Starting Socialheads: A founder's story

Before starting Socialheads I worked on digital projects within the charity sector, including at Barnardo’s. That experience showed me how social care teams operate under pressure — managing risk, safeguarding, and complex communication needs — often with tools that don’t fit the work.

When that role ended, I made a decision not to return to commercial tech. Instead, I used what I’d learned to explore how technology could actually help frontline practitioners.

I spent months talking with social workers, care leavers, and digital leads to understand the gaps. This groundwork led to acceptance into GoodTech, supported by Catch22 and Social Tech Trust, where the early Socialheads concept was tested and refined.

“I didn’t want to build something for workers. I wanted to build something with them.”

Rather than rushing to code, I focused on research, brand, and co-design — ensuring young people and practitioners shaped the tone, design, and function of the product. Even the visual identity was tested to appeal across age ranges and roles.

Socialheads didn’t start from a commercial pitch deck. It started from listening — and a belief that safe, human digital communication is essential infrastructure for the future of social care.