Our vacancies

Laura has been promoted to a Senior Care Assistant at Oakwood Court care home in Haywards Heath. She shares what it's like to take on more responsibility...

"I started as a care assistant in April 2019, and worked in care for 19 months before this. I was attracted to working for Sussex Housing & Care because I wanted to spend quality time with residents, making a difference to their day, rather than only attending to their care needs. I chatted to colleagues about their experience working at Oakwood Court and had heard some great things.

I was a care assistant here for four years, including throughout the covid pandemic. These challenging times brought the team closer, we all relied on each other and built a good working relationship.

I was encouraged by fellow seniors here and the management, to consider developing my career and becoming a senior. At first I was daunted by the idea, it seemed like a lot of responsibility and I wasn’t sure if it was for me.

A year ago I started training as a senior carer, this involved shadowing other seniors, they taught me everything. I found this a good way to learn because it was practical and hands on. If I got stuck, they were there to help.

I enjoy that I get to interact with residents and now that I administer their medication, I get more opportunities to chat one to one and check in with how they are feeling. In my senior role I have more interaction with families which is interesting. I hear stories about our residents lives and I can update them with any latest news.

Being a team leader was easier than I thought, we’re such a strong team and everyone is really friendly. Communication and working together is important, I always let the team know I’m around and can help if they need support.

Becoming a senior carer has been a good experience for me. As part of this role I’ve studied NVQ Level 3 Health and Social Care, which I’ve enjoyed studying and makes me realise how much knowledge I’ve gained in my role.

Overall, becoming a senior has been a great opportunity, I’ve personally had to commit time to study, but I find my job rewarding and I’m motivated to make a real difference to our residents and put them at the heart of everything I do."