Charlotte Rainbow
Humphrey Perkins gave Charlotte the confidence to lead — now she heads a Supported Employment Service, breaking down barriers for people with learning disabilities and autism.Charlotte’s time at Humphrey Perkins helped shape her confidence and sense of purpose. Her favourite subjects — Health and Social Care, English, and Humanities — influenced her career path, which has included teaching English abroad and now leading a service that supports people with learning disabilities and autism into paid work.
“I was part of the first group who became peer mentors,” Charlotte recalls. “We worked with Childline, delivered anti-bullying plays, and supported new Year 7 students. Being part of this group gave me responsibility, purpose, and confidence.” The programme even won a Governors’ Award.
Charlotte studied Health and Social Care at Lincoln University and completed a teaching internship in Thailand. She spent five years teaching English as a foreign language, travelling to over 60 countries. Returning to the UK, Charlotte worked at Homefield College, teaching PSHE and sex education, and later managing work experience programmes.
Charlotte then moved into adult social care at Leicester City Council, working on safeguarding and learning disability teams. She launched The Reach, a project supporting young people involved in the youth justice system to re-engage with education and community activities. Later, she joined Warwickshire County Council, where she now leads the Supported Employment Service, helping people with learning disabilities and autism gain and sustain paid work.
Her role includes working with employers to implement reasonable adjustments, delivering training, and creating accessible recruitment processes. Charlotte also oversees safeguarding and writes funding bids to expand employment pathways.
Looking ahead, Charlotte is designing a £2.8 million programme called Connect to Work, which will support 700 people facing barriers to employment, including neurodiverse individuals, survivors of domestic violence, and parents returning to work.
Charlotte’s experiences at Humphrey Perkins didn’t just shape her school years—they inspired a lifelong commitment to inclusion and opportunity.
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