Show your caring side, just like Holly
There are now 1.58 million adult social care jobs in england and this figure is set to rise by 700,000 by 2030, says the industry body Skills for Care.
Social care offers rewarding opportunities, but in a sector where 24 pc of the workforce is on zero-hours contracts and many on minimum wages, 340,000 social care employees leave their jobs annually.
It need not be like this, says holly heslop, housing and care manager at Meadowfields, a housing scheme run by not-for-profit housing association housing & Care 21, in Thirsk, North Yorks.
holly says: ‘I started working in care after leaving school. It has given me great opportunities to progress, and I’ve worked my way up from a carer to manage a team of 24, by age 27.
‘Caring is more than just a job. everyone we look after is someone’s mum, dad, sibling or best friend, and I always try to instil that in my team.
‘When the family’s not around we’re the ones providing care, conversation and a friendly face in difficult circumstances. Of course, sometimes it can be emotional or challenging.
‘here we often care for people at the end of their lives, trying to make their final days as comfortable as possible. That can be difficult, but you leave work knowing you have made a real difference. There are not many jobs where you can say that.’
Tony Tench, chief operations officer at housing & Care 21, says: ‘With an increasingly ageing population, it’s vital we recruit and retain staff with the right skill sets, so we have introduced higher than the National Living Wage salaries and guaranteed working hours for all care staff.
‘The common focus on the sector’s problems obscures the advantages of the work itself.
‘When employers ensure good working conditions and opportunities, a career in care can provide the right individuals with a fulfilling role where they can make a difference.’ See skillsforcare.org.uk and housingandcare21.co.uk/careers.