I think the most important advice is to never stop learning, and to not assume that you know it all. It doesn’t matter how many years experience you’ve got, whether you are at the beginning of your career or you’ve had years in that field of work, there will always be something that will take you by surprise. I actually feel that it’s quite a dangerous place to be when people assume that they know it all - so being constantly aware and having that professional curiosity is really important.

I was looking for an inclusive organization with the right values and ethics. I think we are attracted to this field of work because we care, so it’s important for me to work for a totally caring organization with the right values. I liked everything I heard from the people who interviewed me for the role and everything they promised was delivered.

This is something that I really try to promote in the teams I work with. We are working with some amazing but often very complex young people, so we have to recognise that stress levels can become much higher than the average job. I always use the example of the aeroplane oxygen mask: you have to take care of yourself first to be able to take care of others. I make sure to reflect on where I am within myself and make changes where necessary, to ensure I’m delivering the best care possible to our young people. Throughout my years in the care field, I have had to learn that the hard way, but I would definitely say that since I joined keys my work-life balance has significantly improved.

I started working in the care sector almost 17 years ago, initially I worked for charity, providing care and education for young adults with a variety of different conditions, mostly autism. I worked in this area at two different organisations, one for 5 years and the other for 6. I started off as a support worker then climbed the ladder through to team leader, deputy manager, registered manager, regional manager and head of care positions. Then in October 2021, I was offered an opportunity to join Keys as Head of Activities and Intervention Services.