ARC Advisory -expert social care consultancyPractical strategic and advisory support for learning disability health and social care organisations

ARC Advisory is a versatile consulting service that helps organisations solve complex challenges, make better decisions and build sustainable services.

Working across social care, health and education settings for individuals with learning disabilities and autistic people, we combine sector expertise, national intelligence, policy insight and practical delivery support to help care and support providers, commissioners and system leaders achieve better outcomes.

With access to the UK's only national dataset of learning disability and autism fee rates, extensive commissioning and parliamentary networks, plus over 50 years of sector heritage through ARC England, we provide independent, evidence-based advice that turns strategy into action.

Our two advisory strands

ARC Strategy

Strategic advice for organisations navigating growth, change and market opportunities.

We support:

  • Provider strategy and business planning
  • Board advisory and governance support
  • Mergers, acquisitions and organisational restructuring
  • Partnership, consortium and alliance development
  • Market analysis and growth opportunities
  • Commissioner and stakeholder engagement
  • Funding and investment readiness

In plain English: We help organisations decide where they are going, how to get there and how to build the right partnerships and structures to succeed.

ARC Practice

Practical support for delivering change, meeting regulatory requirements and improving performance.

We support:

  • Change management and transformation programmes
  • Regulatory readiness and compliance improvement
  • Workforce design and workforce planning
  • Commissioning strategy and market sufficiency reviews
  • Fee-rate analysis and fair-cost modelling
  • Co-production and lived-experience integration
  • Mental Capacity Act (MCA), Deprivation of Liberty (DoLS) and Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) preparedness
  • Policy development and implementation
  • Consultation responses and parliamentary engagement
  • Outcomes measurement and impact evidence

In plain English: We help organisations make change happen, meet requirements, improve services and demonstrate value.

Book your 30 minute health check

If you're facing a strategic, operational or commissioning challenge, we'd be pleased to discuss it.

Book a complimentary 30-minute organisational health check with one of our advisers to explore your priorities, identify opportunities, and understand how ARC Advisory could support your organisation.

You will then be matched with one of our team of consultants who will take you through the next steps towards resolving your challenge.

Email contact.us@arcuk.org.uk or phone 01246 555043

 

Our Consultants

Victoria Buyer

Victoria Buyer

Principal Consultant – Commercial and Data
With over twenty years’ experience, Victoria has operated as a commercially focused strategist across the health, social care, and pharmaceutical sectors, including founding and growing her own consulting practice. Victoria has worked with ARC England since 2020, with an emphasis on rigorous research, scaling impact and effective delivery.

Read more about Victoria Buyer >

Sam Leonard

Samantha Leonard

Samantha Leonard: Principal Consultant – Commissioning and Co-production
Samantha joined ARC England as Director in June 2025. She has worked in social care for her entire career and her experience spans senior operational and strategic management in a range of services, including supported housing, day services and local authority commissioning.

Read more about Samantha Leonard >

Emma Nichols

Emma Nichols

Emma has dedicated 27 years to working in social care, with 20 of those specialising in technology-enabled care (TEC). She’s passionate about improving lives through practical and innovative solutions, combining her knowledge of the adult social care sector with a user-centred approach to technology.

Read more about Emma Nichols

Clive Parry

Clive Parry, ARC England Director

Clive Parry has worked in adult social care for over 30 years, with over 20 years’ experience in third sector leadership positions within the learning disability and autism sector. His values are centred around ensuring that all supported people can thrive within their communities and live their best possible lives, enabled by high-quality person-centred care.

Read more about Clive Parry

David Cundy

David Cundy

David’s focus is on developing and delivering impactful programmes, developing meaningful and challenging organisational strategy, implementing tangible EDI approaches and leading change management and business process redesign to deliver service improvement.

Read more about David Cundy >

Why ARC Advisory?

Our advice is grounded in:

  • The UK's only national learning disability and autism fee-rate dataset
  • Deep relationships across commissioning, policy and parliamentary networks
  • Practical operational experience across provider organisations
  • Expertise in regulation, workforce and commissioning reform
  • A 50-year track record supporting the sector through ARC England, the learning disability and autism membership association

We understand both the strategic challenges facing leaders and the operational realities of delivering services.

Who We Work With

We support:

  • Care and support providers
  • Learning disability and autism organisations
  • Commissioners
  • Integrated Care Boards (ICBs)
  • Local authorities
  • Housing and support organisations
  • Boards, trustees and executive teams
  • Strategic partnerships and provider alliances

How We Help

Whether you are:

  • Reviewing your strategy
  • Preparing for growth or acquisition
  • Responding to funding pressures
  • Redesigning your workforce
  • Strengthening governance
  • Reviewing fee rates and commissioning arrangements
  • Preparing for regulatory or legislative change
  • Building partnerships and alliances

ARC Advisory can provide the expertise, evidence and practical support needed to move forward with confidence.

Book your 30 minute health check

If you're facing a strategic, operational or commissioning challenge, we'd be pleased to discuss it.

Book a complimentary 30-minute organisational health check with one of our advisers to explore your priorities, identify opportunities, and understand how ARC Advisory could support your organisation.

You will then be matched with one of our team of consultants who will take you through the next steps towards resolving your challenge.

Get in touch today:
Email contact.us@arcuk.org.uk or phone 01246 555043