Swap deadlines and diaries for the chance to truly change a life

Time is the enemy in children’s social care – there’s never enough. Too many cases and not enough time to go round.

Skilled and dedicated practitioners knowing what is needed to help the most challenging young people but lacking the time they need to deliver it.

But what if it didn’t have to be this way? What if you could have the time and the support you need to truly transform a teenager’s life for the better?

At Leicestershire County Council we asked ourselves that very question and our answer is the One2One carer – a new professional role that rethinks what caring for a young person means.

Rewarding and life changing

Launched 18 months ago, the One2One carer role is for people with experience of working with young people who are fed up of ticking boxes and want to make a real difference for a young person.

As one of Leicestershire’s One2One carers you will be paid from £35,360 plus allowances a year to work full-time with one young person in a fostering arrangement.

It’s an opportunity to truly use your skills and experience of working with young people with challenging and complex behaviours to improve a young person’s life.

It’s a demanding role but a hugely rewarding one and Leicestershire County Council will support you all the way. We will provide specialist training to enhance your skills and our dedicated multi-agency support team will use their years of experience to help you succeed with the young person you are looking after.

Transform a life

The difference you can make to the life of a young person in this role is immense, as Craig’s story illustrates. Craig entered care aged nine and is now a 17-year-old living with One2One carers Dan and Yaz.

“I spent a lot of time in residential children’s homes,” Craig recalls. “I always felt on the edge of everyone else, never really part of anything or anyone and it was like nobody really had enough time for me. Even if they did, it was just a bit, and then they had to look after some other kid. I guess I blocked everyone out and just relied on me.

“When I first met Dan and Yaz, I didn’t think they would stick with me but they have and they’ve helped me loads. I’ve changed quite a bit as I know they’re here for me and I’m more chilled now, don’t get so worked up all the time. Because they’ve been there, really been there, for me, things are going much better now.”

Part of a team

For Dan and Yaz becoming One2One carers allowed them to finally do the kind of work they had always wanted.

“We’ve always enjoyed working with young people, but at times felt frustrated that we couldn’t spend more time with a young person when you can see that’s what they need,” says Yaz. “We felt that spending hours writing reports or filling in forms is not always useful to a young person when they really just need you to be with them.

Dan adds: “As One2One carers we are part of a great team, with all the support and training we need and we get to completely focus on a young person and their needs. It’s tough at times, but when you see that young person take a step forward and they let you help them, it’s amazing.

“The experience in the team means that there is always a way forward and a way to make things better for a young person. We just love it and particularly that we are paid to do what we love and therefore have the time needed to dedicate to it.”