such a passion for mentoring the next generation of carers. Her dedication has built a team that truly embodies the Progress vision.”
This culture of nurturing talent and fostering leadership continues to drive our services forward, ensuring compassion, excellence, and sustainability.
A Legacy of Excellence
Stourbridge House, The Bridge, and our Short Breaks services are now recognised for their outstanding contributions — not just by the families and communities they support, but by regulators and partners as well. Stourbridge House has been rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, while The Bridge holds an ‘Outstanding’ rating in leadership — testaments to the years of dedication, heart, and perseverance by the entire Progress team.
As we mark our 25th anniversary, we do so with immense pride in what we’ve built, and deep gratitude to every family, young person, and team member who continues to shape the Progress story.