Looked After Child Limited, a leading voice in the UK care sector, today announces a landmark evolution in its corporate structure and mission. After years of operating as a private limited entity, the organization is commencing a multi-year transition to become a Community Interest Company (CIC).
This is not just a change of paperwork; it is a change of philosophy. It marks a fundamental shift from individual advocacy to institutional permanence, ensuring that the organization’s extensive library of resources is legally secured for the public benefit forever.
Table Of Contents
- 1 The “Asset Lock”: Why This Matters
- 2 The Strategy: One Truth, Three Languages
- 3 The Evolution of the Mission
- 4 The Strategic Roadmap: 2026 – 2028
- 4.1 Phase 1: Mission, Identity & The Audit (Current – June 2026)
- 4.2 Phase 2: The Technical Engine (July 2026 – Oct 2026)
- 4.3 Phase 3: Legal CIC Registration (Nov 2026 – Feb 2027)
- 4.4 Phase 4: The Reveal (March 2027)
- 4.5 Phase 5: Preserving the Heart (April 2027 – June 2027)
- 4.6 Phase 6: Establishing the HQ (July 2027 – Sept 2027)
- 4.7 Phase 7: Service Hub Rollouts (Oct 2027 – Nov 2027)
- 4.8 Phase 8: The Knowledgebase Transition (Dec 2027)
- 4.9 Phase 9: Grand Launch (January 1, 2028)
- 5 A Promise of Continuity
The “Asset Lock”: Why This Matters
Why change from a Limited Company to a CIC? The answer lies in one powerful legal concept: The Asset Lock.
As a private company, resources and intellectual property are owned by shareholders. As a CIC, they are owned by the community. By making this transition, we are legally “locking” our library of over 1,000 clinical guides, lived-experience narratives, and professional tools.
They can never be sold for private profit. They can never be paywalled for shareholders. They are now permanent assets of the UK care sector, held in trust for the professionals, children, and care leavers who rely on them.
The Strategy: One Truth, Three Languages
The care system is often fragmented because different groups speak different languages. A social worker speaks in “risk assessments”; a child speaks in “feelings”; a care leaver speaks in “survival.”
Our new infrastructure will solve this by breaking our single site into Specialized Hubs. We are building a “Universal Translator” for the care system.
How does this work? Take a single story—for example, a “Placement Breakdown.” Under our new model, this single event will be translated into three distinct resources:
- For The Professional Hub: A clinical guide on De-escalating Attachment Trauma during transitions.
- For The Youth Hub: A supportive, reassuring guide titled It’s Not Your Fault: Understanding why moves happen.
- For The Care Leaver Hub: Practical advice on Knowing Your Rights when a housing placement fails.
This ensures that everyone gets the information they need, in the language they understand, without losing the core truth of the lived experience.
The Evolution of the Mission
Li Jean-Luc Harris, Founder, on the Vision Shift:
“For over a decade, my mission was to be a survivor and an advocate—to shout about the problems in the system. But shouting isn’t enough anymore.
My vision has evolved from ‘fighting the system’ to ‘building the architecture.’ Looked After Child Limited was about my story; the new Foundation is about our collective future. I am moving from being a storyteller to being an architect. We are building a structure where a child feels safe, a professional feels equipped, and a care leaver feels empowered. This is no longer just my journey; it is an institution for everyone.”
The Strategic Roadmap: 2026 – 2028
We believe in radical transparency. We are building this foundation in public. Here is exactly how we will achieve this transformation over the next 24 months.
Phase 1: Mission, Identity & The Audit (Current – June 2026)
- The Goal: Establishing the “Cornerstone.”
- The Work: We are currently auditing our library of 1,000+ posts. We are categorizing every single resource to determine if it belongs in the Professional, Youth, or Care Leaver hub.
- The Branding: We are finalizing a new visual identity that represents stability, construction, and safety.
Phase 2: The Technical Engine (July 2026 – Oct 2026)
- The Goal: Building the Infrastructure.
- The Work: We are deploying a complex WordPress Multisite architecture. This involves creating a central “Root” governance site and three sub-directory hubs. We are also configuring a specialized “Mapped Domain” to house the Founder’s personal blog separately from the corporate entity.
Phase 3: Legal CIC Registration (Nov 2026 – Feb 2027)
- The Goal: The Legal Pivot.
- The Work: We will officially file with Companies House to become a Community Interest Company.
- The Impact: This is the moment the Asset Lock is activated, legally binding our resources to the community forever.
Phase 4: The Reveal (March 2027)
- The Goal: Breaking the Silence.
- The Work: We will officially reveal our New Name and New Domain.
- The Impact: For the first time, the public will see the brand that will replace “Looked After Child Limited.” We will publish a virtual tour of the new ecosystem.
Phase 5: Preserving the Heart (April 2027 – June 2027)
- The Goal: Protecting the Founder’s Voice.
- The Work: We will migrate the raw, unedited “Expert by Experience” chronology (stories of addiction, homelessness, and care) to a standalone personal site.
- The Impact: This ensures the main Foundation remains a safe space for children, while the Founder’s raw testimony remains accessible to those who need to understand the gritty reality of care.
Phase 6: Establishing the HQ (July 2027 – Sept 2027)
- The Goal: The Professional “Front Door.”
- The Work: We will launch the “Corporate Root”—the central hub for policy, governance, and system-wide change.
- The Impact: Commissioners and Local Authorities will have a dedicated space to engage with our governance and impact reports.
Phase 7: Service Hub Rollouts (Oct 2027 – Nov 2027)
- The Goal: Deploying the Safe Zones.
- The Work: The launch of the dedicated Youth and Care Leaver zones.
- The Impact: Content in these hubs will be rewritten to be age-appropriate, removing jargon and focusing on rights, support, and hope.
Phase 8: The Knowledgebase Transition (Dec 2027)
- The Goal: The Final Migration.
- The Work: The massive migration of our clinical and professional training library. At this stage, we will cease adding new content to the old
lookedafterchild.comsite. - The Impact: Professionals will find a streamlined, searchable database of clinical guides without having to sift through general news.
Phase 9: Grand Launch (January 1, 2028)
- The Goal: The Switchover.
- The Work: We will implement a full “Wildcard Redirect.”
- The Impact: Looked After Child Limited will fully integrate into the new Foundation. Every old link will automatically point to its new, permanent home.
A Promise of Continuity
Until January 2028, Looked After Child Limited remains your fully operational home for resources. You do not need to change bookmarks or logins yet. We are simply inviting you to watch as we pour the concrete for a permanent future.
The evolution has begun.
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