Phillip, Care Worker – Scunthorpe

Phillip wanted a job where he could make a real difference to people’s lives and which provided the flexibility to look after his young family. He found the perfect fit as a care worker.

He discovered he was able to use the skills he had already developed as a father to help those in need in the community.

Phillip explained:

“Often ‘good parenting’ is what care work is all about. Being a dad, you learn to listen, develop problem-solving skills and communicate clearly and kindly.

“Male carers can bring something that is so important to clients, we have valuable qualities that deserve to be used and recognised.”

Launching your career in care, the right values can be just as important as qualifications and experience.

Asked what qualities he felt were beneficial in care work, Phillip said:

“Good listening and understanding skills help. Often clients can’t say what they want or what is troubling them, so you need to take time to really tune into what they are trying to say.

“You need patience to guide clients through – just as you do as a parent. Patience is a key quality; progress can be slow at times – you need to work at the client’s pace.”

For those that invest the time, supporting people as a care worker can be immensely rewarding, as Phillip describes:

“Clients constantly surprise me. Making the small breakthroughs is an amazing feeling. When you help them achieve something that they’ve never done before, those moments are priceless.”

Encouraging people to find out more and consider a career in care, he added:

“Care work provides rich rewards. I would say give it a go! I’ve known people who have changed their career to be able to work with people and help them, they never regretted it.”