Welcoming Stuart Stokes as Head of Care

We’re excited to share that Stuart Stokes has joined Progress Lives as our new Head of Care. Stuart will lead our residential children’s service into its next phase of growth, development, and innovation.

This follows the acquisition of Progress Lives by HLTH Care—marking a significant and exciting milestone in our journey. This move has been months in the making, and it reflects a clear, long-term commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people in care.

Stuart brings over 25 years of experience across social care, education, and support services. He has founded and led a specialist education and training provider, including an independent school tailored to the needs of children in residential care. More recently, he launched a service focused on keeping young people safely supported in the community—avoiding unnecessary hospital or residential placements.

Throughout his career, Stuart has worked closely with local authorities, ICBs and partner organisations. He has a strong track record of leading services, empowering teams, and driving meaningful change for the children and families they support. His values and leadership style align closely with our mission here at Progress Lives.

Alongside his role with us, Stuart will also be part of HLTH Group’s Senior Leadership Team, contributing to strategy and development across the broader organisation.

Reflecting on his appointment, Stuart shared:

“I’m really excited to be joining the team and contributing to the important work already underway. I look forward to collaborating with colleagues and partners to build on success and explore new ways to support the young people, organisations, and communities we serve.”

We are delighted to welcome Stuart to Progress Lives, and we look forward to the positive impact his leadership will bring for our team and the children in our care.