A Day in the Life of a Support Worker

I have worked at FitzRoy for many years now, and as Executive Director of HR, my role often centres on strategy, people management, and navigating the legalities of employment –  important work of course – but I always want to make sure that FitzRoy has the people we support and their support teams at the heart of our decision making. So when I had the chance to shadow our support workers, I jumped at it. I learnt a lot in those few hours at Jellicoe Court,  where we support people living in 18 self contained flats, although they have great communal areas for those who love to socialise.

The night before

I was nervous, I know that supporting someone with a learning disability, autism or a mental health issue is a genuinely life changing job. To be the person who can support someone to live the life they choose, to support them to bypass the environmental and societal barriers they face due to their disability, is more than a job.

This is what social care looks like. And I love it.

FitzRoy has been doing a lot of work with the amazing Tricia Nicoll, as part of her Gloriously Ordinary Lives programme. We have a lot of work to do but that idea of supporting someone to live their gloriously ordinary life. What does that look at FitzRoy – our day to day, how we make our decisions and how we talk about our work – is so exciting! So to keep me on track with that thinking, I wanted to see our work in action. So …back to the nerves…to step away from my desk and shadow one of the support team at Jellicoe Court, it was daunting as I just didn’t want to let anyone down.

All Systems Go!
From the moment I arrived at Jellicoe Court at 5pm it was clear the team was already in full swing. I arrived, put my bag down, got taken under a member of staff’s wing and we were off!

There was a buzz in the air as tonight everyone was looking forward to a social at Jack’s, a local place where people from over town come together to socialise, dance and have fun. The majority of the people who live at Jellicoe Court are either quite young or young at heart, some go to college or work and they love a party!

What this meant for the support team was that we were up against the clock trying to fit in what people needed before they were off gallivanting! We needed to make sure everyone had the support they needed to prepare and eat their evening meals before they headed out. There was a tense moment when someone realised their home cooked meal hadn’t been taken out of the freezer, but with some fast thinking we were able to sort it out and they still had plenty of time to get ready and go out.

From there, we moved quickly to medication administration. So many people we support have health needs and require a range of medication. As I shadowed the support team, I was so impressed with their attention to detail and confidence in carrying out the task, it was extraordinary.  I quickly realised that there was no room for shortcuts here as a mistake could be catastrophic.

It won’t surprise anyone who knows me that the highlight of my shift was baking a cake – with Orla who recently celebrated getting her first job. It might sound like a simple activity, but it was a masterclass in person-centred care. Orla was in control, she was the head chef leading the way, and her support staff was the commis chef on hand to support her where she needed.  Once again, like we all face at home, obstacles arose,  like not having enough butter! Fast thinking by the staff to suggest borrowing butter from one of Orla’s friends saved the cake!

Watching the support team adjust their approach to each individual’s preferences and abilities was inspiring, but it required focus, patience, and a deep understanding of each person. The mental juggling to be able to swiftly go from cake baking to supporting someone else with their meds, back to cake baking and then to someone else who likes to go to bed early needing support with brushing their teeth demonstrated the amazing ability our staff have at keeping lots of plates spinning at the same time.

Downtime? Not Really
A few hours in and slight calm… we sat down, I thought we might get a breather, but instead, it was time to update digital support plans. These updates weren’t just tick-box exercises; they were vital records that ensured continuity of care. The team’s ability to recall and document everything—including temperature recordings — was impressive.
I found myself reflecting on the energy required to balance physical tasks with the emotional valued based approach and the overall mental focus to keep on track with differing tasks and completing all the documentation. Even the so-called quiet moments were filled with responsibility.

Tailoring Care to the Individual
What struck me most throughout the evening was the way the team adapted their approach to each person they supported. Everyone they worked with had unique needs, preferences, and quirks. Some were shy and needed gentle encouragement, rather than lots of conversation (I can be quite chatty!) while others thrived on humour, having music played and enjoying conversation. The staff team clearly knew each person so well and were telling me all about their differing approaches and techniques for each person.

Skills that the team have honed over years of building trust and understanding.

It’s not a skill you can learn from a manual. It’s something you develop through empathy, experience and dedication which I saw in full swing.

Walking Away with a New Perspective
After a few hours I’d gained a deeper appreciation for the incredible work our support workers do every day. Their role is so much more than providing care, whatever that means. It’s about building relationships, fostering independence, and creating moments of joy.
The team made me feel like I was part of them, inviting me back to shadow again. Receiving a hug from one of the people we support was the absolute highlight, I obviously hadn’t messed anything up too badly!

I also left with a renewed commitment to ensuring FitzRoy does everything possible to support our support workers to be the best they can be, genuinely supporting people to live gloriously ordinary lives!

To everyone at Jellicoe Court, thank you.

Gill