FEATURE
Principle – Moonrise founder and managing director Jessica Gwaringa says care is all about relationships.
TAKING CARE
How Moonrise is reaping the rewards of placing people at the centre of everything it does
Culture – Moonrise emphasises open communication, peer support and celebrating achievements.
Across the UK, the care and support sector is experiencing a period of significant change. Demand is continuing to grow as people are living longer, needs are becoming more complex and there is a greater emphasis on supporting individuals in their own homes and communities. For areas such as Teesside, where families rely on highquality domiciliary care, supported living and specialist residential services, the conversation is no longer just about growth – it’ s about sustainability.
Behind every service is a workforce. And while the need for care has never been clearer, attracting and retaining the right people remains one of the care sector’ s biggest challenges.
An ageing population, combined with advances in healthcare, means more people are living with long-term conditions, neurodivergent profiles and complex psychosocial needs.
At the same time, there has been a welcome shift away from institutional models towards more personalised, community-based support. Families rightly expect care that promotes independence, dignity and choice for their loved ones.
However, as demand increases, providers across the UK are navigating ongoing workforce pressures. Vacancy rates, high turnover and the emotional demands placed on frontline staff can create instability within services.
For individuals receiving support, particularly those with complex needs, consistency matters. Familiar faces, trusted relationships and stable routines form the foundation of effective, person-centred care.
Jessica Gwaringa, founder and managing director of Moonrise, believes the conversation needs to move beyond recruitment targets alone.
“ Care is about relationships,” she says.“ If we focus purely on filling shifts, we miss the bigger picture. The real investment has to be in the people delivering the care and support – their confidence, their development and their wellbeing.”
The reasons people leave the sector are well documented. Limited progression opportunities, inconsistent access to training and a lack of professional recognition can all contribute.
Care work carries significant responsibility, yet it hasn’ t always been recognised as the skilled profession it truly is. Added to that are the emotional realities of the role – supporting individuals through trauma, behavioural challenges or significant life transitions – which require resilience and strong support systems.
46 | Tees Business