There is so much that goes into ensuring a successful support arrangement for a client and their team. It’s not always as simple as the skills and experience, as we must factor in trust, comfort and common ground too – it’s essential.
Recently, we recruited a support worker for one of our lovely clients. This support worker simply ticked all of the boxes on paper, having the right qualifications and relevant experience to provide effective support to our client. However, after a couple of weeks in the position, our client let us know that they did not feel there was a connection with the support worker, which led to them feeling a little uncomfortable in their own home. This is something we would never want. The client requested that we end the contract with immediate effect, which, of course, we did.
Following this, we assessed other opportunities within the area and were successfully able to place the support worker in a temporary maternity cover role for a period of 12 months. The support worker fitted in so well with the team and the client is over the moon with the placement, which is the perfect outcome. Soon enough, a permanent placement became available within this team, and the support worker was offered a permanent position. A real win-win!
As for the other client, a new support worker was recruited, and they joined the team soon after. This placement worked well with the support worker and client gelling right away!
Sometimes, it is not just about having the right qualifications, skills or experience, but about the connection that the client and support team can have with one another. It goes without saying that we can’t always be everyone’s cup of tea, so being flexible in our approach is really important, as it means we can ensure our clients are completely happy with their teams who offer them such valuable support.
