
17EGALITÉ |
BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE 2019
for Care. We willingly share our
knowledge with other providers, and
last year we won the local business
award for training and development.
This year we were finalists in the
National Learning Disability Awards,
won the Southern Business Awards
also for training and development,
and won the regional Great British
Care Award for frontline leadership.
This is great recognition for a smaller
company like ours. We have featured
in a number of broadcasts, including a
BBC documentary and radio interviews
highlighting the challenges in our
sector, as well as celebrating the
creative, compassionate and caring
work our team undertakes every day.
Life is for living
In addition to the day-to-day care we
provide, I feel we need to engender
a sense of fun and enjoyment of life.
We organise a number of festivities
throughout the year to socialise,
network and have fun. This includes
our team, our clients, their families and
friends. The highlights are undoubtedly
the fancy-dress Halloween Party and
the Christmas Party but there are
many other excuses to celebrate,
including this year’s summer party
which included circus acts and skill
workshops. A local vineyard kindly
provides the venue for these events,
which are always well attended.
Holidays also form part of the support
we provide and, like the parties, these
are heavily subsidised as I want to
ensure they take place. We travel to
France or look around Britain for great
holiday destinations.
We cannot ignore the financial
challenges we have had to face. The
local authority and NHS cuts to funding
have had significant impact and
continue to present difficulties when
it comes to recruitment, as staff are
often tempted away by higher wages
in other care or non-care settings.
For learning disability services in West
Sussex the rates have been capped and
this impacts heavily on our funding and
pay awards. We are constantly looking
at creative ways to recruit carers as
those who join us usually stay, but
we need them to join us in the first
instance. We have a strong, supportive
culture as the work can be difficult,
and we deal with complex health and
emotional care needs, often either
working alone or in very small teams.
This can be emotionally and physically
exhausting and as a sector we can
frequently feel undervalued. To help
show our appreciation we continuously
look for extra added value in addition
to the rates of pay. Many of our team
have received local, and more recently
national, care accolades in recognition
of their dedication and commitment.
Looking forward, we need robust,
affordable social care provision,
supporting the most vulnerable in our
society. I am determined to ensure
that we continue to highlight and
reward the amazing dedication and
commitment of our care team. They
work wonders, helping to transform
lives and create secure, happy
and positive opportunities for our
youngadults.
As a sector we
can frequently
feel
undervalued
“
“
Sharing life with your
best friend