Steve Harris

After beginning his working life at the Ministry of Defence, Steve realised he needed a more fulfilling career path.

Voluntary work with people with learning disabilities led to employment in a care and support role in a local authority children’s respite service. He then took up managerial roles in various residential care and supported living services in the local authority and voluntary sectors.

An understanding that housing was a vital element in ensuring good quality social care led to housing and support development roles, co-coordinating policy and improving joint working between local authority commissioning and housing association provision. He was then involved in developing and implementing the Supporting People programme for Leeds City Council before taking a role in social care commissioning.

Steve worked with Housing Options, a charitable national membership organisation providing housing and social care advice to families local authorities and professionals, developing innovative housing solutions, taking on consultancy projects and working with government departments on national policy development. He was involved in developing Housing Options into the Housing and Support Alliance and then Learning Disability England. Steve joined the team in 2016.