Sarah Whiteley – Care Assistant

“When I wasn’t working, I felt less optimistic about the future. Now I feel more optimistic about my personal future and much happier than when I wasn’t working. At the end of the day, I go home feeling really satisfied”

Sarah Whiteley has a job that is both challenging and personally rewarding. She works as a Care Assistant at Epworth Grange, a residential home for the elderly in Bury, Lancashire. Sarah admits that at times her job is hard, particularly if residents become ill or when they die. However, she is sensitive to the needs of the people she looks after and gains a lot of personal satisfaction from helping them with tasks they can no longer do for themselves. She says: “I like being the one who’s been able to give residents some dignity. This sometimes means I have to brush their hair or just generally help them to look good with their make-up or jewellery”. Her job is varied and also includes helping out at social events in the home or accompanying residents to church or other events at local venues.

Clear career goals

Sarah has a mild learning disability but that has not prevented her from working hard at college to achieve qualifications and to make a success of her job. She takes pride in her work and has very clear career goals. She has already achieved a string of qualifications which include a GNVQ in Health and Social Care, an OCR Business Administration qualification and an RSA Typing certificate.

Employment has made a significant difference to Sarah’s life. “I go out a lot more with my friends and I also have much more independence”. Sarah says that work has also been good for her self-esteem.

Employer's story

Managers at Epworth Grange are committed to making their equality and diversity policy more than just words on a page. They want it to make a difference to both their clients and their staff. When Sarah first started to work at the home, fortnightly support sessions were arranged to ensure she received the help and guidance she needed to do her job well.

Following her induction, managers worked with Sarah to create a personal development plan with agreed targets. A Placement Officer from Bury Employment Support and Training (Bury EST) also contributed to Sarah’s development plan and provides ongoing support as required.  Bury EST provides a recruitment and support service for local residents who have a disability.

Fair chance

Beth Adcock, Assistant Manager at Epworth Grange, says that Sarah was not treated any differently from other staff. “She was given a fair chance but that’s how we treat all our staff”. Beth has observed Sarah’s growth in confidence since she started work at the home and is pleased with her progress. She says: “Sarah learns very quickly and she’s really come out of herself since she started working here.”

Managers at Epworth Grange are prepared to give all employees a chance and judge them on performance rather than assumptions of what they can and can’t do. If it becomes apparent that an employee does not have the right skills for the job, they will either be given the necessary support or be advised to use their work experience as a stepping stone to a job which is better suited to their abilities.

The open door policy at the home and the regular support sessions gives both managers and employees the opportunity to raise and resolve any issues that may affect the employee and ensure they have the best possible chance to make the job work for them.

Employee's story

Unemployment doesn’t suit Sarah. She enjoys being busy and not just at work. Since the age of eleven, Sarah has been involved in charity work. After leaving school, she experienced a bout of unemployment and didn’t like it. She says, “I hated being unemployed and got very depressed about not having a job”. Sarah received help from a Disability Employment Adviser at her local Jobcentre Plus who helped her to explore different job options and to find work that suited her personality and interests. He also recommended further study at college. Sarah says that going to college was a good idea because it helped her to grow in confidence. When she eventually applied for a job at Epworth Grange, she felt that she was the right candidate for the vacancy.

Proved herself

Now happily settled in her job, Sarah feels well supported by her managers and appreciates the chance she was given to prove she had the personality and the skills to be a good Care Assistant. She believes that there are other potential employees like her who may have a disability or health condition who would also welcome the chance to work. Her message to employers is simple. She says: “Think about giving people a chance. Give them a working chance to prove themselves”.

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