Stockdales is a valued Partner Charity we have worked with over the past five years to deliver four important projects. We asked their chief executive, Emma Morris to give us an insight into the challenges she faces in leading this wonderful charity and making a real difference to the lives of the people with learning disabilities and their families. Most of us don’t get the opportunity to experience what is happening behind the public face of such a charity but Emma has shared with us the reality of life at Stockdales and what she has to address and deal with almost daily.
Take a moment to read Emma’s thoughts on what it really takes to lead a charity like Stockdales in today’s challenging climate. Emma writes ………
Autumn always feels like a time for taking stock. The air sharpens, the pace quickens, and those of us in the charity world start scanning the horizon for what the next Budget might mean. For people with disabilities and their families, the stakes are high and for those of us leading organisations that walk alongside them, the responsibility feels heavier than ever.
…. and the reality behind the headlines?
The national conversation might move on but for many families we support, the cost of living crisis never really went away. The bills are still high, the care hours too few, and the waiting lists too long.
We hear it every week: parents worried about losing the support they fought for; young people anxious about what changes to benefits could mean; carers stretched to breaking point. These are not isolated stories. They are the quiet rhythm of people’s lives.
Our role is to meet that reality with care and competence. To help families hold steady while policy and funding tides shift around them. To keep reminding those in power that real lives sit behind every line of every report.
Why is Social Care still waiting its turn?
We’ve been promised reform before and still the system creaks under the strain. Local authorities are doing what they can but years of underfunding have left little room for manoeuvre. The workforce crisis continues; recruitment is tough, retention tougher and the people who stay do so out of commitment, not convenience.
Charities like ours step in to bridge the gaps, but we cannot and should not be the safety net for a system that needs proper investment. We bring innovation, humanity, and trust but that must complement, not replace, strong public provision. Social care deserves more than patchwork solutions.
What are the challenges for me?
Leading Stockdales in these times means holding balance between realism and hope, frustration and patience, structure and spirit. I often think leadership in our sector is less about grand strategy and more about quiet steadiness.
My team look to me not for certainty, none of us has that, but for direction and care. Together, we try to stay anchored; making sense of the noise, focusing on what matters and looking after one another as we go.
One of the great privileges of this role is seeing what people are capable of when they feel supported. Our team’s energy, compassion and creativity carry us through. They notice things others miss, they solve problems no one else will touch, and they bring light into some of life’s darker corners.
That’s what leadership really is creating the conditions where good people can do great work.
How will Government support have an impact?
We constantly focus on whether social care and disability support will get the attention they deserve. What I hope for and, what I’ll keep calling for, is investment that looks beyond the short term.
A well funded care system doesn’t just support individuals; it strengthens communities, families, and futures. Every pound spent wisely in social care saves ten more elsewhere in crisis prevention, in health and in opportunity. It’s not charity; it’s common sense.
We need steady hands and shared purpose
So, we keep going with steady hands, clear eyes and shared purpose. We keep listening, adapting, and holding fast to what we know works; compassion, professionalism and human connection.
When I look across Stockdales, I see people who refuse to give up on doing the right thing not because it’s easy but because it matters. That, to me, is leadership at its best: collective, grounded, and quietly determined to make life better.
This truly shines a light on the uncertainties and challenges of leading such a vital and successful charity. We’ve seen first hand how invaluable Stockdales’ services are to the families they support and we have no doubt that Emma and her dedicated team will continue to make a meaningful difference for years to come; steering the ship with expertise, compassion, and unwavering commitment. We will be there to support Emma and her team.