Why I do it

I've had a couple of busy days, just a two day week for me this week because of the bank holiday though which was nice, I got an extra day with my little spuggy!

I've done a full day at work today (Thursday is usually my half day), there was some training on today which I was really keen to do and I am so glad I went in for the whole day as it has been really positive and has reminded me why I do this.

Before I went off on maternity leave I was working a lot with parents with learning disabilities and trying to make links so that we could improve out multi agency working and improve outcomes for these clients and their children. Having become a parent myself I now have a greater understanding of just how hard it is to be a parent, not just practically but emotionally. I have started to pick up the clients who are parents again since my return to work and the training I did today was about working with parents, and whilst it may not necessarily have taught me anything new it was refreshing to go over things and to network with many of the other agencies who work with parents.

After the training I had arranged to meet with my workforce development department, as I wanted to discuss my professional development and where I go next, having finished my BSc(Hons) last year. I work in social care but as a nurse I need to progress in a different way to my social worker colleague. I came out of the meeting feeling very positive about how I can build my careers from here on in, as well as a plan to contact Uni to look at what modules I can get onto to start in September, it feels good to be looking at undertaking some academic work again...am I mad? Workforce Development have also advised me to contact my operations manager to get the ok to put a portfolio together for approval to move me up the pay scale, which would be automatic for my social worker colleagues who would do a qualification, I am not eligible to do because I am a nurse. Again another positive outcome :)

This afternoon, I attended a meeting with a manager from the health side of our team and other agencies who work with parents. We are discussing how we can improve outcomes for parents with learning disabilities it felt great knowing that work I did for my dissertation, will actually be used to effect change for clients. I sat in the meeting feeling like we will actually do something which will help enable clients with learning disabilities. It made me realise why I do what I do, there are lots aspects of my job which can get you down, and recently we have had a lot of changes in the team with our two first two levels of management leaving closely after each other and posts not being filled, leading to lots of agency staff. We also have some people in the office who can't appear to put personal differences aside and act like the professionals we all should be. It has lead to a horrible atmosphere in the office and massive power struggles. I try not to get involved in all of this which I think is easier now I am part time, but I have to admit I have considered leaving the team because of these problems. I had applied for another job in a different team, but I came home today happy that I am in the right team and that the future is bright and I am going to be able to be involved in some exciting work to effect real change for clients with learning disabilities...and that's why I do it :)