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A Career in Care




Find your dream job with these five care providers in West Berkshire.

Prior's Court
Prior's Court

Career in Care : Make the Impossible Possible With Prior’s Court

Seeking an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a challenging but rewarding job? A career in care at Prior’s Court awaits for those truly wanting to make a difference.

Transform the lives of young people with complex autism, through Prior’s Court’s uniquely developed approach.

Priors Court
Priors Court

Thrive personally from a career choice that allows you to pass on the key skills for a young person to achieve their full potential in life.

Who Are Prior’s Court?

Based near Hermitage, Prior’s Court are a registered charity providing residential care and education for young people aged five to 25 with complex autism.

Their service enables young people to achieve the impossible, helping them to build healthier, happier and more independent futures in which they can access the world of work.

Their offering provides families magic moments together to make the impossible, possible.

As a fully qualified, Autism Practitioner, you can become an integral role model within their support framework; delivering The Prior Approach to learning of consistent physical, intellectual and emotional wellbeing.

Career Opportunities Suitable Whatever Your Experience

With over 500 employees, Prior’s Court offer openings to people of all backgrounds.

From those fresh from college/university, people looking for a complete career shift taking a first step into the care sector, right through to the seasoned care worker seeking a senior specialist role.

Feel Supported Through Comprehensive Benefits Package

Prior's Court equips staff with support from a comprehensive training package to achieve industry qualifications and encourage personal development to become experts in care and in understanding autism.

Meanwhile, recognition incentives, free meals on shift, flexible shift patterns to suit different lifestyles and a beautiful countryside-based working environment, are all included in a comprehensive staff wellbeing package.

Thrive On Making A Difference

Prior’s Court, CEO Mike Robinson OBE: “For Autism Practitioners, it's much more than just a job. They become a crucial role model, helping to transform the lives of the young people.

“Whether you are working with a young person in school, heading out on a community trip or reading a bedtime story - no two days are the same.

“Whatever your circumstances Prior's Court can guide you through your own personal development journey and give you the chance to thrive in your career.”

Recruiting now for a wide range of challenging, yet incredibly rewarding roles working with their young people – Begin your career in care by visiting here today.

Dingley's
Dingley's

Career in Care | Dingley’s Promise to give every child the best start

Could a Career in Care be any more rewarding, than by ensuring every child has the best start in life?

That’s quite literally Dingley’s Promise, operating from Shaw, West Berkshire – delivering life-changing support to children in the early years with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families.

Dingleys
Dingleys

Their incredible work, results in 94 per cent of families feeling less isolated and 92 per cent felt more positive about their child’s future.

‘Above and Beyond’ Support Network

Offering term-time Learn Through Play sessions and Holiday Playschemes for children with a wide range of additional needs, the dedicated team of staff help children to grow as individuals and develop the skills they need to reach their full potential.

One West Berkshire parent said: “Dingley’s Promise provide a safe environment for our son to be himself and learn at a pace that suits him.

“Dingley’s Promise has given us a support network, the staff team goes above and beyond to make the experience positive for both the children that attend, and their families.”

Family Outreach Support

A major aspect to Dingley’s Promise is the outreach support to local families with a child aged 0-5 with SEND.

The Family Support Service offers home visits, walk and talk sessions and one-to-one advice via phone, text, email, Zoom and in person.

They also run information sessions, covering topics such as potty training and sleep, as well as regular Stay and Play sessions for children and families.

Find out how Dingley’s Promise could support your family, please contact the West Berkshire Centre on (01635) 552458 or email admin.westberks@dingley.org.uk

Have You Got Early Years Experience?

Are you looking for a rewarding and fulfilling role? Dingley’s Promise centres are seeking enthusiastic Early Years Practitioners and bank staff.

With plans also to expand their Family Support Service, motivated individuals are encouraged to become a part of Dingley’s Promise.

Learn more about the roles available with Dingley’s Promise

West Berkshire Council
West Berkshire Council

Career in Care | Write The Next Chapter as a Foster Carer

Care, time and a sense of humour are the key qualities required to successfully #WriteTheNextChapter in a young person’s life as a foster carer.

West Berkshire Council’s Family Placement Team are looking to build on their fostering network to offer safe and welcoming homes to teenagers who can no longer live with their birth family.

West Berkshire Council fostering
West Berkshire Council fostering

Whilst fostering usually conjures up images of small children, it’s support for teenagers who require a loving home to see them through their vital years, that West Berkshire Council are most keenly seeking.

Some may have learning difficulties or be seeking asylum from another country. Often individuals have experienced some form of harm or neglect, so depend on the support of a foster carer to help them understand their own story and move forward.

The Qualities Required

If you are compassionate, patient and wish to develop your own skills in communication, teamwork and leadership, then you have all the natural components to make a great foster carer.

Your time and a sense of humour can play an integral role in the journey of a young person during their crucial transition into adulthood.

Fully Supported Sense of Achievement

Barbara, who has been caring for teenagers since 2019, said: “It’s been happy, challenging, fruitful, enjoyable, funny, scary, everything you can think of. I’ve loved every minute of it.

“I have a young person in my care who came to me over three years ago who was a very shy, withdrawn person.

“She is now 18 years old and is loud, funny and full of life and far more open with her affections.

“I have had three social workers now who have been amazing in their support.

“Not only have they supported me in this work, but I feel they have supported me as the individual person that I am.

“I know I can ask anyone on the Family Placement Team if I want some help of advice.”

Register Your Interest

If you feel you have the natural caring instinct and are ready to embrace the rewarding challenge of becoming a foster carer to a young person, visit here today.

Alternatively, get in touch with the Family Placement Team on (01633) 503155 or fostering@westberks.gov.uk to speak to their dedicated recruitment social worker.

Your call may #WriteTheNextChapter for children in care in West Berkshire.

West Berkshire Council
West Berkshire Council

Career in Care | Broaden Your Career Prospects In Adult Social Care

Create your own career path at West Berkshire Council, with roles available now to begin your journey in the Adult Social Care sector.

Build a career around your strengths, progress in areas that you are passionate about, as well as being able to enjoy the flexibility around shift work.

West Berkshire Council career in care
West Berkshire Council career in care

West Berkshire Council has a large Adult Social Care team, with more than 400 staff working across a range of settings including care homes, day centres and people’s own homes.

The service users are adults who require extra support, either after an illness or injury, or due to disabilities including learning difficulties or long-term conditions like dementia or mental illness.

The broad range of advertised roles include carers, social worker, occupational therapists, dementia specialists and care home registered managers, as well as finance and admin staff. All offer wide-ranging routes to progress quickly.

Additionally, the Council offers a Reablement service, supporting people who have had an illness or injury, often with a hospital stay, and who need short-term support to return to doing day-to-day tasks.

Staff Benefits, Training and Flexible Hours

All employees benefit from excellent training and development opportunities, and whilst many usually join with some experience in the care industry, a full training package is available for newcomers.

Full time and part time positions are available across day and night shifts, ideal for those looking to fit work family life.

The Reablement roles particularly suit those who like taking on new challenges and enjoy meeting new people day to day.

Become a Specialist

Those with further experience already under their belt, will find additional opportunities to progress within the team, and pursue specialist positions in the adult social care service.

Become an expert in the needs of residents, whilst West Berkshire Council also provide access to the training to ensure the highest standard of personal development can be attained by staff.

Often care home staff move forward to specialize in areas such as activities and wellbeing, dementia or social work.

Sarah’s Story

Sarah Salisbury, Service Manager within Adult Social Care, overseeing the Council’s Care Homes and Shared Lives programme, said: “When I first started with West Berkshire Council what surprised me was the wide range of roles and specialisms within social care.

“I started out as a support services assistant in homecare, worked up to becoming a co-ordinator and was then supported to build up my skills and knowledge to become CQC registered manager for the Shared Lives Team.

“Most recently I have been looking after the Reablement Team.

“It’s such a rewarding area to work in and there are a lot of opportunities to create your own career path which builds on your strengths and fits with your passions.”

Emma’s Story

Occupational Therapist, Emma Smyth said: “I started out in an administrative role within the team and was thinking of training in Social Work, but after spending some time in a team which included Occupational Therapists, and seeing the impact of the work on the lives of people they were helping, I knew that was the right career for me.

“I was sponsored to attend university where I achieved a first-class honours degree in occupational therapy and now I love the challenges and successes I see in my work every day.”

Begin Your Journey

If you have great interpersonal skills and are empathetic, becoming a care practitioner or dementia practitioner can be a great way to get into adult social care.

Begin your journey by registering an interest today

Choice
Choice

Choice Got Talent - Giving Everyone The Chance to Shine

Celebrating achievement regardless of disability is the aim as Choice Care sprinkles a little stardust at its spectacular annual event.

“Choice Got Talent” is staged by Choice Care, a specialist care provider who offer expertise across a wide range of specialisms including disabilities, autism and mental health conditions.

Choice care
Choice care

The event culminates in a live final, professionally produced in front of a large audience made up of staff, service users and relatives.

The event supports inclusivity and quality - anyone supported by Choice can enter, regardless of their disability or how/what they want to perform.

A Moving Experience

The talents on show are many - singers, dancers (soloists and groups) bands (all non-verbal), rappers and comedians have all been given their chance to shine. Artists have showcased their work, while those too spectacular to perform on stage have been captured on video – like the skillful BMW rider.

Choice supports many with mental health conditions, and the event gives some of those people the opportunity to share their experience in the form of stories or poetry - which is both moving and cathartic.

All the performers receive a medal for taking part as well as two overall winners and four runners up.

The judges -three senior operations staff and a service user – choose the winners taking into account of level of ability, effort needed to perform and level of anxiety.

The event brings a real boost to everyone involved and encourages fellowship across all the Choice Care services regardless of disability - the 30 performances make it a truly magical day.

A Team Effort

Staging “Choice Got Talent” is a collective team effort from the Choice Care staff. They help to organise the event, decorate the venue, hand out snacks, take performers to and from the stage before clearing up afterwards.

Choice staff also support individuals from each specific service helping with choosing the right music, practice sessions, auditions and, crucially, what to wear on the day. The fun doesn’t stop there, as many staff end up on the stage - either as part of the planned performance or to provide support and encouragement if their person is feeling anxious.

Groups of staff and individuals from across the services watch and support at the final.

Morale Boosting

The early stages of the pandemic denied Choice Care the chance to run the event, but in recognition of its importance in boosting morale and reducing social isolation, a hybrid version took place in autumn 2021

Live auditions were held in Choice’s three regions with government guidelines on social distancing followed at all times – the live final took place as usual in a well-ventilated venue with a much-reduced audience of 70, testing for everyone before arrival, and mask wearing implemented. The event was then filmed and shared on Microsoft Teams.

Although not the full experience it was a good compromise for the challenging times. It provided a positive focus for everyone and helped the Choice service users to feel involved in something exciting that could be celebrated together.

Make A Difference

Full time, part time and holiday work is available with Choice Care for those interested in supporting people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health conditions.



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