Erica Lockhart Honoured with MBE for Services to Social Care
Erica Lockhart, Chair of the South East Social Care Alliance (SESCA), has been awarded an MBE in the King’s New Year Honours List 2025 for her outstanding contributions to the social care sector.
Reflecting on the recognition, Erica said:
“I am extremely honoured to receive this award. It has been a privilege to have operated in so many different fields within social care during my 50 years in the sector as well as interacting with countless dedicated individuals committed to making a difference to people’s lives. As Chair of South East Social Care Alliance I would like to pay tribute to the local Care Associations who work so hard to support their social care providers and their teams who devote themselves to care and support for people in our communities.”
SESCA congratulated Erica, stating:
“This is a very well-deserved recognition for many years of dedication, support, and inspiration for the sector.”
Erica has inspired countless individuals over her career in social care, leaving a permanent mark on the Care Sector and beyond. She transitioned from qualified Social Worker to several years in senior management in Surrey County Council to CEO of Surrey Care Association (SCA), retiring in 2021.
Under her leadership, SCA prospered into a thriving organisation over her 16 year tenure, notably establishing the Surrey Care Awards, recognising care workers’ achievements which has now been replicated by many other associations. As well as negotiating with local authorities in Surrey and Sussex to establish a major workforce and business development conference, which became a key event in the Social Care calendar.
Erica recognised the necessity for national representation for Care Associations which led to her co-founding the Care Association Alliance (CAA) in 2010. The CAA became a vital platform uniting Care Associations nationwide and amplifying providers’ voices in pivotal dialogues with government, regulators, and workforce bodies driving positive, national change.
Erica then went on to establish SESCA in 2020, uniting nine Care Associations to ensure a strong regional voice for Social Care, leading projects to enhance workforce capacity and developing a model for regional coordination and innovation.
