What is Social Care? Meet some real social care workers
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Meet some people who are Social Care workers and find out more about their work and backgrounds.
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Hayley Harris - Care Assistant, Residential Home for Older People"I was getting very bored with my previous job, but here every day has something different with the situations you face and the people you're caring for. How you are with residents shapes how they are with you, so you can build good partnerships quite quickly as you give the help they need. "There's all the simple things like helping residents make breakfast, or get washed and dressed. And then a whole variety of other things like doing exercises, helping out with crosswords or organising a game of bingo. They all have tales to tell and we've one old lady who is 98 and never stops telling jokes. I have learned a lot of new skills as well, through training courses for things like lifting and handling, managing diabetes, medication and fire safety. "Don't come into this job if you're impatient with people or have a very weak stomach. But it is very rewarding. I never think ‘Why am I doing this?' like I used to before. I go home thinking I've helped people have a better life today. We're all going to get old; I'd like someone like me to be looking after me if I needed it then." Hayley worked in a café-bar and restaurant for four years after leaving school. Talking to a friend who worked in a care home prompted her to apply for a job as a Care Assistant and she loved the change. She has worked at the Home for three years, has qualified to NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care and is starting on Level 3. As a Relief Senior she occasionally "puts her bossy head on" and leads the team for the shift she is working on. |