ND Care & Support Ltd - Bridgend, Vale of Glamorgan & Cardiff

My name is Karen Wiltshire I am the Registered Manager at ND Care and Support Cardiff Branch.

My hobbies when not at work are travelling and evenings out with my family.

I have been in the care industry for about 25 years starting out as a carer supporting adults and children with learning disabilities which I found very rewarding and challenging knowing that you are making a difference to the children and families that you are supporting I also then went over to the homecare side which I fully enjoyed helping and supporting individuals enabling them to remain in their homes and stay independent as much as possible.

I also have worked in secure units which proved very challenging.

I then soon moved up to be a coordinator working within the home care team across Cardiff, I joined ND Care and Support in 2015 to set up the homecare side within ND Care and Support as a coordinator then had a break due to family commitments, I then returned back to ND Care and Support in November 2021 as Service Lead being very passionate about my job and making a difference to individuals lives

Hi, my name is Jacqueline and I am the Care Coordinator for Cardiff Homecare. From a young age, I knew I wanted to work in the care industry, so I began my care journey by working in a nursing home as a healthcare assistant. After completing an NCVA level 2 in nursing studies, I moved from Ireland to London to study Nursing at the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing & Midwifery. My passions & background are in the care of the Elderly, I have always found this to be a rewarding and fulfilling role despite its challenges. Throughout my career, I have worked in the NHS as a staff nurse, a senior staff nurse and as a discharge co-coordinator. I have also worked for a heart charity as an administrator and manager. This is my first experience with domiciliary care.

My qualifications are NCVA level 2 in Nursing Studies (equivalent to NVQ) and a Diploma in Nursing Studies.

When I’m not at work I enjoy spending time with my son, walking my dog and catching up with friends.

Helen has a long background in supported living services, consisting of; 11 years as a support worker and 3 years as a Team Manager overseeing 5 SL Services. She has supported a range of adults and children with challenging behaviour/varying types of disability. She is passionate about providing person-centred care and ensuring individuals have the support they need to live as independently as they can. Helen is working towards Level 4 QCF.

personal interests outside of work include things like reading, painting and spending time with family and friends.

Natasha has over 13 year's experience in care and support. Her experience is from working as a Care Assistant and Senior Care Assistant in a residential setting, supporting adults with cognitive impairments. Natasha has also worked as a Support worker, working with children, and caring for children who have experienced traumas. Natasha has an Honours Degree in Health and Social Care Management.

When not at work, Natasha enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading and going to the gym.

Jemma has been in the care industry for 6 years. She is completing her Level 3 QCF qualification. Her role is to support our care workers in the community. This can be anything from; assisting with calls to support care workers, to regularly completing compliance checks for the office staff out in the field to make sure we deliver the highest standard of care we can.

In her spare time, she enjoys quality time with her daughter and doing all things creative to unwind.

I am a computer nerd, which is why my role as administrator is perfect. If I am not creating Excel documents, you will find me spending many hours embedded in graphic design!

In my spare time, I manage The Wales Transplant Football Team, which has players from across the whole of the country who have had or waiting for their gift of life of kidney, pancreas, liver, heart and cornea transplants.

When I'm not lacing up my boots, I am with my family enjoying simple things like going out with the dog, walking along a beachfront or perched in a restaurant enjoying food… I love food!

Film buff, loving all things sci-fi and fantasy. Will happily binge-watch LOTR or Stars Wars every day of the week.

My name is Hannah Collier, and I am the Branch Manager of Bridgend and the Live-in Care Manager.

When I am not at work, I enjoy spending time with my three children and my husband.

I had my first care job in 2009, mainly because I wanted to try something new but quickly realised how rewarding jobs in care are, and how much of a difference you can make to someone’s day.

My first job was as a support worker working with adults with learning difficulties. After quickly realising I wanted to pursue a career in care, I became a care coordinator working with elderly people within their own homes and then came to ND Care & Support in 2016 as a care coordinator continuing to work with the elderly within their own homes but also going back to my roots of working with adults with additional needs. ND Care & Support also work with children which is an area of care I hadn’t worked in previously but absolutely love.

In 2021, I became the branch manager of our Cardiff branch and following my maternity leave, started managing the Bridgend Service from December 2023. I continue to enjoy making a difference every day. My responsibility is to ensure the safe running of the branch, ensuring the quality and compliance of the service.

When I am not at work, I enjoy spending time with my family and my dog Mabli. I also enjoy reading, knitting and music.

I had my first care job in 2014, however, due to university and living away from home, I decided to leave the health and social care sector.

In 2019, I made the decision to rejoin the health and social care sector and worked as a support worker with individuals with autism and learning disabilities. From there I worked as a care assistant in a nursing home working with those with mental illness, challenging behaviours and brain injury. I developed my skills and became a Moving and Handling trainer and led the team from 2021 – 2023 before becoming an advanced practitioner.

I became the Service Lead in ND Care and Support in June 2024 as I decided that I wanted to go back to working with those who require care in their own homes as this was where I started my journey in health and social care in 2014. I am also excited to learn and gain experience as ND Care and Support also work with children which is an area of care I haven’t worked in previously.

My responsibilities within my role are to support the registered manager with the running of the branch. I am also responsible for supporting the team, completing reviews of those we support and supporting out-of-hours.

In my free time, I enjoy moments with my partner and child, along with our two energetic dogs that certainly keep me on my toes.

I took care of family members when I was younger, but my journey in the care sector began during the pandemic when I became a care assistant for a domiciliary care company in the Vale of Glamorgan. Although it was a tough experience, I found it incredibly rewarding and worked there for two years before deciding to explore different areas. This led me to become an agency worker, where I had the opportunity to work in various settings, including a surgical ward as a care assistant, a school supporting children with additional needs as a teaching assistant, a care home, and in supported living with adults who present challenging behaviours. Eventually, I permanently transferred to a supported living home as a support worker, where I appreciated the variety, each day brought. I then worked within the office of the home assisting with administrative tasks, I then moved into the maintenance department to coordinate the maintenance team. Although it was a temporary position, I realized that coordinating was my passion, prompting me to apply for a coordinator role within ND. Now, I am able to build on the skills I acquired in my previous roles while continuing to learn and grow.

My responsibilities include ensuring the well-being of our clients and staff, managing the rota, and supporting our carers in their professional development.

When I am not in work I enjoy spending time roller skating, weightlifting, and spending evenings down the beach with family.

I started my working career owning salons in the Hair and Beauty Industry for 23 years.

I have been a PA for a close family friend caring for a child with severe physical disabilities for the last 18 years. This inspired me to work in care and support, assisting young adults with disabilities and helping them lead an independent life. I found this so incredibly rewarding.

My responsibilities within my role primarily include monitoring the care and support we give our service users, building good relationships with both service users & care staff and assisting the management team with the daily running of the branch. I regularly review & update care plans to reflect changing care needs, while supporting care staff with training needs and organising mandatory training.

Due to the majority of my working life being based in the care sector, it has allowed me to gain a wealth of experience within this field. I started my career as a Carer. This has given me a true understanding of what it takes to be a fantastic carer. It is these traits that I strive to instil in all of my team members across my region. I have had several roles over the past 10 years from Carer to Supervisor, Care Coordinator to Registered Manager and then furthered my career to Regional Manager back in 2019. Having experience in different roles has enabled me to see care from many different angles to provide the best possible experience for both our staff and customers. I am truly passionate about care, enjoy helping others and will always go the extra mile! I am approachable and honest and will always try to assist with any issues either my staff or customers may have.

I feel that there is nothing more important than the quality of care being provided and that the care team, out in the field and within the office, are recognized for their hard work and commitment. I try to keep the care teams' morale high by ensuring that they are all happy and get job satisfaction. I like to celebrate success and support internal progression. I enjoy watching people succeed in their jobs and will support individuals to reach their goals.

Qualifications
- NVQ Level 3- Diploma in health and social care (adults)
- Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Adults Advance Practice)
- Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Adult Management)
- ILM Level 4 Diploma In Management
-ILM Level 5 Management and Leadership

Provides strategic leadership with a unified approach and shared ownership of the overall direction and issues affecting the organization as a whole.

Holds professional and legal responsibility and accountability for the effectiveness, viability and profitability of the whole care business.

Provides contract management support to the team of regional and registered managers.

Fulfils the legislative requirements of a care agency.

Oversees changes to the delivery of services in response to changing legislation, quality and performance requirements.