I didn’t really decide to go into care as a career..

Extract From Talking Care Magazine

Case Study 2: Support Worker – Sue Hendron
Shared Lives Scheme
Oxfordshire County Council

Sue has always lived in Oxfordshire, in Abingdon and now in one of the villages. She has lived in the County for 25 years with her husband and four children who are now grown up and have children of their own.

I didn’t really decide to go into care as a career.
Sue says, “I didn’t really decide to go into care as a career. I always found myself doing something for someone, doing the school run, taking people shopping, that kind of thing. I hadn’t thought about getting paid to do it – I suppose you could say – I was doing something that just came naturally, it’s just who I am.”

“You could say we are a caring family. I looked after my Mum when she had cancer, my Dad when he was ill in hospital and my brother when he was ill. I also looked after my husband’s brother when he had a serious accident. My husband works in the care sector, my brother used to be a social worker; our past experiences growing up gave us an understanding of caring for people”.

Sue’s Dad saw an advert in the newspaper for ‘Shared Lives’ (then Adult Placement) some 18 years ago and that’s how she became a ‘Shared Lives’ Carer. Shared Lives (a scheme run by Oxfordshire County Council) is where carers share their family and community life with someone who needs support. “The people who I work with are nice, helpful and supportive”, says Sue.

Supporting people through good times and bad times
Sue continues: “My job is supporting people through good times and bad times – there’s always plenty of both! Supporting them to be independent. I’ve had four people who have lived with me through the ‘Shared Lives’ scheme over the years and lots of people come for short breaks – all shapes, all sizes, all with different needs. I really enjoy my job because no day is ever the same – what’s normal one day, is all changed the next – every day is different!

The whole aspect of my job is meeting new people, learning about how people think and work, sometimes I have to think outside the box, it’s a continuous learning experience. Yes! It’s fun! Yes! It’s challenging at times. Yes! Its certainly life changing yet so very rewarding!

Sally Ellis, Unit Manager, Oxfordshire County Council, Shared Lives Scheme commented:” Sue has a special knack of seeing the best in people and wanting to help them achieve whatever they are able to – tempered with a good dose of realism. Sue has made such an exceptional contribution to the lives of people she supports that it feels important to recognise this.”

“The whole aspect of my job is meeting new people, learning about how people think, it’s
a continuous learning experiences. Yes! It’s fun! Yes! It’s challenging at times. Yes! It’s certainly life changing yet so very rewarding!”