“Caring has always been in my nature and now it’s my chosen career.”
Working with families and children, many of whom have complex needs, takes patience, resilience, compassion and a deep understanding of the daily challenges they face. Thirty-year-old Amy Preston from Bangor is a Children’s In-reach Support Worker, in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, and knows this from first-hand experience.
Amy has been in her position for two years and shares her journey into social care, the skills she has acquired over the years working in different environments and why it’s the ‘little moments’ that make her social care career so fulfilling.
The rewarding nature of social care – Celebrating milestones through everyday moments
Amy was drawn to apply for a job with the new children’s in-reach service being rolled out by the Belfast Trust back in 2023. Initially unsure if she would get the role, she found her background in learning disability and mental health services had many transferable skills which made her a strong candidate. For her, even small successes, such as making a child comfortable or supporting a family, can be deeply fulfilling.
“I feel that I have really found my place working with the fantastic children and families who receive support from the in-reach service. It is an extremely challenging role but once you see that little spark from a child and the trust beginning to grow from their family it feels like you’ve won the lottery!”
Amy’s role involves working with families who are struggling with life challenges and need additional support when times are tough. Amy feels that the value in her role comes from working with families to help them make memorable progress together.
“Being a part of seeing children start to thrive, such as attending out of home respite sessions without parental presence, is what makes this role so special. These milestones, though small to some, are major breakthroughs for children with severe learning disabilities as well as their families and we are privileged to be a part of it.”
Amy’s early introduction to caring for others
From a young age, Amy’s family realised her natural ability in caring for others. This was quickly reinforced in her first year of secondary school when a non-profit organisation came to visit the school. “Kids in Control came in to see if any of us would be interested in joining as a young volunteer,” Amy said.
“The organisation carries out projects and workshops predominantly with adults with learning disabilities. I decided to join and was a young volunteer with them.” This was Amy’s first experience in a caring role at just 11 years old where she used drama-based projects to engage with adults with a disability.
After leaving school, Amy attended Belfast Metropolitan College to study drama but quickly realised it wasn’t for her. She felt drawn back into social care and took a job with the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust where she began her first professional position working in a service supporting adults with learning disabilities.
“I felt very content being back in a caring role and I’m so thankful that I had the opportunity to be a part of the Kids in Control group as a young teenager. I really think this had a huge impact on the direction I decided to take. At this point I was a Band 3, and after years I decided to go for a Band 5 job in dementia care. I was over the moon when I was offered the job!”
A career that offers continuous learning
By this point Amy felt strongly about advancing her skills, which was a big influence in her decision to transfer from adults with complex needs to early-stage dementia care.
“I worked in a supported living facility with 35 individual flats for people living with early-stage dementia. It was my responsibility to help them maintain independence. I was able to learn new skills, such as managing health risks like falls and cognitive decline.”
Not only did working in dementia care allow Amy to increase her professional skillset, it also helped her learn to grow her emotional skills and resilience.
She said, “It was emotionally challenging, particularly because I was working with individuals in the early stages of dementia. I really feel that learning to professionally cope with the emotional side of social care has helped me immensely and equipped me for my current position as a Children’s In-reach Support Worker.”
Are you the right person for a role in social care?
Amy explains that she understands that families often have reservations about receiving support from social care and social work. The approach taken by social care practitioners like Amy focuses on building a respectful working relationship with the individuals they support, in the context of a multi-disciplinary team.
“I feel that I was destined to work in social care, caring for others has always come quite naturally to me. Understanding, patience, empathy and curiosity are crucial for those considering a career in this field,” says Amy.
“Without these qualities it is impossible to build trust with families, children or individuals in the care system.”
Feeling inspired? Working together to change people’s lives… Make a difference by embarking on your journey into social care. For more information on how you can start your journey check out our A career in social care page or read more social care stories here.