Jemima Taylor has joined Horizon Care & Education as its new chief operating officer.

Taylor joins the specialist children’s services provider from Lifeways where she was group director of development and communication.

Her role will entail working with the managing directors of Horizon’s three divisions – residential, education and transitional – as well as with the company’s clinical director.

Commenting on her new job, Taylor said: “My passion centres on ensuring, as a business, we develop services which centred on each individual we support and that our staff are recruited, trained and inspired to ensure we deliver innovative, high quality support at all times.”

Backed by private equity firm Stage Capital, Horizon runs 40 residential homes and six special needs schools, and supports over 200 young people in its transitional care services.