Where the journey began...​
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Residential Childcare:
✔ BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare
✔ BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Employment Responsibilities and Rights in Health, Social Care and Children and Young People's Settings.
✔ Level 2 Functional Skills Qualification in Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
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For just under 3 years, I worked in an 'Outstanding' specialist Residential Children's Home, where I worked as part of a diverse team to support some of the UK's most vulnerable and complex children.
The home I worked at accommodated four young people from the ages 8-18 years old. At the heart of our work, were the principles of being person-centred, child-led, reflective, nurturing and supportive. The young people living in our care were autistic, with the associated conditions such as global development delay, sensory modulation disorder and epilepsy. Nurturing trauma and attachment issues were also crucial parts of my role as a Residential Childcare Worker.
It was within this role that I laid the foundation of my understanding and passion for supporting autistic people, including non-verbal and pre-verbal children and adults.​​​
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My qualifications and experience here educated me on the safeguarding and protection of children, and how to support their emotional and physical development and well-being. I also learned to work in partnership with families, local authorities and therapeutic services to create positive outcomes for the residents, alongside supporting the young people in day-to-day life.
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Training I received:
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MAPA
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Makaton (3 day course)
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Learning Disabilities Introduction Program
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First Aid
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Medication Training
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Learning Disability Safeguarding
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Autism Awareness
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Attachment and Trauma
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Self-Harm Training
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Epilepsy Training
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Health and Safety
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Food Hygiene
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Manual Handling​​​
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Self-employment:
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After gaining skills, qualifications, training and confidence from my role within the Children's Home, I decided to go self-employed in 2017. I have remained dedicated to supporting children with learning and physical disabilities but have also branched out into assisting disabled adults and their families, as well as elderly people in their own homes.​
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Over the span of my career, I have gained experience with:
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Autism and ADHD
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Dementia and Alzheimer's
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Complex needs
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PDA
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Anxiety
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Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria
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Non-verbal communication, including the use of Makaton
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Global Developmental Delay
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Attachment and trauma issues
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Self-harming behaviour
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Epilepsy
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Sensory Processing Disorder
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Selective mutism
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EDS
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PoTS