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Our Culture

Join Our Caring team

At Silver Birch Care Holdings, we deeply value the commitment, diligence and professionalism of our team – made up of highly skilled and experienced individuals dedicated to caring for and improving the lives of children.

  • Putting Our People First

    It is paramount to us, and the young people we support, that our team members feel valued and well rewarded. Doing right by our staff and their families has always been at the core of everything we do, guided by Kaizen principles of continuous improvement.

  • A Place to Grow and Thrive

    We offer a supportive and inclusive environment where your skills and contributions are truly appreciated, and where opportunities abound to learn, grow and develop your career.

    From comprehensive training and professional development to meaningful projects that make a real difference, a role with us is more than just a job – it is a chance to be part of something genuinely rewarding.

  • Expanding Excellence Nationwide

    As we expand our services across the UK, our accreditations and awards help us attract highly qualified staff who are fully committed to supporting young people and building fulfilling, impactful careers in the social care sector.

Our Awards , Accreditations and Updates

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    The National Children & Young People’s Awards 2024

    We were delighted to win Best Children’s Home Manager (South) at the National CYP Awards 2024 – with Rebekah also being Highly Commended in this category – and The Oaks won Best Children’s Home (South)! We are incredibly proud of our team and would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone involved in making this success possible.

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    The Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard

    We are proud to be the first social care organisation accredited by the Mayor of London as a Good Work Standard (GWS) employer. We also represented the social care sector on the original steering committee in 2018. We were thrilled to be selected for one of the GWS case study films celebrating their 5-year anniversary, showcasing best practices in fair pay, employee wellbeing, skills and progression, and inclusive recruitment.

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    Living Wage Foundation

    We believe that a fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay, and are very proud to be the first 16+ semi-independent provider in the UK to be formally accredited by The Living Wage Foundation. We have pledged to always pay all our staff above the recommended Living Wage rate.

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    The Good Business Charter

    We are proud to be the first social care provider and one of the first 20 organisations to join the Good Business Charter (GBC). The GBC is an accreditation comprising 10 components aimed at raising the bar on business practices for employees, tax, the environment, customers, and suppliers.

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    Supporting Kijana Kwanza in Tanzia

    Kijana Kwanza is a non-profit organisation based in Moshi, Tanzania, supporting orphaned and vulnerable young people through education, vocational training, life skills and safe housing. SBC Holdings partners with the charity to help provide care, opportunities and brighter futures for children and young people in the local community.

Our Benefits

Doing Good, Together

We don’t just care for children -we give back, support communities, and create impact beyond our day jobs

Lifestyle Benefits

Free access to exclusive discounts, wellbeing support via an OnDemand GP, and a 24-hour confidential helpline

Leadership & Career pathways

Clear progression routes, funded qualifications, and leadership development programmes to help you grow your career with us

Long Service Awards

Because loyalty, commitment, and consistency deserve to be recognised

Company Car

For specific roles

Company Bonus

Eligibility for company bonus scheme (Deputy Manager level and above)

Meet The Team

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    Karim Lalani

    Chief Executive

    Karim has over 40 years’ experience of founding and running successful businesses with prudent fiscal management and capitalisation, from start-ups, to retail and healthcare. He strives to help vulnerable groups in society wherever possible. SBCHL is run as a controlled multi-site growth programme to develop high quality education in Peterborough and regionally respected Ofsted regulated children’s care services across the UK.

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    Phil Cass

    Chief Operating Officer

    Phil brings a wealth of experience from across the care sector. Most recently, he served as Managing Director at Homes2Inspire, overseeing 53 children’s homes. His career journey – from Special Needs Teaching Assistant to Residential Care Worker, Team Leader, Senior Home Manager, and Ofsted Social Care Regulatory Inspector – demonstrates both deep sector knowledge, and a genuine commitment to the wellbeing of young people.

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    Mahmood Ladak

    Chief Financial Officer

    Mahmood is an FCCA with over 18 years of international experience across audit, financial reporting, and governance. He has held senior roles within KLSA, BDO, and KPMG, leading complex multi-entity audits and strengthening financial controls across regulated environments. He also brings hands-on executive leadership experience, previously serving as CEO of a multi-campus education network overseeing a team of over 400 people.

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    Alison Blyth-Bishop

    Director of Operations

    Alison brings over two decades of exceptional leadership in residential childcare, having held senior operational roles across Outcomes First Group, Keys Group, Cambian, and local authority services. Her expertise spans quality improvement, strategic partnerships, and regulatory compliance, alongside a strong commitment to achieving outstanding outcomes for children and young people.

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    Tim Gladston

    HR Director

    Tim is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD with over 20 years’ experience leading HR functions across a range of sectors, including social care, education, technology, media, and retail. He has held senior roles at major organisations such as Sony PlayStation, Sainsbury’s, and a global education group, where he led people strategy, transformation, and employee engagement across complex and regulated environments.

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    Shazia Lalani

    Marketing Director

    Shazia has a broad range of B2B and B2C Marketing experience gained from several years of working across companies in professional services and retail. She has a Professional Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and is skilled in digital marketing, end-to-end campaign project management, PR, events, and client relationship management.

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    Ollie Halligan

    Partnerships Director

    With over 15 years of progressive experience in residential care, Ollie has advanced from Support Worker to Registered Manager, earning his NVQ Level 5 qualification in Health and Social Care. His expertise spans placement management roles where he specialised in comprehensive assessments, led successful fee negotiations, and ensured appropriate placement matches.

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    Michelle Robinson

    Assistant Director of Operations

    Michelle has worked in childcare settings for over 13 years, working with children with EBD and Learning Difficulties. Michelle has worked in several positions within residential children’s homes, including assurance. She has a range of qualifications including Level 5 Diploma Leadership and Management, Level 1 DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychology) and Level 4 Train the Trainer.

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    Katy Luckett

    Head of Recruitment

    Katy is a highly experienced recruitment and compliance professional with over 25 years’ experience leading Talent Acquisition teams in regulated sectors. She specialises in building high-performing teams, improving efficiency, and delivering an outstanding candidate experience. An expert in Safer Recruitment, Katy is committed to the highest standards of compliance and safeguarding, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for young people.

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    Abs Latif

    Head of HR & Payroll

    Abs has over 15 years’ experience in developing, recruiting, inducting, training, and leading teams. His expertise spans the entire HR lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding, to talent development and employee engagement. His qualifications include a Degree in Computer Communication and IT, HR Management – Advanced, and GDPR Practitioner.

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    Karen Fowler

    Placements Manager

    Karen has extensive experience within the children and young people’s social care industry. She has in-depth knowledge of safeguarding, and experience with building excellent rapport with young people and Local Authority teams across England. Her qualifications include Level 3 in AET, BA Hon Psychosocial Studies, HE Diploma – Social Work and Community Work, and Level 3 Designated Safeguarding.

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    Ganesh Kandiapillai

    Finance Manager

    Ganesh is a highly qualified Accountant with over 25 years of retail and industry experience. He is skilled in managing the complete accounting cycle of control, planning, budgeting, and reporting of companies. His qualifications include CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting, and BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance.

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    Abigail Brown

    Head of Education - The Beeches Independent School

    Abigail has always been passionate about working with children and wanting to have a positive impact on their lives, which led her to study Education and Psychology at university. She then went straight into teaching and has continuously worked hard ever since, and demonstrated a determination to enrich her pupils’ lives, resulting in her becoming Head of Education.

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    Sarah Porter

    Head Teacher - The Stables Independent School

    Primary-trained and with a background in Early Years, Sarah is trained in Forest Schools and initially established The Stables as a setting for children without a school placement, with the aim of supporting their return to full-time education. She spent three years there before working as a special needs teacher in local schools, returning to The Stables in 2022.

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    Jade Waterman

    Training Manager

    Jade has held various operational and managerial roles across Children’s Homes and Supported Accommodation services. She holds a Level 5 qualification in Leadership and Management (Distinction) and a Level 3 Award in Education and Training. She is also a certified Level 2 Safeguarding Train the Trainer, Fire Marshal Trainer, and Emergency First Aid at Work Trainer.

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    Edwin Maharaj

    Head of Facilities

    Edwin has over 13 years' experience in the social housing sector and retail management. He specialises in setting up new homes, managing maintenance issues, and all aspects relating to health and safety/ compliance. He is a qualified IOSH inspector, and his qualifications include IOSH Managing Safely, NVQ in Customer Services Level 2, and FAA Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work.

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    Dr Kamal Khan

    Head of Project Management

    Kamal has extensive experience in developing and establishing quality management systems, based on a variety of national and international accreditation standards. He was previously an internal auditor and science teacher, and has a Doctorate in Finance, BSc (Hons) Pharmacology, and Masters in Business Administration & Quality Management System.

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    Marie Bliss

    Executive Assistant

    Marie spent 18 years as an EA at Tesco, supporting Government Affairs, Corporate Responsibility, and Group Communications. Alongside her role, she volunteered as a mentor for women in prison and later with SHOUT 24/7. Over the past two years, Marie embraced new challenges, including working with patients on a CAMHS ward, and contributing to The Medical Research Network.

Learn more about how we support staff development and progression

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