“If you’re a Senior Support Worker looking to further your career, I would say go for it.”

I’ve been the Deputy Manager of a registered care home since 2021. I was a Senior Support Worker for four years but the pressure of Covid at the time required a Deputy Manager role in the service.

I began my career as a Support Worker and have always been curious, inquisitive, and willing to learn new things beyond my current role’s duties. It has enabled me to be prepared for new challenges and to take on opportunities. It’s been great for stepping up into more senior positions.

The transition from Senior Support Worker to Deputy Manager was very smooth for me. I didn’t have any concerns. I felt prepared. I got a lot of support from my Service Manager who was always willing to share things with me, even before my promotion. He’s really supported me with this change.

As a Deputy, I have more leadership tasks to do so my hands-on hours with the people we support has reduced slightly. I had to learn about budgets and finance but the position pushes you to learn and you adapt.

I would absolutely recommend progressing in your support career. Being a Deputy Manager is like being a bridge between staff and management – you get to see the bigger picture and see things from the other side. It’s a fantastic opportunity and a great stepping stone.

If you’re a Senior Support Worker looking to further your career, I would say go for it. You have absolutely nothing to lose. You can only develop as a person. We have a training department who will equip you with good skills, and with a good Service Manager, you’ll be well supported.

It’s a good idea to gain experience by getting more involved in supervisions, team meetings, and speaking with external agencies who work with the people we support. Be transparent in your actions and demonstrate best practice on the floor with clients. Being a good role model contributes to building a good culture in the service.

For me, the most challenging part of this role is having difficult conversations with staff, particularly in conflict resolution situations. Managing people is something you have to get comfortable with. I’ve learnt to be assertive and I use and develop my communication, interpersonal, and organisational skills every day.

I believe that people need to feel part of decisions and we value our team and their contributions. I’ve found that people are more likely to adopt new ideas if it comes from them.

I think it’s important that as a team we are proactive. We want our team and the service to be prepared for Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections and we work with the mindset that the CQC is our partner that offers us extra support.

Our team has done a fantastic job supporting the people we work with – hand-in-hand with Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) guidance. We are lucky – we have a fantastic team of Support Workers and a good management team here.

The best thing about being a Deputy Manager is being able to make a difference by taking decisions. I’m not afraid of challenges and I’m always trying to find a new approach to things. Having more autonomy and being able to plan and execute ideas can have a positive impact for everyone.