To want to leave this job after one day

[cassiak]

Would you leave a job after one day even if you had no other job lined up.

Not to out myself but I started a new job yesterday in theraputic care in a children's home which involved me working from 7:30 am, driving over 300 miles to collect a child at 2am the next day from a police station (no one could collect him as they do not drive) witnessing some very agressive behaviour and racism from the child to myself and colleague. Threats of violence towards myself and the police.

This will sound terrible but I was really intimidated. I knew the job would be hard and I have lots of experience working with young people however the situation was surreal. (I also am aware of the trauma the young person faced). I arrived home at ten this morning completed bewildered and wondering what I have done to my life.

Any advice or support would be really appreciated x

[PartyFops]

Can you talk to your manager and colleagues to find out if this is the norm or a one off?

Hope you sort it out.

[iggy155]

I don't think YABU if you really don't think you can cope with the job. As for not having another job lined up as long as you can cope financially until you get another job, I think that's fine.

[KnackeredMuchly]

It does sound like an unusual day, I agree with PartyFops, talk it over with someone.

[cassiak]

I think every child is different but last week a colleague was called the p work, then strangled. I cannot cope financially right now that is the issue iyswim I have just finished uni :(

[Thenapoleonofcrime]

It sounds like the level of support and back-up you would need to handle these very troubled young people just isn't there, and I'm pretty sure the hours you worked were probably illegal.

I agree with everyone- talk to your manager urgently.

I also think if you don't feel trained, you could just leave, staff do get assaulted in their place of work (e.g. NHS, children's homes) and it's frightening and you don't have to put up with it if you don't want to.

Would the paperwork catch up with you if you left? Were you on JSA? (it seems a shame to lose it for one day)

What about working with older people in a care setting -less though not no chance of assault/name-calling.

[cassiak]

No I wasn't on JSA.

I feel weak for wanting to leave straight away but I don't want to feel like I am going to get assaulted.

I don't think care is for me! Thank you for your response.

[AlleyCat11]

It seems unfair that this was your first assignment on this job. It could be a one off / rare, or indicative of what's to come. Overwhelming, nonetheless. Speak with the manager as soon as you can. Sounds like a terrible experience for all involved.

[UncleT]

It doesn't sound like you've have much training and preparation for the role - that's very worrying indeed given the complexity and sensitivity of it. Definitely talk to bosses honestly about this.

[taxi4ballet]

They shouldn't have dumped this on you on your very first day in the job. Shouldn't there really should have been two of you if the child was so agressive?

[Flipflops7]

I would leave. I came onto this thread to trot out my usual line about all new jobs needing three months, but in this case I would not be back the next day.

[NoodleOodle]

You have no experience and they put you in that situation? I would have no faith that they are taking your safety and well-being seriously enough so, unless your manager came through with some training and support, and a debriefing opportunity pretty darn quickly, I think you would be mad to stay.

[Topseyt]

That sounds awful. On your first day and with no training too!!

Leave for the sake of your own safety and mental wellbeing.

Normally I would say that new jobs have a "bedding-in" period, but sometimes you just know right away that something isn't right, and something seems seriously lacking with this employer. You were thrown in at the deep end with no support by the sound of it. That is not on, and may well be how they treat their staff.

[Eelseelseels]

Absolutely leave if you don't think it's either (a) not right for you, and (b) you haven't had appropriate training and are supported.

[MiscellaneousAssortment]

Noodle I agree, no experience and this difficult situation being thrust upon you? Not fair on you and definitely not fair on the children/ young adults.

Sounds hideous

[MiscellaneousAssortment]

cassiak don't rule out care altogether - there are many types of care and many different roles.

[Sherlockmaystealyourpug]

I do a very similar job, and have been in similar situations, but i was given a lot of high quality training, if you did not receive this then I would say that the company is probably not up to giving therapeutic care. A bit different if you are agency, but then you could be asked to be moved to a different home? Feel free to pm me if you want to talk more about this sort of job role

[cassiak]

I did actually have four days training in theraputic care however I think putting into practice takes time! On my first day I think I was just so bewildered . (There was another member of staff there with me).

I am doing my PGCE next year but right now I need a full time job. I just did not realise it would be like this.

Thank you everybody for your advice. I am job hunting right now.

[Glitterandglue]

Were you actually on then as a rotated member of staff, or was that part of your induction period (where you should be supernumerary)? You absolutely should have an induction period of a minimum of a week where you're supernumerary and usually are shadowing a particular person. Even if you were, getting you to collect the child is a bit full on. It's different if you're the extra passenger helping someone else to collect the child but being the driver with a child in that frame of mind, with little experience of that behaviour in that context, is a different thing. It's worrying enough when you're experience and you know the kid well (I have been that driver).

The behaviour, to be honest, is what you will see (and be expected to deal with - after some experience!) but the setup doesn't sound supportive or friendly. Nobody else being able to drive to get this kid isn't good enough because if you hadn't taken the job and a non-driver had, or if there was an issue with your car that day, or if you were sick or whatever, they would've had to have found another solution.

It may be that you're able to deal with the behaviour if you have a more supportive place. Over time you can learn better how to cope with it so you're more confident of calming things down so it's less scary, though there are still times when you do end up needing reinforcements because you can't handle it yourself. But it is something you learn over time and by making some mistakes yourself and watching other people, so it depends if you feel you're ready and able to go through that initial period. If you felt so overwhelmed with this it might be that it's not the right job for you but it might be that it's just not the right place.

[LongTimeLurking]

It sounds like you were dropped in at the deep end with little support or training at all. It could be a one off error on their part or it could be just the way they run things.. If you feel it is the latter then I do not blame you for getting the hell out of there ASAP.

[Perihelion]

The driving sounds dodgy. Was it your own car? Would you own insurance cover you to use it for this sort of work, or were you covered by their insurance?

[popcornpaws]

I got a job in a call centre years ago, I knew by lunchtime that it wasn't for me.
They laid a lunch on for all the new starts so i had to wait until the end of the day before i could escape!
I couldn't stay working there whilst applying for other jobs, it was that shite and boring!

[yongnian]

I had a job once that I knew by lunch time on the first day, was categorically not for me. I did the dutiful and soldiered on and by two months I felt so ill I literally felt like topping myself. (I was a bit vulnerable at the time but even so, the job was not for me and tipped me over the edge).
Listen to your gut and walk away if you instinctively know this is not right for you....it's not worth the ensuing carnage/impact on you and your life later down the line, which is worse the longer you stay.
X

[Namechangearoonie123]

You've just worked a 24 hour shift (which I'm really hoping you're going to get properly paid for).

You must be exhausted, don't make a decision after one day when you're totally knackered.

[stooshe]

I worked in care and knew on the first day that I was working for a bunch of money raking incompetents. I should have left, but "let" them wear me down, thus clouding my perception of the care industry.
It's only now, three and a half years later and due to upgrading myself , I realise that there are responsible care businesses that do follow the CVQ code and demand that staff report incidents (without being reticent, as if to say "maybe it's me and not the job").

You should not have been put straight in at the deep end. And that you feel like packing it in (after all that education) is indicative of the workplace and not the vocation. Their care/support for staff is not up to scratch. Report any incidents (yes the child is probably "disturbed", but he won't get far in life with that attitude) and depending on the reaction (fast, to the point, not dropping you in the deep end ) you will know if your present workplace is for you.

There must be standards in child social care and a governing body that sets out its safeguarding practices. The onus is on you to keep up with any changes, regardless of competence of the organisation that you work for. This prevents situations like yours and any potential staff to child abuse. Just the fact that you were sent on this difficult job as a first shows me that there has to be some lack of adherence to official protocol. Read up and then go to your line manager. If not resolved go up and up until you buck up the organ grinder who runs the show.

Be aware that taking this action may not make you popular. I do find that in a lot of organisations that require lots of qualifications, a lot of people don't value people that are actually smart.