Careers in health and social care?

[PepperAndPops]

I am possibly starting a level 2 in Health and Social care in September. I am looking forward to the actual course but I am worrying that this isn't going to work well long term. I have a child with learning difficulties and other problems - no speech, in nappies etc. So through him I have been inspired to do some sort of work with Special needs, ideally chidren (i was in childcare before having my own kids and have qualifications in early years)

As part of the course I need to be working or volunteering for a min of 5 hours a week in health and this has to be with adults not working with children. Which for me feels like "deep end" as thats where I have no experience, although I know that this is the point. My worry is I don't have childcare outside of school hours. 4 children, 3 have different levels of SEN. There is no provision for the hoidays for them, without spending huge huge amounts of money as 2 of them would need 1:1 care -even then one would struggle.

I guess I am just worrying weather i am taking on too much (September wil be the first time they have all been at full time school so tbh I was looking forward to a break!). And weather this is actually a practical career long term.

Not really sure what I am looking for from this post but if anybody has been there or been in a similar position etc I would love to hear from you. Or anybody who works in heath and social care really.

Anybody?

I work as a specialist nursery nurse for the NHS, I have an NNEB qualification and lots of experience in caring for children with complex health needs. It definitely is a career long term, there are all kinds of places you can go with experience and a qualification. It might be hard while you get your qualification but your experience at home will give you a head start in a lot of areas. For your 5 hours a week could you look at volunteering in an assisted living home for adults with additional needs?

Well voluntary experience with adults is easy but you’ll need to apply ahead of start date to get references, dbs etc. You might like to try the local hospital helping the frail elderly at lunchtime or the local hospice in a variety of roles. A big corporate care home might welcome a volunteer to help with activities during the day. Alternatively a social club such as run by Age U.K. or a homeless shelter doing lunches.

Whether its the right career long term is another question. At lower grades both Health and Social Care require shift working, long hours and low pay. There are certainly easier ways to earn money and gain fulfilment. Most Courses would require work placements that meant shift work.

What about aiming higher in the longer term? Do an access course and then a degree maybe? Most universities would probably give you funding. Then you could think about early years teaching or SEN teaching where holiday working remained flexible.

What about working in a school as teaching assistant with possibility of becoming a higher level TA and even in school teacher training?

Hi there,

Fantastic that you're considering further education when you have so much going on at home. You sound very motivated, ambitious and sensible for considering the practicalities before fully committing yourself.

Volunteering - most hospitals would love to have you. My local hospitals are forever advertising for volunteers to come in visit people in the wards. This could be for helping them along with their communication if they'd had a stroke or even just for socialising if they don't get many visitors.

You could contact a specific acute team at the hospital such as SALT, OT, Physio adult services and ask to come and shadow them for a few hours to see what they do with the patients.

As for childcare - you will need to find reliable school holiday cover for when you are working in a healthcare role and for any resit exams you may have to take or summer placements etc (e.g. when I was training, if you failed a placement during the year, you'd need to redo it in summer).

My daughter goes to a childcare setting that has many children with additional needs and they receive outstanding care throughout the day. This is not a specialist setting. It might be worth touring around different settings and finding a nice, smallish childcare facility. My 11yo goes to a nursery that also has some out of school care spaces. It's wonderful.

In terms of affording childcare, the college should have a childcare fund or discretionary fund available that will pay most - if not all - of the childcare costs for the year and you reapply each year.

Basically, you'll not be able to do the course or accept a job after it without childcare in place.

Getting appropriate childcare set up sounds like it will be very difficult but certainly achievable if you research and visit every facility (childminders, nurseries, out of school cares, consider a nanny) that is accessible to you.

Good luck!

If using registered childcare is definitely not an option you'd like to consider for whatever reason, you might consider doing a distance learning course instead so that you're still building up your skills and training while being at home with the kids if you envisage returning to work in the future.

However, be aware that many distant learning courses (particularly those related to health and social care) require you to attend at least one lecture at the campus through the year and attend placements.

Thanks for the replies. It's not a distance learning, it's an adult training centre that you attend for 3 hours a week term time only. So I'm not too worried about that, all 4 children will be in full time school in September which is why I'm looking to do something useful with my time 🙂

I do still have a lot on though. Mainstream holiday clubs would be an option for 3 of them, but one just wouldn't be suitable - he has such a high level of need and needs specialist support.