We talk to Felicity Tarrant-Osman, who is a carer in a residential house for young adults with learning difficulties.

The main object of this guide is to provide the reader with up-to-date information about the wide variety of special needs schools and colleges available in the United Kingdom.  But what happens after schooling is finished?  Perhaps your son or daughter has learning difficulties and you are unable to care for them at home yourself, or they need full time supervision and/or care and you have to go out to work.  In such cases there are various options available. 

Some companies provide carers who either live in or come in on a daily basis to help with the day-to-day care.  But, if there is no room at the family home, what do you do?  There is another option: a house shared by a small group of people of similar age and abilities and supervised by a team of professionals. Just because a young adult has special needs, this should not and does not preclude them from living away from the family home, and why shouldn’t they?

We talked to Felicity Tarrant-Osman who works as a carer in a residential house for young adults with learning disabilities.  She is part of a team of people who look after and help a group of young women lead their lives outside of school, college and the family home.

What exactly do you do? 
FTO – I'm responsible for looking after a small group of people, with moderate to severe learning disabilities, in a residential home. I assist them in day-to-day living.

Could you describe the house and its surroundings for us? 
FTO – It’s a four bedroom detached house. We have a big back garden with a BBQ that gets a lot of use in the summer. It's a lovely big house with some gorgeous people living in it.

So, the residents all have their own rooms, their own space? 
FTO – Yes. Their rooms are their own personal space and they choose everything in it, the decoration, furniture etc.  It’s also a safe place for them and they are encouraged to go to their own rooms if they are acting up and behaving badly towards other residents.

How many people are you responsible for? 
FTO – In my house there are four young women; they’re all in their twenties.

Who looks after the day-to-day chores necessary to keep the house clean and tidy? 
FTO – We prompt the residents to keep the house clean and tidy, especially their rooms. They do their own vacuuming, cooking, washing and general tiding. We also encourage them to do some gardening as well.

Do you need qualifications for your job? 
FTO – Most companies prefer you to have NVQ level 2 or 3 or for you to have a great deal of experience and be prepared to go on training courses to gain relevant qualifications. If you train with the company then there is usually a clause in the contract to say that you have to work for them for a year or two after you qualify. You also do regular mandatory training eg health and safety, food hygiene, fire practice, first aid, adult protection, Makaton sign language and any other relevant training that will assist you in your job.  All carers have to undergo, and pass, CRB checks.

Do you share your responsibilities with other carers? 
FTO – There are two people working on the day shift. A senior shift leader like myself, and a support worker.  Generally there are two people on duty for each shift (so six in total with our shift system).  We also work alongside other people from multi-disciplinary teams (MDT), eg social workers, doctors, psychologists etc.
 
Do residents have one-on-one support? 
FTO – Each resident has a nominated key worker. Key workers have weekly meetings with the resident to make sure all their needs are met and to discuss anything they wish to do, including holidays. They also check to make sure they are happy with their level of support and have no problems with any staff member. If they do, whether it is another resident or staff member, then there are policies in place that we have to follow when we investigate any such problems.

And do you have to live in? 
FTO – No, I don't live in. Instead, we have a three-shift rota system: Early is 7.30am-3pm; Late is 2.30pm-10pm; Night shift is 9.30pm-8am.  So there’s always an overlap between shifts when we do our handover; check notes, update incoming staff on any problems or upcoming situations etc. Those on the night shift are awake and on duty throughout their shift.  There are random spot checks throughout all shifts by managers to check that there are no problems and that everything is okay.
 
So, how long is your working day? 
FTO – Generally I do a 71⁄2 hour shift.  However, when the residents go on holiday, that changes and you are there for them 24 hours a day

That sounds like you go on holiday with your residents. 
FTO – Yes, we do. We take them where ever they wish to go.  We get together a good selection of brochures for them to choose from, and also explain what’s on offer on each holiday (activities etc) so they can make an informed decision. It doesn’t matter whether they just want an individual holiday or to go altogether in a big group, we have to risk assess it, plan every little detail with the holiday company, and make sure there are relevant facilities available (eg disabled bathrooms).

Where did you go last time? 
FTO – Butlins.

Was it fun? 
FTO – Definitely. The residents had so much energy and danced every night, they had so much fun! The staff had great fun too, it was lovely to see the residents enjoying themselves, even if it was really hard work trying to keep up with them!
 
What was your funniest moment? 
FTO – Karaoke. The residents loved it and brought the house down with their singing!

Your saddest? 
FTO – Leaving to come home.  But there’s always next year to plan and look forward to.
 
Are you on call should an emergency arise? 
FTO – There are nominated people for any house emergency. However that’s not to say that if my key resident was taken ill and had to go to hospital, I wouldn’t be called.  I would definitely go and be there for them. You can't help it; you do get very fond of them.
 
Are visitors allowed in the house, other than family? 
FTO – Yes, anyone can have visitors, even boyfriends, as long as the visits are planned and people just don't turn up.  It’s just like any other family home.  The space is theirs but there are extra checks in place to make sure that the residents have a routine and are safe and happy.

So, are the residents allowed pets? 
FTO – Sadly, no. Not only would it not comply with health and safety it might also cause problems between them.

What do your residents do during the day: do they have jobs? 
FTO – Some go to college, some go to work and others go to day activity groups arranged by the company. They can work at any job they fancy, and are capable of doing, as long at it’s safe and we can find a vacancy for them.
 
Who arranges/finds work for your residents? 
FTO – We do. Again it all has to be looked into. Risk assessed etc.  The residents tell us the type of work they would like to do and then we phone around various suitable companies to see if they have any placements.

Do the residents eat meals together? 
FTO – We do encourage it. However there may be some exceptional circumstances when we may let  them eat alone, such as when they’re ill.  They are encouraged to choose their own food, although we do promote healthy eating.

Do you join them for meals? 
FTO – Sometimes we do, but on other occasions we use the free time to catch up on paperwork.
 
Are there nights when it’s just a takeaway and a DVD?  
FTO – Oh yes! Just like anyone else, the residents enjoy a night in front of the telly.

Are there arranged activities for the residents in the house, such as games, jigsaws, or trips to the cinema? 
FTO – Yes we like to do lots of activities including going to the pub or club for a drink and a dance.  Shopping for clothes is also a favourite day out and they all like going for long walks.

What happens when it’s someone’s birthday?  Do you have a party, tea and cakes, or go out on a special trip? 
FTO – We do whatever they want to do. That can mean hiring a hall and throwing a party, which the birthday girl gets to plan, or arranging to take them out for a quiet dinner.

What’s the best thing about your job and why do you do it? 
FTO – Job satisfaction. I love to go home and know that I've assisted in making someone’s day a lot happier and brighter and that I’ve managed to fulfil their needs.

Felicity Tarrant-Osman is a carer in a small residential home in Hampshire which caters for young adults with moderate to severe learning difficulties.