As we stand at the start of 2024, I wanted to share some reflections and unveil our St Christopher’s Fellowship roadmap that will not only navigate us through tough times in the sector, but secure our future success is supporting children and young people.

We are no strangers to challenges. They come, they test us, and with resilience and innovation, we emerge stronger than ever. We have already been doing this for 153 years and this year is no exception. We find ourselves at a pivotal moment, which provides a clear focus and an opportunity to redefine our onward journey.

I am delighted to introduce our new five-year strategy. It’s not just a plan; it’s a promise to steer our ship through stormy seas and set a course towards growth. This strategy is about evolving and emerging with newfound strength and unwavering determination.

So, what’s in the recipe for success?

Firstly, it’s about recognising our strengths and building upon them. We have an organisation made up of exceptional teams who bring their A-game every day. Together, we can be an unstoppable force, and we must harness that collective power.

Secondly, our expertise. We must leverage what we know, embracing continuous learning, and stay ahead of the curve in our ever-evolving industry.  This is particularly relevant for our innovative and exciting practice across the London Accommodation Pathfinder (LAP), Fostering, Supported Accommodation and Edge of Care work – areas in which we anticipate we will continue to grow and develop.

And pushing the boundaries of best practices. We don’t just want to be good; we want to help define what good looks like – to encourage our sector colleagues to raise their game.

We will soon be able to share our strategic plan in more detail.  You will see a well-thought-out and diligently created road map that remains child-centred, values driven and builds on our organisational strengths.  It is a plan based on input from our own staff and the young people that we serve. Their voices have been baked into our onward approach.

We face the future head-on, with optimism, innovation, and a steadfast spirit. St Christopher’s Fellowship is not just an organisation; we create brighter futures for young people in care and have the capacity to bring about truly positive change.

Here’s to a year of challenges conquered and a focussed approach to building the foundations of future success.

Jonathan