11 August 2025

Progress is vital for our sector

Mandy, a team manager, explains how Progress has helped her lead with more clarity, confidence and care.

When I was nominated to join Progress by senior leaders in Southampton Council, I saw it as an opportunity to pause, reflect and grow. I’ve managed different teams over the years, but I knew there was more to explore in how I lead and support others.

Progress started with a residential, which really stood out. Spending time in person with peers from across the country gave us a chance to connect properly before the online sessions began. That early relationship-building meant we could get straight into meaningful conversations later on, without needing to break the ice each time.

For me, one of the biggest takeaways has been the importance of adapting my leadership style. Every person and team is different and Progress has helped me become more thoughtful and responsive in how I support others. I’ve learned to step back more—to ask better questions, give others space to lead and trust their ideas. It’s made me reflect on how things like social dynamics and even external pressures can influence how decisions are made and received.

In my role within the MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) team, the pace is constant. Progress has helped me move from managing the chaos to leading through it—encouraging reflection, creating space for honest conversations and helping the team learn from both successes and setbacks.

What’s also been invaluable is hearing from others on the programme. We all work in different areas, but the challenges we face are often very similar. Having that national perspective—and building a network of colleagues I can connect with—has been a huge benefit. It’s reminded me that leadership doesn’t have to be lonely.

Progress is vital for our sector. It gives leaders space to grow, reflect and raise the standard across children’s services. Most importantly, it keeps the child at the centre of everything. Whether I’m working in Southampton or someone else is in a different part of the country, our shared goal is the same: to make the best possible decisions for children and to support our teams to do that well.

Progress has helped me lead with more clarity, confidence and care. I’d recommend it to any manager who wants to take that next step.