support worker

field supervisor

deputy manager

service manager

registered nurse

Voyage Care

I enjoy my position as a support worker for Voyage Care and as part of the team at Ancaster mews. 
I am a single parent and I have to travel to come into work but I find that management has been really helpful when it comes to fitting my shift pattern around my children.

Support work here isn't all about wiping bottoms and cleaning up vomit!
Ancaster mews is an assisted living complex in Lincolnshire where 9 people who we support reside and they are fully supported to maintain their independence by a team of support workers.

A typical day includes assisting pws (people we support) with personal care, including washing, bathing, getting dressed and brushing teeth. 
Once meds trained you will be able to administer medication, follow and sign a MAR chart.
You will be expected to assist the pws with ideas for meals and help with food preparation and cooking, you may need to assist at mealtimes (if needed) and help to complete household chores, but all of the support given depends on the pws abilities. If the pws can do any of these things for themselves (apart from administering their medication which needs to be administered and recorded by a meds trained staff member) they are encouraged to do so, but some may need more support than others.

Being a support worker here isn't all about getting your hands dirty, our individuals who we care for are encouraged to remain active within the community, they attend doctors appointments like everyone else and you will be able to drive and support on journeys in their vehicles if you have a full UK driving license.
We also support our individuals by arranging activities that they wish to enjoy, some of which include grocery/clothes shopping, a lunch or dinner out at a restaurant, visiting family, trips to the seaside or park, they may even choose to go to the cinema and watch a film if they would like and you may even have the opportunity to accompany and support them on holidays abroad or elsewhere in the UK. There is a fair bit of paperwork and money counting involved, but it is all done and recorded to protect our individuals from financial abuse.

I have worked for Voyage care for 11 months and throughout my time working for this company I have found that the training provided is great and it helps you to understand your job role better and to understand certain medical conditions and disabilities, life support and administering rescue medication and I have learnt so much.
Unfortunately, the training programme isn't just in house training and you will be expected to arrange travel to attend some training, although travel time and mileage are paid.
You will have access to an online training portal which you are expected to complete before you can work the floor and you will need to keep your modules up to date.

Shift patterns are -
Day staff
07:30 -14:30
14:30 -21:30
Night staff
21:30 -07:30

Overall, Ancaster mews is a great place to work, we are a friendly and helpful team, our management team tries its best to keep everyone happy.
I have bonded really well with the staff and the people we support, it doesn't seem like you are at work when you are here, it feels like you are spending time with and supporting family.
  
The only downside to working here is that we have lost some amazing and talented staff who have left to work elsewhere offering a better hourly wage and we have been understaffed here for so long. 
On days where we are short-staffed, work can be high paced and stressful.

Even though Voyage care has recently increased our hourly pay to £8.60 many other companies are offering much more with added benefits and perks, especially as the cost of living is rising people will leave to find higher paid employment elsewhere. 

To whoever reads this, especially Voyage care I hope that you have found my review helpful and interesting.

There is a institutional bullying Culture running through the company. There is no support for staff what so ever.  If you have any concerns or issues with management or staff , don't expect any resolutions. Management thrive on having a division between staff. Hostile working condition, working long hours and no breaks, not even 15 minutes, so you can work 16 hours and throughout the day you can just about go to the toilet. .Alot of  Staff fear of repercussions if they speak up on major issues. Cultural racism is also encouraged . Team work is a thing that is not promoted. Voyage Care is all about looking good on Paper and by that I mean by ticking boxes. Management pile on the workload on staff whilst they do not play an active role, and support their staff. Staff are pushed to the brink of tears and frustration. Alot of stressed out work colleagues. Friends are hired and are encouraged to tell management if there are any disgruntled staff and communicate whats being said ! The pay is degrading for what the job entails. 
Hospital appointments,  administering medication,Gp , Dentist appointments. Personal Care, Food shopping, Cleaning alot of cleaning, laundry , cooking . Paperwork that is beyond a joke, I mean alot of paperwork. Activities, which some staff find challenging, due to their age and abilities. Some staff are just lazy and they get away with alot as they are " The teachers Pet!" Staff are belittled and spoken to in a derogatory way and tone. This is not the company to work for if you have no back bone. They will make mince meat out of you. I thank God I was raised by a strong women and refuse to be a victim to a bully. Free breakfast, lunch , dinner, lets talk about that. There's just about enough food bought for the residents, let alone the staff, just to get a bonus by going under the budget by management! The foods that are bought are budget value, which is ok in moderation, their is no choice of quality as the residents do not know the difference and could not converse what brands they would like.! If you do not eat or aren't use to the foods on the menue, in some homes, you are told you cannot bring in your own food whether you have any underlying health issues!  ie diabetic.. Staff are too afraid to challenge management on this for not being giving shifts. I'm thankful that this is not in our home that I worked in , but it's going on to date in another home. There's a pass the buck mentality from management if anything goes wrong, no support, just throw staff under the bus. Staff who are not British are victimised beyond a joke and bullied daily where I worked.  Stay away modern day slavery with pittance of a wage. Continuous staff shortage to save money and for management to get their yearly bonus. The only thing that bumps up your pay is doing a sleepin, the pay would be diabolical without that. 
I was trying to get out of the job 2 months after starting  to work for the company ! The job market is terrible now and due to my age , I couldn't  just leave a job to go to nothing secure. If you are a caring and a supportive person and expect team work from Upper management straight down the board, this is not the company to work for. No room from progression especially if you are a person who challenges the ethics in Voyage care. If you want stress and no Support and a bullying culture Come aboard!

Recently I finished my job working with Voyage Care and I can honestly say it is one of the best things I have done. I have never felt so thrilled quitting a job because it was the worst time I have ever had in a job. 

I stayed in the job for about two months and since leaving the job it has been bliss. In terms of a typical day at work, it totally depended on the client you were working with and depending on their mental state and mood. In terms of what I learnt, virtually nothing and even then, the stuff I learnt was not dealt with in the best manner. For example, I never once got shown how to do stuff like shower my client and because of this, it led to several behaviours because I was not aware how to shower the person I was looking after. Because of this concern I had, I was shouted down at and people did not express their concern in a mature and realistic manner. As well, because the working days were done through shifts, it would be expected that you would go to work at a ridiculous time and be ready from 7am. And the worst thing was even when you asked for certain days for time off, they would disregard it which made your experience with admin and everyone very displeasurable. As I said earlier, if you take this job, forget about having a social life as its non existent in this job. 

Because of this behaviour, I found the behaviour and workplace culture very disgusting. When I rang in to the office to get in contact with someone, nobody was available to answer a question and one call that you would hope only take 5 minutes would take 30 mins to answer one question as you were being passed on from person to person. And then theres the attitude that they give you. Put it this way, if you've had lots of experience in the care industry then you're safe. The management will happily praise you to high heaven. But if you are new to it (like I was) then they will have a go at you and this is supposedly to help develop your own skills in being a Support Worker. Personally, I find this behaviour very objectionable and of a bullying attitude in which there is no help or guidance in developing your skills as a support worker. This behaviour is that bad that sometimes, I wouldn't want to actually do anything just because you would actually be concerned that you would get criticised for not doing something right and you would be tackled in this very bullish attitude that you would explain. Yet, when you would ask them for help, their first reaction would be "No. Sort it out yourself." which led me very dissatisfied with the treatment of staff (Some of which I know have left for exactly the same reasons). 


Are there any positives? Well no.

Voyage Care are quite honestly the worst company I have ever worked for,  I worked for some pretty rotten companies. 

All the problems start with management and filtered down through the staff. There is no discipline from the management, they all seem to look as if they are busy and professional but underneath they are probably the most unprofessional out of everybody. The team leader in my home is constantly causing trouble as they  so we want to keep control and not let anybody think for themselves.  I have no work life balance because I the Rota is not in advance at all,  the earliest I’ve ever got it  it was a week before the month begins  therefore I cannot plan anything in advance with my family. When I bring this up with management it just gets shrugged off.  And is supported living and not care the residents should have their own choices and have capacity although we are all expected to ignore that when it suits the company.

The staff are shocking and I have been to management a number of times complaining about staff conduct and staff doing things that are completely against the law such as manhandling residence without any moving and handling training whatsoever.  Down to the lack of training that the company provide and they expect you to hit the ground running whether you got the knowledge or skills to do so or not. Medication errors are a regular thing but are also swept under the carpet as to save paperwork. I have tried to put staff members right as I do have experience in care but just get shouted or moaned at for trying to help.  Confidential documents are left out on the side and even when they are in the cupboard, the cupboard is not locked and anybody could get in to read them.  Staff it around and constantly moan about the job, about each other,  and discuss other staff members personal lives in front of the residents which is completely unprofessional and also gets me down.  I described the place recently as poison, you don’t realise it’s  draining the life out of you until one day you find yourself going home crying and don’t wanna speak to anybody  and then realise that this has been happening for a while.

As a Manager for less than a year with this organisation I can say with some confidence that it was the most soul-destroying, heart-breaking and terrifying experience of my life. I'd come to believe that these models of care had been left behind in the dark ages, and yet Voyage operate them not only in abundance but with pride.

The company is too large and too greedy to ever support vulnerable adults effectively. Nobody wants to read about the profits we've generated for investors while disabled people are living in misery and squalor under their supposed care. The organisation will continue to reap the financial rewards of cheap, low-quality residential housing solutions until they're held to account. It's sickening to think that foreign investors are getting fat from the spoils of this organisation while Support Workers earn an absolute pittance and are subjected to appalling working conditions and a company that stopped caring a long time ago.

I had no induction, no training, very little support from upper management and the calibre of staffing was appalling. There was no regard for procedure or good practice and a nasty culture had built up in the home which was run almost exclusively for the benefit of the staff. Motivation was non-existent and staffing levels were dreadful considering the needs of the people we supported. The environment was disgusting- littered with broken furniture, grubby walls and decor that you wouldn't subject upon anybody. People didn't go out of the home for months at a time and wandered the corridors aimlessly throughout the day. Those that weren't physically able were shoved in front of the television and left to fester.

We've moved past this kind of care and support now and organisations like this MUST be held to account for these terrible standards of practice. If I can save anybody from working for them by writing this then I've done a good thing. Go and see what real support work looks like in a local, charitable organisation that truly do put people first. Not this absolute horror show.


A typical day at work:
A typical day was divided between direct client support and covering responsibilities that were outside my job description and above my pay grade. This regularly limited the time I could dedicate to the people we supported, which was the part of the role I valued most and believed should have been prioritised.

What I learned:
I learned that leadership style has a direct and powerful impact on morale, staff wellbeing, and the overall quality of care delivered. When management lacks consistency and openness, it affects the entire service.

Management:
In my experience, management support for frontline care staff was limited. Concerns raised were not always acknowledged or addressed constructively. There appeared to be inconsistency in how standards were applied, with some staff held to different expectations than others. This created frustration and lowered morale within the team.

Workplace culture:
The culture often felt divided between management and care staff. Recognition for going above and beyond was rare, while criticism was more visible. There was limited flexibility or understanding shown toward staff managing long-term health conditions or family responsibilities. This contributed to a stressful working environment.

Hardest part of the job:
The most difficult aspects were the ongoing stress, frequent weekend work, and feeling that concerns were not meaningfully addressed. The level of pressure had a significant impact on my health. During my time there, I experienced a serious health event (a stroke) following a prolonged period of stress, and I was ultimately unable to return to work.

Most enjoyable part of the job:
Supporting service users to achieve their goals and maintain independence was incredibly rewarding. I also appreciated the dedication and teamwork of many of my colleagues on the frontline.

There were positives within the service:

- The staff (especially the older ones), at least in my time, were all very good. They genuinely seemed to care about the wellbeing of the residents. Management were kind if you needed support/had any issues. However, I believe that the did come across as unwilling at some points due to the lack of support they received from senior management of the company.

- The residents had lovely moments with staff and the job itself was very rewarding in that respect. It was enjoyable to take them on days out and have fun doing activities that normally you wouldn't enjoy, but by seeing their reactions you did.

There were also numerous issues within the service. I do not believe they were the fault of direct management or staff within Barrington House. I do however think that there was a serious underfunding issue and a lack of care by management of the overall company, whether intentional or not. Two main ones were:

- E-learning/training was awful. Due to lack of funding, the service was unable to pay staff for their time to complete their training before beginning the job. This meant being constantly pulled away from the i-pad/laptop you were working on to attend to the needs of the residents. Training was always neglected due to this, as any time spent on it was taking time away from helping co-workers/residents which stopped many staff from wanting to do it.

- Safety was a big issue. The emergency alarm system was the same sound as one of the residents own room buzzers when they wanted a staff member to come see them. This meant on many occasions, staff would run upstairs to that resident when there was another staff member sounding the emergency alarm due to a serious issue in the opposite end of the house. Also, these alarms came from portable buzzers, so unless staff were in range, it was impossible to hear them.

Overall I'd say to someone applying to go for it, but to be very aware of the issues mentioned above. Obviously this job is fast paced, intense and chaotic, but it also rewarding, fun and very special at times.


Supporting 12 individuals with a learning disability in their own houses in a person-cantered way including:
- Assessing, planning, recording and implementing, appropriate care plans, risk assessments and other strategies to provide the appropriate care and support for the individuals I support.
- Ensuring the implementation of person-centered support including person-centered reviews, I ensure that the people I support are enable to achieve identified outcomes.
- Identifying when appropriate care and support is not being provided and what action to take, including reporting issues internally and externally as required.
- Ensuring all staff complete all appropriate training to the required standard to enable them to provide appropriate care and support to individuals.
- Working and communicating effectively with individuals (current and prospective), families, advocates and other professional colleagues as required in order to support individuals to maintain their personal finances, benefit entitlements, and where applicable tenancy agreements and to therefore gain financial security and long term housing.
- Dealing quickly and effectively with enquiries and complaints so that external and internal customers are satisfied that their concerns or enquiries have been satisfactorily resolved.
- Being responsible for the recruitment, supervision, training and day to day management of staff so that the service can consistently provide the proper staffing levels, attitudes, and skills to support the individuals we support.
- Effectively delegating appropriate tasks and activities in order to develop the staff team and make the most efficient use of resources in the service.
- Planning, managing and covering special events such as holidays for the people we support, liaising with family, advocate, social services etc as necessary.
- Undertaking on call duties as required, and managing on the call rota

I worked at Voyage Care for five months, and unfortunately, it was a deeply disappointing and distressing experience. The workplace culture was toxic, and many of my colleagues (support workers) displayed a lack of respect, kindness, empathy, or care toward both the residents and their coworkers.

The standard of care provided to residents with special needs was often unacceptable and concerning. I witnessed instances of mistreatment, including verbal aggression and intimidation, which reflected a lack of professionalism and empathy among some staff members. Coercive tactics were occasionally used to force residents to take their medication, and inappropriate behavior during caregiving further highlighted a disregard for the residents' dignity and well-being.

In addition to these issues, workplace ethics were frequently ignored. Some staff misused company resources while neglecting their responsibilities, leading to an uneven distribution of work. This created a stressful and unfair environment where some staff were overwhelmed while others did very little. The lack of professionalism and disregard for ethical standards had a negative impact not only on the quality of care provided but also on staff morale and mental health.

Another concern was the scheduling practices. Staff were often contacted with less than 24 hours’ notice and pressured to take on shifts, showing little consideration for employees' health or personal schedules.

Overall, this experience highlighted the urgent need for better oversight, comprehensive staff training, and a stronger commitment to fostering a respectful and compassionate care environment.

If you’re considering a position at Voyage Care and believe you can contribute to improving the work culture, it may be worth exploring. However, based on my experience, I would advise prospective employees to carefully consider whether this is the right fit for them.

Staff can call in sick before your shift ends and it can take coordinators hours to find internal or agency staff to cover. Had to stay on several hours after my shift ended because of this. Can't leave a service user unattended if they are 1:1 24/7, so have no option but to stay on until cover can be found. Big 'If'.

The level of care and number of people in each supported living home differs, so when employed it's almost a gamble as to what you'll be walking into. Some houses have more personal care than others. This may not be an issue depending on your level of experience within support work/care. However, little to no experience is needed, so you can still end up in the deep end if you've never worked in care before. 

Shifts after your own over the Christmas period, including New Year's that need covering, will unlikely be covered by internal staff. Agency isn't available (in other words, they cost too much or they're off), so you can end up staying on longer if another staff member won't cover, therefore missing social time over the holidays. I understand care is 24/7, but I would do my scheduled shifts and I was happy to do extra shifts if I personally opted in to do so in regards to my contracted hours. 

Rota system has different start and end times every week with little structure. 

Support work seems to be more paperwork focused now rather than "supporting" the service users. I understand there needs to be evidence of support, but some things seem mundane and petty, so you end up spending more time  

Staff are continuously leaving, therefore houses can be left short staffed, therefore the productivity and level of care within a service declines, and out of work hours plans are disrupted. 

Only positives really are other support workers who can be very helpful and mentor you, and the service users.

It's good if you want to work around studies to earn some money, but probably not a life-long career plan.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Support worker 5 salaries reported	£13.37 per hour
Field supervisor 2 salaries reported	£14.61 per hour
Deputy manager 5 salaries reported	£27,248 per year
Service manager 4 salaries reported	£34,269 per year
Registered nurse 1 salary reported	£23.71 per hour

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