Recognition for Judith’s skills and her major contribution
Consensus place great importance on recruiting and developing colleagues who share our vision and values. We are also hugely proud of what colleagues achieve and enjoy recognising their success and skills by nominating many of them for national, regional and local awards.
Meet Judith Capel-Jarvis who has worked within social care for the last 12 years. Initially purely in Mental Health and as she joined Consensus in January 2015 she took on responsibility for individuals with both Learning Disabilities and Mental Health needs. Judith was shortlisted to interview in this year’s Wales Care Awards, read more to discover why.
Judith is instrumental in managing four services in her area and an outreach service which she personally developed on behalf of Consensus. The services she manages look after some 16 individuals who have a range of needs, some very complex, with extremely challenging behaviours.
With great pride and a huge amount of energy Judith role involves a multitude of actions and activities ensuring that her services are well led, deliver great outcomes for those they support and that new business is secured continuously through the relationships she has built with key stakeholders, families, relatives and colleagues.
Externally, a normal week can see her attending forums, conference, completing assessments for individuals wishing to reside at one of the services, making expressions of interest for new business. Internally Judith leads a large support team over the services and provides supervisions, training, time for reflection and improvement in areas important to those we support. She completes all the reporting, recording and auditing on behalf of the services and plays a major part in the recruitment and induction of any new colleagues. However the teams are stable and turnover of colleagues is at its lowest level with Judith in post.
Judith also completes all the outcome records for each individual in line with ‘Supporting People’ as they receive funding from this organisation for a few of the individuals they support.
The senior management team recognise Judith’s skills and her major contribution in these last two and half years and the stability of both individuals and the support team and whole heartedly recommended her for the award.
The four services Judith leads all cater for individuals with very different levels of need and complexity. However in the time she has been working with her teams, coaching, mentoring and training she is delighted that many of the individuals they support have achieved their goals and some are living more independently that thought possible before she took on her role.
Some individuals just need support in areas such as budgeting, other might need support with keeping their homes tidy, so that, they do not lose their tenancies and or that the rent is paid on time.
Through ensuring a consistent approach in training of her teams and care and support given to individuals Judith has seem some very positive results.
One lady had lived in one of the services for around six years as Judith joined but through a more person centred supportive approach she has been upskilled sufficiently that she now lives in her own flat, still supported by Judith’s team. Judith says it is about supporting and enabling.
Another individual has been with Judith team for around eighteen months and he has been encouraged and supported to develop his social skills in the community and his ability to budget and manage his finances. He is feeling so confident now that he is taking the step of taking a trip to New Zealand for a Rugby trip (supported) for two weeks this summer. It’s a huge step for him and extremely positive. His family are delighted with this progress.
One young lady received support with managing her finances and also now works one day a week, paid. She has also received support around managing relationships, as she struggled with the dynamic of her very large family. The support she has received has benefited her immensely with a recent family trip completed to Pontins, which she thoroughly enjoyed. Her behaviours when she becomes anxious have reduced so significantly that she no longer requires PRN.
Judith says that through the person centred plans formulated with the people supported, relatives, professionals and colleagues, there are some great outcomes being achieved and yet more to come, she is certain. She is delighted that others say when they walk into the services they feel like they’re home.
Judith manages supported living services in Caerleon, Haverfordwest and Carmarthen along with outreach services in the region. All services are fully compliant and have received complementary feedback from CSSIW, Individuals supported and families.