Pam Hutchinson tells us about what it’s like to work with Care Visions Residential Care, providing young people with the safe environment and support needed to allow them to reclaim their lives, and have a brighter future.

“My time working in young people’s services has now reached over twenty years, beginning in residential care, and later moving on to work with young people who were either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The latter position involved managing a ‘Supported Accommodation’ service, with a significant number of the young people we housed having been in care at some point in their lives. Sadly, it was truly shocking how poorly prepared these young people were for living even semi-independently.

This experience inspired me to return to residential care, this time supporting young people in developing essential life skills, and managing transitions between placements. I chose to join Care Visions in March 2017, as the head of a four-bedded service in West Lothian, because I could see the benefit for young people of living in their smaller, home-style services, which emulate family living.

Working with Care Visions is wonderful in many ways. The support we receive is first class and the management team has been very welcoming. This has made the transition to a new organisation so easy and my time here has flown by. Care Visions is where I feel I belong, and can make a real difference.

Our residential house has just been decorated, feeling welcoming and homely, and it has been exciting getting to know new people, new systems, and most importantly the four young people we care for. Together we have all been working to build trusting relationships, and move the service towards how we want it to be. It’s very busy with a full house, as the young people have many appointments and busy social lives. And although there is a way to go, when I see the young people and staff sitting around the dining table, chatting and laughing long after dinner is over, I know we are on the right track.”