As we close the door on an incredibly dynamic and eye-opening year, I am officially stepping back from daily operations for the holiday season to recharge and reflect. Before I do, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to every professional, partner, and care-experienced individual who has engaged with Looked After Child Limited this year.
2023 has been a year of unprecedented growth, operational maturity, and profound impact. The milestones we have achieved—both as an organization and for myself as a Founder—have laid a formidable foundation for the future.
Here is a look back at what we accomplished together, and where we are heading next.
Table Of Contents
🏢 2023 Company Milestones
This year, we significantly expanded our reach and solidified our infrastructure to better serve the UK care sector:
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Digital Safeguarding & Content Auditing: We successfully audited and processed over 130 foundational lived-experience documents and chronologies. (As part of our updated safeguarding policy, these highly sensitive insights are now being securely migrated to The Lived Experience Vault to protect vulnerable youth while continuing to train professionals).
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Platform Growth: Our community impact surged. Since January, we have facilitated over 3,900 website sessions and 6,300 page views, connecting professionals and care leavers with vital resources. Our organic search presence also hit a new milestone, consistently driving targeted traffic to our educational materials.
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Brand Evolution & Accessibility: We executed a comprehensive rebrand of Looked After Child Limited, which was received exceptionally well across the sector. Alongside this, we launched a suite of new accessibility features to ensure our platform is inclusive and usable for all diverse audiences.
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Sector Engagement: We expanded our keynote speaking and event facilitation, hosting our own successful initiatives and being invited to consult at key industry events.
🚀 Founder’s Reflections: Sustainable Leadership
You cannot pour from an empty cup, and leading an organization rooted in lived experience requires rigorous personal boundaries and sustainable leadership. On a professional and personal level, 2023 was a year of massive growth:
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Frontline Career Advancement: In January, I stepped into advanced frontline management roles within my day job, further sharpening my operational expertise and deeply informing the training models we build here at Looked After Child Limited.
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Prioritizing Resilience: After facing the brink of professional burnout, I made the proactive decision to reinvest in my own well-being and mental health support. Acknowledging when you need to step back is a cornerstone of sustainable leadership, and it has allowed me to return to this mission with renewed clarity and ambition.
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Expanding Horizons: I successfully challenged personal boundaries this year, overcoming a lifelong fear of flying to travel internationally to Japan and the Netherlands—a testament to the fact that we can always push past the limits we set for ourselves.
🔭 Looking Ahead: The 2024 Strategic Roadmap
The momentum we have built this year is just the beginning. As we actively prepare for our long-term transition into a Community Interest Company (CIC) by 2028, here is what is on the horizon for next year:
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Expanding the Knowledge Base: Starting January 1st, we are rolling out a continuous pipeline of new, trauma-informed resources and best-practice guides for social care professionals.
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Scaling Sector Training: We will be aggressively expanding our bespoke training services and continuing to partner with independent agencies and local authorities through speaking engagements.
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Reinvesting in the Mission: Looked After Child Limited is now generating its first streams of independent revenue. In 2024, 100% of this will be reinvested directly into expanding our platform’s infrastructure, enhancing our digital safeguarding, and reaching more vulnerable young people.
Thank you, once again, to everyone who has championed this mission. Your support proves that lived experience, when managed with professionalism and care, can truly transform the sector.
Have a safe, restful holiday season. Let’s make next year even better.
Li Jean-Luc Harris Founder & Director, Looked After Child Limited
Well done and congratulations to you