learning disability nurse

support worker

care team leader

deputy manager

disability support worker

Lifeways Group

I would like to start with the good, I have met some amazing and lovely people doing this job and all being the support workers, so many of them work so hard. And in a way we are like a family. Most support worker are very supportive towards each other and we would be lost without each other. The residents we support can be challenging however it can be amazing to see them smile. I feel joy knowing that service users are living the best life we can offer. I have so much respect for support workers and I'm happy to have met the service users. I feel this job has evolved me as a person and I have new skills, so for that i am thankful to the company. 

PAY 
However I feel there is things that I for one don't agree with. Since starting lifeways over a year ago I have been warned about pay. I have seen lifeways addess this multiple times yet in my year here I have seen nothing but wrong pay? I know people who have been waiting months to still be payed correctly? I and many others are payed wrong multiple times, I have never had a problem like this in my past jobs?? Its not fair and it needs to be sorted, all I hear is lifeways repeating the same thing and nothing changing.

Management 
To be blunt the management here at lifeways Leicester can be awful. The team leaders are rude and give staff little to no support, team leaders only give support staff more stress. The way they talk down to support staff can be disgusting, The managers can be the same being just as rude and disrespectful and dismissive . They do not put staffs needs or feelings into consideration at all. They ring staff all the time as well they ring staff who are off from 7am-9pm and have even rang staff on AL. It seems like the higher ups put to much stress on team leaders because they always look like there about to have a melt down ? Higher up give off a huge "I'm better and more important then you" vibe. To them were nothing but replaceable workers. I understand the job of a team leader and manager can be very stressful for them and I admit there has been good times with team leaders and management how ever my over all view is still the same.

Challenging behaviour 
Going into this job I was never fully prepared or told about how challenging the service users can be eg physical and mental abuse towards staff. We was given the most useless tips and the small amount of training was useless. We was never told how to properly defend ourselves. Have been kicked, slapped, headbutt, punched, grabbed, hair pulled, pushed, glass objects throw, metal objects thrown and more, management dont care about staffs safely they simple just want shifts covered. Staff feel unsafe and scared and management refuse to care or bat an eyelid, we get told to deal with it, most problems we face we are simply told to deal with it. I do not come to work to be abused. I have asked for more training for challenging behaviour and have be brushed aside. Staff are so scared to work that they are nearly in tears?? Residents abuse staff and are rewarded for it so of course they do it again. We are told that we are meant to treat the service users like adults yet if a adult goes to hit you or threatens you, you wouldn't still take them out or go near them for your safely.

Service users
I feel so bad for the service users because items seem to always break and will either take months or never get fixed, doors break machine and dryers are always broke, I have counted aleast 6 service users meds cupboards being broken two of which being broken for over a year. The communal lounge is disgusting, all the sofas are stinky and broken the springs have gone and their all lumpy with the leather or whatever fabric on them ripped to shreds. The halls ways have cobwebs and the whole building smells awful.

Other notes I would like to add
Their have been times staff feel bullied by other support staff or by management and nothing is done.
Also alot of items have been getting stolen from residents and some items from staff have been stolen and nothing has been put in place go stop it, over all I feel that lifeways is an unsafe place to work. Working at lifeways makes me feel like lifeways don't care about staff they only care about there image and money, And all this for minimum wage. 
Over all it makes me sad because this could be a great place to work and the staff and service users deserve it. Please prove me wrong lifeways and show me and others what a wonderful and supportive community you can be.

I worked for lifeways for 4 and half years, worked my way up from support worker to team leader the first 3 years was amazing i loved my job and had so much work satisfaction helping service users live there best lifes possible and prompting their independence, management and staff was amazing always there to help and reassuring you when you needed it and always had the service users best interests in mind at all times. training was all up to date and relevant, always more when needed. yes the hours was long (14 hours) but it was worth it for what we was doing. management and staff left because of lifeways and how they treat there employees which left us in dangerously low staffing.

fast forward to the last year and a half new management came in who was all out of service, which they did there best and thats all we could ask we support them as much as they did us alot of changes happened some good but some bad in the end things started to get better. as a service we started to grow service users plans was changing for the better and staffing levels was coming up and so was moral.
new area managers/ head office on the other hand did not care about the service or service users what so ever expecting us to be able to support the service users on low staffing (which there way to fix this was agancy who wasn't trained and couldn't follow plans which caused more issues that actually helped) minimal money to be able to do activities with service users or to keep fridges/ cupboards full for them. houses were in a state and no matter how many times managment asked for things to be fixed this never happened which left myself and others having to buy food and items for activities out of are own money so service users did not struggle. even though covid-19 happened management provided us with PPE and regular testing as much as possible to keep are selfs and service users safe. yet again management started to leave due to false promises from area managers and lifeways its self worked everyone managment/staff to the bone with promises of change which never happened. 

new manager came in that was just as bad as the area managers did not care about staff the service or service users, belittled staff and made them feel like they could not do there job, only got anywhere if you face fit and you bowed down and brown nosed, training was none existent and staffing levels was dangerously low and injury to staff became a regular thing. care plans was changed without the best interest of the service or service users put first. felt so sorry for new starters that was expected to do a few shadow shifts then just thrown on service users that had complex needs. team leaders was over worked and i would say underappreciated but that wouldn't even cut it.we always had a open door policey between staff to teamleaders and same for managerment this no longer happens door was always closed and no issues could be resolved as door would be always locked or just ignored or the issue would be raised and nothing would actually get done about it. the way they ran the home had a knock on effect and staff/team leaders stopped caring, staff was to scared to put complaints in or contact anyone due to area manager/manager as nothing ever got done or you just got felt like you was in the wrong  which is wrong in so many ways. so many plans were broken which caused staff to struggle to support or to de escalate situations. which brought me to point that I could no longer work for lifeways anymore. so many staff looked up to me but I could no longer be the team leader I use to be as i was constantly tired I had no more fight left for the service users or staff ,I started suffering from panic attacks and anxiety because of this which I had never suffered with before.

I no longer work for lifeways and still get contacted by staff for advice as management either ignore or are not willing to help.4 years ago i would have adviced anyone who wanted a new challenge and a rewarding job apply but now i wouldnt advice everyone to work for lifeway unless you like working long dangerous hours with a company and management that dont care about staff or service users as long as they finish on time is there main priority.

l am currently a student at theUniversity of Wolverhampton and near completion.During my training for the past two years l have passed my exams and assignments first time which l have been proud of myself.Nursing has been my passion since l finished school as l thought its a rewarding and fulfilling job, so for me to reach this far is a dream come true.I have gained my experience working with different clientele groups in a variety of clinical specialties. I am a committed and a well motivated student nurse who is able to provide relevant forms of care without direct supervision and work well using my own initiatives. I am able at communicating with a wide range of people in a professional manner and l communicate with relatives & members of the multi-disciplinary team in line with NMC .l consider myself as someone who is able to provide high quality nursing care and participate in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of the care needs of patients. l am keen to consolidate my development and education further in a clinical care setting and to play an active part in the continuing development of my workplace and actively contribute to the maintenance of an environment conducive to the delivery of high standards of patient care by promoting good communication and relationships between staff, patients and relatives.l am a flexible individual and feel l can act as a positive model.I consider myself when given the opportunity to show commitment and welcomes new challenges with a positive attitude.Iam a conscientious, competent and capable person who has the experience of communicating with a diverse range of people in a professional and diplomatic manner at all times and in a variety of different situations. Iam an individual who is reliable, well organised and can work under pressure and achieve deadlines. Iam willing to participate in training to enhance my future career development.


l consider myself to have the essential key skills to be competent for the patients to receive high standard of care ;

1.Confidence- Having worked as a care support worker for the past few years and doing my placements in different settings has made me gain confidence.l have worked in the community as a support worker making different decisions with and without supervision.

2.Team Working- l feel that working as part pf a team is a vital skill that l have developed through my placements.We have worked in teams with others providing holistic care for patients. Team working has been the central point during my professional training where at once we were expected to do a presentation at the university which we passed as a result of team working.

3.Communication.- l have managed to further and develop both my verbal and writing skills during my studies and placements.Many times l have completed assignments as part of a group and individually. Communication has been central to the success of the given activities.l have improved my communication skills during my placement whilst communicating with the MDT and colleagues and passing on important messages.


4.Organisation: I have developed effective organisational skills during my studies as l had to manage and complete several assignments at the same ensuring that l met the deadlines.It was important to organise my time in order to deliver what was required of me as a student as well as being a mother and a wife. 

As an ex employee with over xxx years of experience in a variety of roles from support worker to management, working across several counties within Lifeways, I can say with confidence that Lifeways do not work ethically, with either staff or the people being supported.

Any good reputation Lifeways have gained are based purely on the fact that there are some good support workers who have dedicated their time and efforts to improve the life and quality of the people being supported.

These hard working support workers are paid poorly, and often have to double their working, unsociable hours to meet there own basic cost of living. Lifeways fall well under the national average in terms of pay. Staff are also not paid for any E-Learning based training, and are expected to do this in their own free time.

Anyone considering working for Lifeways only have to break down the list of benefits on jobs sites such as these to realise that they are not really benefits at all, and most company's today offer those, if not more, as standard.

To those who have been offered a job with Lifeways. My advise would be to really study and learn your contract, also note that only your basic working hours IE 37.5hrs per week are enforceable, along with flexibility within those hours. Anything else is deemed 'additional' and you don't need to provide proof or reasoning if you don't wish to do them, even if they say that you do. So really learn the difference between your basic working, contracted hours VS additional, because there is a big difference, and one that is not made clear.

Anyone keen to further their career in management, its a good, basic stepping stone until you feel skilled enough to exceed elsewhere outside of the company like I did,  like many do. Don't expect support though. THERE IS NONE, they are fully aware that you are in a throw away job, you are expendible.

Good management try their best, but often leave after a short length of time due to poor working conditions, poor upper management support, and often with work related stress.

I see a lot of responses to reviews from Lifeways, about raising issues with their dedicated HR team. Lets be clear, HR work in the interests of the business, and are not always forthcoming with concerns you may have, even if they are genuine, or warranted,  they are not on your side.

Abuse often happens from the very top, and not necessarily where you'd expect. There are a lot of things that happen, that shouldn't, that were at risk of happening, but ignored until it's too late.

I'm affraid Lifeways are very good at hiding behind Logos and positive Mission Statements, they may even promote themselves as a leading provider and have their face out there. Just because Lifeways have investors to expand and dominate the Health & social Care industry,  it doesn't make them the best.

All I can say is that I chose to leave on reasonable terms with Lifeways, I'm not an ex employee with an axe to grind, my review is based on a lot of experience with this company on different levels, but if I ever needed to provide support to a loved one, Lifeways would definitely not be on my list,  and that sadly is the reality. 

I hope this helps make up the mind of any person who may be considering a future job with the company. :)



I was interviewed for a bank position supporting a gentleman in his own home 5 mins from where I live. My circumstances at that time meant I was unable to take something more permanent, however, I was promised first refusal should things change in the future. I was lone working and got on very well with the man and we became good friends, I couldn't ask for more. I was taking regular shifts to cover for someone going through college. The line manager left and a new one took over in her place, then the fun began. She never bothered to come and meet her new staff, or the service user, and came across rather cold, but we got on with it, the house practically run itself, we were a good team and helped each other when we could. 
Just months later, the girl I was covering for announced she was leaving the company, so it would be in my best interests to fill the void. All the staff thought this made perfect sense and I was in a better position to do so. I approached the new manager with my desire to take these vacant hours, (as promised at my interview), and she said she would get back to me, after all, my job was now unnecessarily under threat. As i'd heard nothing after few days later, I contacted her but she told me she already had someone lined up, against the wishes of the service user and much to the anger of his family and staff. I must add that up to this point, she still hadn't bothered to visit, nor take the feelings and wishes of the individual into account. The service user became very anxious and stressed that he didn't want new staff, he wanted me to stay, (he struggled with new faces, something that had been mentioned to the new manager but this fell on deaf ears). In fact, she shockingly told him to get used to it. This was clearly a manager with an attitude and on some kind of power trip, enjoying her new position as 'chief'. I emailed her on the man's behalf but Instead of responding, or holding a team meeting, she tried to get me disciplined where I had to travel to Chorley for an interview. She even went as far as calling me a rude name to another staff member, summing up the kind of person we were dealing with. 
Not long after, I was struck down with an awful illness and my life changed drastically in which my doctor signed me unfit for work. Months passed and I had no support from anybody, apart from the new manager reminding me how long I had been on sick and that my training had to be completed by a certain time, despite still sending in sicknotes and explaining my personal crisis. I called the office with my grievance, but a week later, I received a letter from this manager terminating my position. Such people don't have the ability to see beyond the happiness they get from destroying others, this is a mask of vindication which has no audience other than their own kind. My review will probably invoke a generic response but I gain nothing from twisting facts! Be very cautious of power-hungry managers!

First and foremost a client is at the heart at every service and they are the most rewarding part of any caring role or those supporting for the right reasons and not a pay packet.

Support staff are the very foundation with which this company stand and make substantial profit from and for that staff are treated no better than a kicked dog.

Within most services the clients needs and wants are brushed under the carpet to deal with the main issues 'the bitchiness' between staff, understanding that all staff members are unhappy appreciated, but, the continued lack of confidentiality between 'friendly' service managers and support staff causes a great deal of conflict with the psst psst psst !! a continual chinese whisper and bitchfest, somewhere amongst that is the care that should be given to clients and foremost concentrated on at all times.

Service managers fail to deal with genuine issues and the paperwork, risk assessments within services is either none existent or not up to date enough to carry out a job role. The preference to some service managers is to come into a service sit gossiping whilst drinking tea/coffee and say goodbye, not once in my years have I ever received a spot check by ANY service manager. just a thought maybe if they spent less time causing conflict between staff by breaking confidentiality and actually completing their job role services would run themselves sufficiently.

Staff have a depressive attitude to work and in part I can completely understand like so many others have stated pay packets are terrible when you consider the profits that they say they do not make even though this information is readily available for a small fee from company house, but as 'idiot staff' we would not have the brain capacity to know that. 

Team Leaders - what are they ! whilst they like others try their best, most are stepping down due to the lack of support from service managers and those above, and where no team leader exists you have one or two support staff whom take it upon themselves to become the 'super support' until winding staff up to the point of destruction.

LIFEWAYS GET YOUR DAM ACT TOGETHER ! 

I consider myself a good support worker, and work for the right reasons which is why all of the above is so damming, I watch. I listen, I am always learning, but not through the training that is received, and as staffing goes I'd say I see all hear all and say nothing, that seems to be the only way to survive the nastiness within some services. Managers and above really do need to start to act on the reasons why its the good staff they are losing because when a dog is dragging its nose along the floor they start looking for new owners, why am i making references to dogs. I'm sure by now you can guess why.

If you value you ability to care for others then this company is not right for you, if anything its upsetting.

Management and team leaders have favourites, and go out to do activities together without inviting anyone else. But when jobs are on the line, will suck up to you. Most of them sit around all day drinking tea and coffee letting support staff run around doing everything and still have the audacity to say 'I've been non stop' when theyve told support staff to do everything for them. If they dont like you, you will know as I have witnessed about 6 members of staff crying/getting upset. Even if you tell anyone nothing gets done anyway. If you report something, nothing is confidential and everyone in the work place will know about it. If you report team leaders they find out and can easily turn things around to get you sacked. When you open up about something they can turn it around and make you look bad and make you feel even more upset. If you get along with someone you work with, chances are, you will not be working with them. Even though, coincidentally, higher ups and certain staff members who are friends end up working together most the time. And if minimum wage wasnt rubbish enough, most pay days you are underpaid. You could stay later then usual and get no thanks. They use innopropriate language in front of service users, and if a service user calls the intercom, if they are not in the mood can put the phone on silence/ or answer it, and moan that they have called and probably wont go in for hours after they called. You get told to follow your timesheet, which never happens as they get you to do other things and then moaned at by other staff for not following time sheet? Most service users dont get the hours anyway. You get moaned at if the service users flat is a mess, but cant so anything for them since its de skilling them. If you get caught cleaning or helping out in the slightest you get a job chat. Even though I see staff who are friends with T/Ls, clean a whole flat but obviously they dont get in trouble. The only good thing about this job is the service users, they can easily make your day. They are lovely individuals which is the only reason to stay unless you are pushed enough to leave by team leaders and certain staff. They need to get priorities straight and realise we do our jobs to support the service users and not sit around talking and moaning about the staff who work hard. Working in this environment you are meant to work as a team but 0 team work in this work setting. I also know a number of people who have whistleblowed yet it doesn’t seem to be taken seriously and played down by management. New staff do not get welcomed in a warm way, they get moaned at for being lazy when the only shadow shift they had didn't get taught much at all. So if you apply, good luck and maybe it's different for you and if u get annoyed about anything, sitting in with a service users will always cheer you up and put a smile on your face.

I have now worked for Lifeways for three years, starting as a support worker with in the NHS and progressing to a Team Leader. Having a short break of four months I came back to lifeways and was invited to return to Becket court as a temporary Team Leader.
Since being back at Beckets I have tried to look at all aspects  to raise the standards and staff  morale.
I have had a target for Beckets to become one of the best high standards teams within the Lifeways group and to lead by example. 
Becket is a unit that has six single supported living services, but I am aware that supportive living and residential can overlap according to the health and safety.
Firstly I have looked at staffing levels and the successful reduction of agency usage by ensuring an adequate amount of staff on duty at any one time.  With having a full and stable personal this reflects favourable on staff and tenants.
Secondly I have looked at Rota’s and have used a request rota which has also brought the levels of sickness down as staff have had the opportunity to work around their private appointments and other commitments. I am now trying to instigate a rolling rota with requests.
Thirdly, Having regular individual staff team meetings and supervisions help to raise morale and raise issues of concern that needs to be challenged.
To praise staff when warranted and take staff to task over their transgressions.
I still need to implement ways to increase staff moral and interaction between staff. 
Fourthly I have looked at the staff compatibility to the tenants they support. With the staff members that are average workers I try to guide them in the right manner to achieve more and ensure that they maintain acceptable standards. Staff  that are the high achiever’s I try to encourage them to take more risks with the tenants with in health and safety limits. Although I feel that  some work needs to be done within this area.
With regard to the tenants I ensure that their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing is managed via support plan, risk assessments, activity planners and health and safety needs. 
Having and taking new risks with in a safe environment bringing varied ideas with new activities to explore within a community setting.
Becket court is on a start of a new journey to becoming the best unit within the lifeway’s group, I have identified further aspect that needs attention:
Staff morale
Staff interaction with one another
Getting all staff within the unit to read from the same page
To Lessen Staffs petty squabbles
To introduce personal pride within themselves, their colleagues and their environment
To find a common goal to work towards.
At this moment I am formulating a process which I will be discussing with my Line Manager.

I have two years of experience working in this area of work and have worked at three different places. One of them was Lifeways and I will be sure to never apply for their jobs again! My entire team I worked with lacked experience - it came to my attention that 90% of the staff had no qualifications or experience when I attended a pre-employment training course when I noted that out of a class of 23 only two people had relevant experience and qualifications (immediately alarm bells rang! Two weeks later when the course finished 22 of us were offered jobs including one 60 year old women who had never worked in her life and used bringing up children as being her relevant experience, and one young girl who had never worked too and showed no interest in the course what-so-ever... i'll let you think about that! During my interview I was told The work rota would always be done FOUR weeks in advance and I would get every other weekend off - HOWEVER the truth of the matter is that you are lucky if you recieve the following weeks rota on the friday, infact some weeks it was brought in on the SUNDAY and people were expected to work the following day. The word pay is a touchy subject at Lifeways because you would be lucky if you were only underpaid by £100 a month each month - you will never be paid accurately (or for the waking nights either). Because none of the Support Workers I worked with had any experience most of them did not know the meaning of the word "abuse" whether it be financial or neglect. There was no Team Leader whilst I was there, or petty cash. One of the many incontinent residents had a Kylee approximately four years old when I first started where nobody could be bothered to purchase a new one (this meant it did not absorb any urine.......) A typical day consisted of all the other Support Workers too lazy to take their clients out (that's if they bothered to turn up for work) so basically sitting on their bottoms all day watching t.v and drinking plenty of Tea and Coffee... the place of work was kept up very nice, clean and hygienic... The managment are very very poor and also too do not know the meaning of the word "abuse" (probably because most of them were promoted from support workers). The hardest part of the Job is knowing what you are seeing is wrong and not having your voice listened too! I (like many) have thankfully left. I would not even reccomend working here to gain experience because when it come's to moving on other employers may recognise the low/poor standards of this company. If you would like to get into care work/support work and have no experience, try somewhere else, or get some volunteer experience - it is easy to get a paid job with just 3 months volunteering experience. GOOD LUCK!

The hours worked, pay rates and terms are clearly outlined at the interview stage.  There is the huge feeling of achievement, when staff work as a team, enabling our service users to lead a full, content day.

I worked for Community Care Solutions prior to Lifeways Group as a support worker, and now have experience of supporting individuals with Autism and Learning Disability. My initial training was quite intense, but the framework of the role of Support Worker was well delivered.
.
Senior  staff were very experienced, having worked in the environment for a considerable time, guiding me on best practice of the support given to each individual.

My Managers are very focused on the welfare, care and happiness of the people we support, leading by example to show what standards of care are expected as a Support Worker.  It is quite reassuring to know that both my Manager, and the Regional Manager are fully open to discuss any matter of concern to me.
On many occasions, with short notice, my Manager has worked the day, completed a sleep-in, then worked the next day, just to ensure the continuity of care for the people we support, and supporting staff.

 Life/Work Balance, in any team environment have issues that arise, (appointments, commitments at home), and with enough notice given, shifts may be adjusted to allow your commitment to happen.  Same day, short notice is more challenging, but the Senior and Manager will normally have options to maintain continuity of care, even working the shortfall themselves. 

(Reading some reviews, where the Managers are criticised, I feel is a little short    sighted, the amalgamation of two care providers is never easy, with the adjustment of policies, procedures, recruitment, administration, all together is a huge change.  Yet still, my Managers maintain their attention to the care of the people we support, frequently at the cost of their own Life/Work balance)

 I left Lifeways to start a care position  closer to home, with support from both my Manager and Regional Manager, but soon realised the difference in the staff standards, training and care of residents, all of which fell far below the standards of which Lifeways insisted upon, I applied to return to my first role, and   I was
thankful to be re-employed,  and welcomed back back by both my Managers, local and regional.

I have been supported by my Manager in achieving my NVQ, and the possibility of advancement to Senior Role is available to me should I wish to continue my studies.

This is a vocational position, which brings a variety of challenges daily, and if you have the support of co-workers, senior staff and the manager, it is very rewarding, with immeasurable job satisfaction.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Learning disability nurse 3 salaries reported	£13.31 per hour
Support worker 108 salaries reported	£13.43 per hour
Care team leader 82 salaries reported	£13.21 per hour
Deputy manager 7 salaries reported	£28,309 per year
Disability support worker 63 salaries reported	£12.37 per hour

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