Rebecca McCarthy – Hairdresser to Care Worker
Each month we profile a care professional who has come into the sector after a career change and who demonstrates that it really is never too late to care! This month we meet Rebecca McCarthy from Bluebird Care Croydon who previously worked in a variety of roles but felt she couldn’t settle. She was inspired to care by a presentation at a ‘back to work’ scheme.
Sometimes out of adversity comes a ray of sunshine. For Bluebird Care Croydon that ray of sunshine is Rebecca McCarthy.
Rebecca has previously worked in a variety of roles including a nursery assistant & hairdressing but couldn’t settle. She also had over a year off work due to a broken back.
Having been encouraged to go to a ‘back to work for single mum’s’ session at a local Successful Mums group in Croydon, Rebecca was inspired by a presentation from the Director and a Care Assistant of Bluebird Care Croydon about a role in homecare
Rebecca joined Bluebird Care Croydon in January 2019 with no experience of care but is now a skilled care assistant. Rebecca is making a real difference to people needing support in the community. It just goes to show that with the right training and support, past experience and a caring nature it is possible to change to a rewarding career in homecare.
Rebecca was very nervous when she started but quickly grew in confidence in a role that she clearly enjoys, she had worked in a nursery in the past and transferred those skills to start delivering high quality care to Bluebird Care customers. Since then she has quickly excelled and was awarded Bluebird Care Croydon’s Care Assistant of the Month in June 2019.
Rebecca told us she absolutely loves her job and wishes she’d done this years ago!
Asked why she would recommend a career in homecare Rebecca commented “I have found this has been highly rewarding and flexible role it allows me to work around being a single parent and working at the same time. It provides a great work life balance.
Rebecca says “the best part of her job is the feeling of accomplishment, making a real difference to people lives, especially those with higher needs”
Rebecca has passed the care certificate the qualification required in homecare and is also a dementia friend, spreading the message that people can live well with dementia, now working with a number of challenging customers, she has supported a variety of customers. This included a customer at end of life, she was there right to the end and the customer was very fond of her.
Another customer she currently supports has learning disabilities and she is making great progress in in meeting her personal needs and development. In addition, she also is supporting the mother who has dementia and challenging behaviour. For a young person she is showing great maturity and always has dignity and required customer outcomes in mind.
Director Dean Slade comments “Rebecca is a great ambassador for our company and it just goes to show that it is never too late to change career and to use past skills to deliver a great service and do something for your local community. It makes us proud to have Rebecca as one of our care team. No job is too much trouble. She loves the role with a passion and our customers love her”
Recruitment Manager Aaron explains that a values-based recruitment approach helps attract, select and recruit people with the right values, this approach helps to attract people who fit our culture and understand what is important to the people we support. Getting out and linking with community groups is a great way of promoting that the role of a care assistant is special as are the people that do it.
Rebecca is a finalist in the London Care Awards for the Care Newcomer Award. Good luck Rebecca!
