In the latest of our series of Capacity Conversations, we talked to Lisa Collins, Registered Manager at Juno Wallasey. Juno is one of Capacity’s social enterprise ventures transforming children’s residential care in Liverpool City Region.
In children’s residential care, nothing is as important as the quality of relationships. Lisa Collins, Registered Manager at Juno Wallasey, embodies this philosophy. Since opening its doors in August 2024, Juno Wallasey – Juno’s second home – has earned a “Good” Ofsted rating, proof of the team’s dedication to relational, child-centred care.
In this interview to celebrate National Children’s Day, Lisa shares insights into her journey, the challenges of opening a new home, and the importance of building positive, loving relationships with children who have not always had a say in the decisions made about them.
A passion for relational care
Lisa’s career has come full circle. Trained as a primary school teacher, she later moved into social work and family support, specialising in children’s mental health. Her return to residential care was driven by Juno’s innovative approach. “I was really interested in how Juno were doing things differently,” she explains. “The not-for-profit model, the relational care – it aligned with my values and how I’d always wanted to work.”
Her introduction to Juno came through Sophie Clarke, Juno’s managing director, whose passion for transformative care left a lasting impression. “Sophie spoke at an event during my social work training, and I was blown away by her vision – an organisation breaking the mould, taking the best bits of care and doing it even better.”
Celebrating success and the power of small steps
The “Good” Ofsted rating was a milestone for Juno Wallasey, but for Lisa, the real victory lies in the children’s happiness.
“We’re all very proud with the Ofsted rating. Everyone in the team has put in a huge amount of hard work, so it’s recognition for that, but the most important thing is that our young people are happy. They want to be here, they seek out staff, and they’re making progress at their own pace,” she says.
One young girl’s words stuck with her.
“Before coming into our care, she’d not been looked after before and was very anxious and uncertain. After agreeing to become looked after, she was very much involved in her plan. She later shared that she felt “important and rich” at Juno. “That’s the feedback that means the most,” Lisa reflects.
But success hasn’t come without challenges. Delays in registration were frustrating for the team. “We were raring to go, but we had to keep the team motivated,” Lisa recalls. Creative solutions, like team-building hikes and extended training, bridged the gap. The experience taught her a valuable lesson: “Try not to plan everything. The young people have shaped how the home runs. We had to leave room for their voices.”
Dreaming big – one step at a time
On a recent podcast Sherrie, one of Juno’s Experts by Experience, highlighted the low expectations that can sometimes be placed on children in care. Lisa agrees but emphasises the importance of starting small.
“For young people who’ve never been to a theme park, even that can feel overwhelming. You can’t expect them to dream big if their self-esteem is low.”
She describes a gradual approach: building trust, celebrating small wins, and allowing the children to discover new experiences. “One of our young people had never left the Wirral before. Now, she’s exploring Wales and seeing waterfalls for the first time. But it had to happen at her pace.”
Lisa is careful not to minimise small achievements. “Attending school all week can be as huge as walking up a mountain. By recognising those steps, we help them see bigger possibilities.”
The heart of it all: relationships
The Ofsted report praised the strong relationships at Juno Wallasey, and Lisa sees this as the foundation of everything. “For a young person to trust an adult when they’ve had few positive role models – that’s massive.”
“It’s about showing them a bit of yourself; being non-judgmental; not making decisions about our young people but working with them. You know, it’s not just a job. Everybody in the Juno team is passionate about providing brilliant care for young people.”
She credits the team’s culture for this success. “We listen to our staff as much as the children. Clinical supervision, frequent check-ins, and modelling relational values create an environment where everyone enjoys being part of what we’re trying to achieve.”
Looking ahead
The future for Juno Wallasey is bright. The home is expanding its registration to include care for children with learning disabilities and autism. “We’re skilled in trauma-informed care, and we want to extend that to a wider range of young people,” Lisa explains.
Long-term, she’s pragmatic. “We’d love an ‘Outstanding’ rating, but if we stay ‘Good,’ that’s good enough—as long as the children are happy.”
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We’re back for a second round of Social Climbers, a programme of bespoke support to help the region’s most promising social enterprises to make breakthroughs, grow their reach and deepen their impact. Want to know more? Email ailsa.horne@thisiscapacity.co.uk
