Esther Sample Appointed Director of Home-Start London

Home-Start London is delighted to announce the appointment of Esther Sample as Director, effective from 8th September 2025.

Esther joins us from One Small Thing, where she was Head of Policy, Research and Influencing. In this role, she has led pioneering work to drive systemic change and improve outcomes for women in the criminal justice system and their children. She brings extensive expertise in policy, strategy, and advocacy, together with a deep commitment to supporting families facing challenging circumstances.

Her career reflects a consistent focus on tackling inequality and creating lasting change. Esther has served as Research Lead at the Young Women’s Trust, as a Trustee for Agenda Alliance, and helped establish and manage a housing scheme for women and families fleeing abuse at Safer London – a project that went on to win a London Homelessness Awards in 2018.

A Churchill Fellow, Esther has researched international models of support for women experiencing homelessness in Canada, Finland, and Sweden, and has been a national advocate for improved housing and homelessness services for women. She has also held roles at St Mungo’s,  Homeless Link and Drug Scope, alongside earlier frontline support roles.

Speaking about her new role, Esther said:

“I am excited and honoured to be joining Home-Start London as Director. The work the Home-Start network in London does is absolutely crucial, giving parents and children support in a practical and flexible way, exactly when they need it. Too often I have seen missed opportunities for support throughout people’s lives – early motherhood in particular can be a time of isolation. I believe that timely, compassionate and community-led support can prevent a wide range of future challenges and has genuine long-lasting impact. This support should be available to all those in London who need it, and I am looking forward to working with the Home-Start network to support even more children and families.”

Esther lives in Tottenham with her partner and young daughter. She is also a Board member of Studio 306 Collective, a local arts and mental health community interest company.

We are thrilled to welcome Esther to Home-Start London. With her wealth of energy, insight, and passion, we are excited about the next chapter of our work under her leadership.

To connect with Esther about partnership opportunities in London, click here.