Real stories from real people
Find out if you have what it takes from our case studies below.
Keneuoe Morgan
Deputy Manager at Hafod Mawddach Residential Home
Keneuoe is originally from Lesotho. She moved to Bala in 1997 and began working for Gwynedd Council, where she took advantage of the opportunity to learn Welsh at Aberystwyth University, becoming fluent in the language in 2000. Keneuoe now works in a care home, supporting people with dementia and complex needs.
Promoting people’s rights and focusing on the person and what’s important to them is an important part of Keneuoe’s role. By communicating with residents in their preferred language, Keneuoe is able to build relationships with and support them, which helps them maintain their well-being.
Naomi Frere
Student Social Worker (former Apprentice)
Naomi experienced the care system first hand growing up in foster care and wanted to use her experiences to help other young people in similar situations.
While working for her local council’s finance department, the apprenticeship provided Naomi with the perfect opportunity to begin a career in social care while crucially allowing her to continue to earn a wage.
The qualification Naomi gained from her apprenticeship gave her the additional UCAS points she required to apply for an undergraduate place at University of South Wales where she is now a third year Student Social Worker.
Gillian Owen
Community Care Supervisor
Gillian is a community care supervisor who supports staff in looking after vulnerable people locally.
They are the lifeline their community needs right now.
Helen Greenwood
Nursery Leader
Helen is a Nursery Leader at Ysgol Feithrin Pontypool and is passionate about teaching the next generation through the medium of Welsh. She is responsible for planning daily activities to help the children learn, keeping the children safe and making sure the nursery is a safe and suitable environment for all.
Uchenna Chukwuoma
Care Worker
Uchenna came from Nigeria to start working as a delivery driver because he enjoys speaking to people. But after he discovered the WeCareWales website, he started his career as a care worker and uses his people skills to improve the lives of those in his care.
Lisa Newall
Training Advisor
Lisa works for North Wales Training as a work based learning assessor for health and social care. Lisa completed her own apprenticeship qualification and is now encouraging others to follow that same invaluable route.
Sue John-Evams
Assistant Team Manager Fostering
Sue left school at sixteen to become a nursery nurse and worked both in mainstream and special needs education for a local authority. Sue then decided she wanted to go into social work, so spent time working as an assistant social worker for several years in a child protection team. She then undertook a social work degree and a masters’ degree while working and is now an Assistant Team Manager for a local authority Fostering Service. Managing a small team who support recruitment, retention and training for local foster carers.
Q1. What qualities do you think you need to work in care?
Empathy is a key quality and having a genuine interest in people and wanting them to achieve in life. Also caring about people and wanting to make a difference to people’s lives is so important.
Q2. What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Definitely working with the children and families, especially foster children and foster families and foster sons and daughters. Equally so working with a wide range of professionals. It is a very interesting and rewarding role.
Jackie Banwell
Foster Panel Coordinator
Jackie works as a Foster Panel Coordinator for the fostering service in Carmarthenshire. Her role involves recruiting foster carers and taking them through the various stages to become a foster carer and onto panel where they are approved. She finds her role very fulfilling and enjoys meeting potential and new foster carers.
Q1. How long have you worked in the fostering team?
Twelve years in the fostering team. I started working for social care and housing as it was previously called and have worked for twenty-one years in Carmarthenshire local authority, first as an administrative assistant and then I progressed to fostering recruitment on a secondment and this is where I still work.
Q2. What is the main role of the fostering team you work with?
We support our current foster carers and support the recruitment of new foster carers. We are a mix of supervising social workers and recruitment social workers, and we all get along really well.
Job vacancies in care
Wales needs more social care workers.
Many people working in social care have made the jump from jobs such as hospitality or retail. Use your transferable skills and apply for roles in your area now.