I'm Paul Skinner — Director of Heart Synergy and a practising Responsible Individual in children's residential care.

I've spent 28 years working at every level of this sector. I've been a Registered Manager, an RI across multiple homes simultaneously, a school owner, and an advisor to Local Authorities on commissioning and placement. I've personally opened over 20 children's homes — registered from scratch, taken through first inspections, and run through the full cycle of challenge and improvement that this work demands.

I'm not an academic who has studied the sector from a distance. I still work in it. I receive, on average, three agency calls a week — and I've seen first-hand what separates the providers who get it right from those who don't.

Through Heart Synergy Care, I publish practical guidance for Registered Managers, aspiring RIs, and new providers — written in plain English, grounded in real experience, and built for people who are serious about doing this work well.

If you're thinking about the next step in your care career, or navigating the complexity of opening or running a children's home, you're in the right place.