Emma Hall is a Deputy Manager in a Supported Living Scheme for adults with a learning disability. She is employed by the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT) and works in Newtownabbey. Emma took up her post as Deputy Manager on 30 September 2024. She is married with two children – a 10-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old son.
Social Care Journey
Emma has been working in the social care sector since 2008. She completed her GCSEs and an A Level in Health and Social Care before leaving school. While at school, she undertook an Occupational Therapy work placement and volunteered with the Learning Disability Special Olympics. Emma always had an interest in working in the health and social care sector, but in 2008 she was not sure exactly what this would involve. When a Support Worker position within the NHSCT came up, she applied for it thinking:
“I’ll go there for a bit while I decide what to do, and I sort of plodded on since and never went to uni.”
Emma worked as a Support Worker in a Respite Unit in Carrickfergus for 13 years, supporting adults with a learning disability. She enjoyed the role, feeling she was doing something meaningful:
“You felt like you are doing a worthwhile role because you were giving families that much-needed wee break and time off to recuperate before having to go again … plus I loved working with adults with learning disabilities.”
The Respite Unit supported adults with a range of learning disability needs, including physical needs and those with complex and challenging behaviours. Emma completed her Level 2 Diploma in Health and Social Care in 2009 while working in the Respite Unit.
The Support Worker role suited Emma’s caring responsibilities, especially when her children were small. In 2021, an expression of interest came up for a Senior Support Worker (Band 5) position in the Respite Unit when her son was two years old. Emma applied and successfully obtained the position. Later, a permanent Senior Support Worker role in a Supported Living Scheme in Larne became available in August 2021, and Emma secured this position.
While Emma liked her role in the Respite Unit, she was working shifts. The overnight shifts in the Senior Support Worker role had initially put her off applying for a senior post, especially when her children were younger. The move to the Senior Support Worker position in Larne was a significant change. In the Respite Unit, the focus was on working with families who were the primary carers. In the Supported Living Facility, the emphasis shifted to supporting the tenants directly—adults with learning disabilities—helping meet their needs and wants. Emma really enjoyed this new focus:
“It was a nice change, and I don’t think I would ever go back now.”
A Deputy Manager position became available in the Supported Living Scheme in Newtownabbey in September 2024. Emma had completed her Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care in March 2024 and successfully secured the post.
The Supported Living Scheme was purpose-built to support adults with a learning disability to live independently within their local community. Emma’s team supports 13 adults with daily living tasks, community integration, attending day placements, shopping, and booking holidays.
Learning and Development Journey
Emma has a very supportive manager, who oversees all three of the places she has worked. This manager recognised Emma’s potential and encouraged her to undertake the Level 2 Diploma a year into her post and to complete the Level 3 Diploma shortly after she progressed into her senior role. Her then, Deputy Manager also encouraged her to apply for the Deputy Manager role, giving her the push, she needed at a time when she was content in her senior position.
“I was kind of floating along, my kids were young, the job just worked for me, and it was my deputy who pushed me to go for the expression of interest. Otherwise, I would probably just be sitting as a Support Worker and never have done any more qualifications – so it was my Deputy Manager who gave me the wee push I needed.”
Emma really enjoyed completing her two vocational qualifications and found them very beneficial.
“You do what you are meant to do and don’t really think about the reasons why you do them. But whenever you start to put it on paper and have to answer questions, it makes you realise, ‘Oh, this is why I do this.’ You do know, but you don’t really think about it day to day. It just makes you think more. It’s really relevant to your job. I definitely think it prepares you for moving to the next band because it highlights things and makes policies fresh in your head... I enjoyed doing both, and I’m hoping to do my Level 5 soon too.”
She was supported by a senior member of staff, who was also an NVQ assessor, to complete her Level 2 Diploma. When completing the Level 3 Diploma, a Health and Social Care Trust assessor came to the unit, which Emma found very helpful, as they had more time to provide 1-to-1 support and guidance. Emma found both qualifications helpful in progressing to a senior position. They built her confidence and helped her develop her knowledge and skills.
Emma undertook research while completing her qualifications, which has expanded her knowledge and understanding of various topics. She uses the internet, the NISCC website, and Learning Zone for research.
Other Learning and Development
Emma has completed all the required mandatory and refresher training, including Safeguarding, Infection Prevention and Control, COSHH, Fire Safety, Food Safety, etc. She feels that since COVID, there have been fewer opportunities for training outside of mandatory and eLearning. She recalls doing Makaton training years ago, which she found very helpful for communicating with adults in the Respite Unit. She really enjoyed using Makaton to connect with adults who had difficulty communicating.
Emma finds refresher training gives a fresh perspective on practice. For example, she finds the Respect Training—which aims to prevent, de-escalate, and safely support people displaying behaviours of concern—very helpful. The various scenarios made her think about how she would respond in practice. The Respect course initially was delivered face-to-face, followed by an annual half-day refresher, which she last completed in November 2024.
Emma completes most of her mandatory training via the HSCLearn site. She feels all training is vital and believes the new HSCLearn site is a great improvement, offering a wide range of training beyond the required courses. Training opportunities are shared with staff, and she recently completed a day course on Autism in February 2024, with (at the time of the interview) another session planned for March 2024.
Emma believes that on-the-job training is the most important training, but sees the value in both face-to-face and online training:
“In-person training allows you to be in a room with other people, and it’s easier to talk to them than online—you can read the room better. eLearning and Teams training save the hassle of travel and don’t impact the day as much. I don’t mind either, to be honest, but with the Respect training, you need to do manoeuvres and interventions, so it has to be face-to-face.”
Emma also completed a Safeguarding Level 3 course in November 2024 to support her new role and responsibilities as a second signer when reporting safeguarding concerns.
She has asked to be placed on the waiting list for an Absence Management course, as Emma feels it would build her confidence and knowledge in her Deputy Manager role. She has covered the topic before but feels she needs a refresher.
In supervision with her manager, Emma discusses her learning and development goals. In recent years, her focus has been on qualifications.
Career Progression
Emma had never imagined progressing beyond a Senior Social Care Worker role. However, now in her Deputy Manager position, she feels she has exceeded her original goals. Part of her agreement in accepting the post was to undertake the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care (Adult Management) after six months in post and Emma commenced the Level 5 qualification in March 2024. Emma is currently happy in her role and hopes that completing the Level 5 qualification will give her the confidence to pursue higher managerial positions.
While her A Level and work placements gave her some insight into the sector, and although she once considered a degree in Health and Social Care, she is glad she entered the workforce directly. She has been able to progress steadily to Deputy Manager and is motivated to continue developing her career.
“I’ve had a lucky career, where I’ve always had someone supporting me and providing the opportunity to do qualifications along the way… The learning and development I’ve undertaken has allowed me to progress through my career. It teaches me new skills to make sure I’m providing the best level of care and doing everything appropriately.”
Care in Practice (CiP) Framework
Emma had not heard about the Care in Practice Framework before the interview, but after reviewing the links, she thinks it is a great initiative. She sees it as a valuable resource to support continuous learning, development, and career progression, offering helpful guidance for social care practitioners.