The thing I like most about working for Care Today & Parallel Parents is the family-feel to the workplace.
Before starting at Care Today & Parallel Parents, I came from a large, corporate travel company whereby I was simply just a number. I worked for said company for three years and, during that time, I couldn’t have even told you the name of my regional manager, let alone the company director.
In Care Today & Parallel Parents, there is no ‘us and them’ mentality. Everybody – regardless of their position within the company - is treated as an equal. Our director and senior management are heavily involved in every aspect of the company, and noticeably invest in the welfare of their staff. We really do feel looked after and supported, whether it be within the working environment or outside of our job roles.
I work in the HR Department, and a massive part of my job is recruitment. I was completely new to recruitment and admin in general when I started, and I have surprised myself at how much I have taken to it. I thoroughly enjoy every aspect of the recruitment process, and find it really gratifying!
We filter through the CVs that come to us directly, and through various recruitment sites such as Indeed. We send the CVs out to the managers based in our 30 plus residential homes based up and down the country, who will then contact the applicants for interviews.
If successful, the candidates will fill out an application, which will then arrive back at Head Office, where we will set to work processing the pack and sending out all of the required checks.
Once all of the checks are back, we put the final file together and then send it over to the managers’ for the final approval. Our new staff member is now cleared to start working!
Full, innovative training is given to all new staff, with everyone who joins us being automatically enrolled onto their Level 3 Diploma.
New staff are invited to an Induction at Head Office with our amazing sister company, Training 2 Care, where they will cover all of the basics, plus Behaviour Management. This is a great opportunity for all new staff from different homes up and down the country to meet one another. (We usually put on a buffet, and the chocolate brownie and marshmallow sticks that our amazing food supplier provides are definitely a bonus!)
The training doesn’t stop there; we pride ourselves upon internal progression, and we never stop offering staff new opportunities to better themselves and move forwards within the company towards their goal, whatever that might be. A large number of our managers started off as Residential Care Workers with us! We have school sites, and we also have the addition of Parallel Parents Fostering Agency, so Teaching and Social Work degrees could well be a possibility for those seeking a change of career within the company.
It’s always rewarding to watch the applicants flourish from a name on a CV, to a valued member of staff, absolutely smashing their new job and progressing their way up in the company.
I sincerely admire the tireless work carried out by all our super staff across both Care Today and Parallel Parents. They literally work around the clock, 24/7, 365 days a year, to better the lives of the young people in our care.
So much work goes into every single second of making our young people’s days the best they can be. From leisure activities and educational needs, to simple pleasures such as a good chat and a hearty meal, everything is covered by our Residential Care Workers. One minute they can be helping with homework, the next they can be relishing in a game of football. The role is fast-paced, varied, and oh so enriching.
Every bond made, every setback overcome, and every goal reached – the selfless dedication our staff show in making a difference to the lives of our young people is outstanding.
A month into my employment, the Parallel Parents actually achieved an OUTSTANDING rating from Ofsted, our third in a row since 2010– a title we are still proud to boast (alongside a Gold rating from Investors In People - just to drop that in there!). All of the office staff, senior managers, and Social Workers were gathered in the office foyer when we heard the news. Despite having only worked for the company for four weeks, I really felt a part of something quite special. It was the staff’s reaction to the news that really struck a cord. Every single person within my vicinity was in tears, embracing one another.
I overheard one of the Social Workers tearfully state, “This is why we do what we do.”
It was the perfect nod to the undying passion shown by every single member of our agency. The passion was, and still is, infectious.
Wherever you work within Care Today and Parallel Parents, you can be sure that no two days will ever be the same. The ethos of Care Today & Parallel Parents is friendly, fun, rewarding, and colourful. We have a child-centred approach to everything we do, all the while continuously supporting our staff and ensuring job enjoyment and satisfaction is paramount.
From a name on a CV, you can become a valued part of our team and make a real difference.
Written by Cara Jasmine Bradley
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