Meet Billy

Billy used to be in the army, and wanted a new career that would keep him active outdoors, never stuck in an office, and also provide opportunities to progress to management.

How did you start working in children’s homes?

I started working in children’s home six years ago. I needed a job that kept me active, outdoors all the time. This job came up, outdoor activity based. One week I’d find myself in accommodation in a tent, then I’d be on a boat. So it was always different. Wasn’t being stuck in normal office hours.

Tell me about the needs of the children you care for

Every young person’s individual. Everyone’s got their own unique needs, mainly therapy, intervention, guidance, support.

The main thing I’ve found is the same for most young people – they just need to be listened to and not be judged.

What does a day in a home (boat) for you look like?

A day on the boat can be interesting. On the mobile team I worked on we did 12 week placements. We work with a lot of complex young people, so when the behaviour escalated and they were in crisis, it was difficult on the boat – but once you got past that, once you earnt the young person’s trust and they broke down, they loved it. It was outdoors, it’s different.

We’ve worked with a lot of young people who come from gangs in London. They’ve never seen the outdoors. Never been in the countryside. Just being with nature – I worked with young person that had seen a ladybug for the first time and was mesmerised, didn’t know what it was. 

What’s the most challenging part of your job?  

The most challenging part of the job for me is the drive home. After dealing with a young person that’s been in crisis, or you’ve witnessed an incident of self-harm, it does play on your mind once you leave work. So you do need to be a very resilient character if you want to get into the sector. The main thing is don’t take work home with you. Don’t dwell on it. Decisions you made at the time would have been the best.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?  

The most rewarding for me is when you earn the young person’s trust. When the young people come into care, they’re disengaged or they don’t engage. Just don’t listen to anything, but as soon as you see that smile crack, you know you’ve got them and then the relationship forms from them.

The most rewarding part of the job for me is once you’ve earnt the young person’s trust. Generally when they come into care or into placement, they’re very disengaging or don't engage, but soon as you see that smile crack, you know you’ve got them. The relationship starts forming.

What do you think the children and young people need that children’s homes provide?

Especially within the home I work in, just being listened to, and not judged. They’ve come from a background where they might necessarily not have been listened to, or the behaviour’s escalated from then. But once they’re in a setting that is child centred, they’re listened to.

Tell me about a child / young person that you remember, their journey and outcomes.

One young lady I worked with, she came to us when she was 13, just turning 14. She was in a bad place, but I worked with her for a good number of years till she was 17, turning 18, and she just turned her life round completely. I can’t explain how proud I was of her, but she was functioning, she had a job, qualifications and then she moved on positive from a negative situation.

What are you career plans for the future?

I’m definitely going to stay in the sector. I want to focus more now on management. I’ve recently become into a management role and I just want to develop myself in that area.

What would you like to say to someone watching this who is thinking about working in a children’s home?

You just won’t find a more rewarding career. I can’t explain it.