From beginning my time in social care in 2011, working as a support worker with adults with learning disabilities, autism, and complex and challenging behaviours, I qualified as RNLD in 2016. 

Remaining within social care was important to me as I recognised the need for the skills and experience a nurse can bring to the support offered outside of inpatient or other health-led services. I wanted to be part of that! 

There were comments and questions from colleagues around my choice, which meant initially, the decision brought a feeling that beginning my nursing career in social care might not have been the best plan; I soon recognised this couldn’t be further from the truth. I very quickly learned that social care nurses are something special! 

I was able to develop a wide range of skills and knowledge, and I built resilience and confidence through autonomous work and learning, as well as through lone working opportunities I was offered. I have worked in various roles since qualifying, both hands-on with people supported, leading teams as a practice leader, and my current role managing operations across multiple services. All as a Social Care Nurse.

The skills and qualities of social care nurses are highly prized and need to be celebrated both by us as a sector and as widely as possible. I am both grateful and excited to be able to chair the North East and Yorkshire SCNAC. It’s a forum that I hope will give the opportunity to raise the social care nursing voice, celebrate and showcase the great work social care nurses do, and, importantly, highlight the possibilities available in social care open to our future aspiring nurses.  

There is a world of opportunity and chance to make a huge difference in Social Care Nursing, and I am glad to be a part of that.