Jade’s perspective

“The support that is provided in the social care sector is invaluable. It is vitally important because it supports people to live the lives that they want.

“My role requires skills that have been historically overlooked and underappreciated. During my time working in social care, I have had to learn and use a number of skills to ensure I am doing my job effectively and safely. These include managing medication, moving and assisting, epilepsy training, food hygiene and health and safety. We create care plans and develop risk assessments to ensure that the people we support have safe and consistent support that allows them to live a full and happy life. This often includes networking and working alongside other professionals such as doctors, nurses, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists to name a few.

“I work alongside a young man, who without the support he receives from our team, would not live a full life. Having our support has allowed him to access his community and have independence that he did not have before. Together we attend workshops to socialise and gain new skills, swimming, shopping, attending events and keeping an active lifestyle. At home we cook and clean together to build independence within his own home which he is very proud of.

“During the pandemic, those who worked in social care were applauded for the job they do and recognised as ‘key workers’. However, these views are not reflected in the pay that is received. The raise in hourly rate would ensure that skilled people continue to work within the sector, as well as attracting other likeminded people who are focused on delivering person-centred support, to join the workforce. £13 per hour or more would prevent skilled workers leaving the sector due to the increasing cost of living. For me personally this would make feel more financially secure and I wouldn’t have to worry about the potential need for a second job to make ends meet or having to leave a role I love because of financial difficulties.”

Jade Curran, Wellbeing Practitioner.

Emma’s perspective

"In my opinion, it is really important that the rate of pay for social care workers is increased to £13. All too often, I hear highly skilled, dedicated workers from across the sector saying things like, "I'm ‘just’ a support worker". It is absolutely vital that the rate of pay demonstrates that people who work in these roles are valued by the Scottish Government and that the government sets an example to wider society about the importance of high quality social care with a rate of pay that helps to ensure the workers we have are able to stay in the sector and that new people are inspired to join us too.

“Without these highly skilled workers, myself and thousands of others would not be able to live the lives we choose. With the help of the people who support me, I am able to live independently, work and be an active member of my family and community. I really want to see the people who help me take my place as a citizen each and every day paid at a rate that reflects that."

Emma McKendrick who works at Thistle and is someone supported by Thistle.

Julie’s perspective

“I’ve been working for the past 14 years in social care. I love my job and have a bond with the person I support. He requires 24-hour care, seven days a week. From his daily needs to more complex needs, the person I support requires great attention to detail and knowledge of his medical condition. He is unable to use words to communication and over the 14 years we have worked with him, my colleagues and I have developed a detailed understanding of how he communicates his needs and wishes. As his support worker I act as an intermediary between him, his family and any others professional practitioners within the NHS. The support we provide is complex. We manage medication for his seizures, liaise with speech therapists, work alongside nutritionists to ensure that he has a healthy diet, do moving and assisting and support with personal care.

“However, for me, my jobs is much more than that. My team and I work with the person we support to ensure that he has a good life. He loves swimming and we go regularly. We worked with a physiotherapist to understand what stretches he could do in the water to improve his ability to and enjoyment of swimming. He also loves music and plays the keyboard. We have supported him to engage with music therapy and that has opened up a whole new range of instruments that he enjoys.

“I work in a team of five people. We all have an SVQ3 in Social Care. We undertake regular training which keeps us up to speed in the ever-changing social care sector and makes us part of an indisputably qualified industry. We require knowledge and understating of the SSSC Code of Practice, National Care Standards, and we work according to Care Inspectorate expectations. I would like at this point to emphasize as well, we are all educated to university level some finishing with a masters, some with a degree. We all chose social care for various reasons but with one thing in common: we like to care. It’s not because we couldn’t do anything else, or we are unqualified or uneducated. I would like to wish this stereotype away, and the Scottish Government really value social care workers would help with that.

“Valuing our social care workers by offering a minimum of £13 per hour is investing in them. It will help recruitment, turnover, and encourage youngsters to get in the industry. But more importantly it will send the right message to our society - human right matter – and in a sector dominated by female workers, women matter.”

Julie Gatineau, Wellbeing Practitioner.

Yesim’s perspective

“My name is Yesim. I’ve been a wellbeing practitioner at Thistle Foundation for nine years.  I’m part of a team that has been chosen by the person we support to support them to live in their own home, in their own community, and to achieve what matters most to them in life.  

“Being part of someone’s life is a privilege, but it’s also highly pressurised and complex – supporting someone to achieve what matters most to them is a skill in itself. It’s about focusing on their best hopes in life, championing and defending human rights, encouraging and being supportive, being compassionate and empathetic. In my role no two days are the same. It’s so rewarding but really undervalued. 

“I am a member of SSSC and I undertake ongoing learning and development. My team and I work alongside a range of professionals. We have close working relationships with GP’s, district nurses, psychiatrists, learning disability teams, supported person’s advocates, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists. We are responsible for attending multi-disciplinary meetings alongside these professionals and provide/share critical feedback that informs the decisions they take. Being part of these groups of professionals requires skills and experience and this needs to be valued and recognised.  

“Getting paid £13 per hour or more would have an impact on me personally. Of course, it would help me pay my bills and live in what is a really challenging time financially. It’s about more than that to me though. It’s about understanding how complex our job is, recognising the important role social care workers have in the lives of people in our local communities, and valuing that.”

Yesim Boe, Wellbeing Practitioner.