Sister Act! – How three sisters found career fulfilment at Chailey Heritage

It was a family connection that brought sisters Kim and Emily Naylor and Ely Niven to Chailey Heritage Foundation.

It started the three Sussex siblings on a career path caring for children and young people with complex disabilities.

The three women, all at different stages in their job development and training, came to Chailey Heritage after being inspired by the care their niece received from the specialist team.

Kim, who is now a Senior Support Worker, came to work at the Charity seven years ago, said:  “Our niece was a former pupil at Chailey Heritage School and lived in one of the residential bungalows, with a team of specialist support workers. The care she received enabled her to live as independently as possible and I wanted to be a part of that amazing set up.”

Kim’s experience working with the young people at Chailey Heritage inspired her sister Ely to join the team in 2021. She is a Night Support Worker, part of a team that supplies the overnight support to young residents, some of whom require round the clock medical and social care. She too wanted to give back and become part of a unique team: “The Covid lockdowns meant that my partner was working from home and that gave me the flexibility to do more and be more flexible with my hours. There is such great camaraderie here – we’re all working with one goal – to improve the lives of the children and young people and it’s great to be a part of that.”

With her two sisters working at the Charity, Emily, signed on just six months ago. Her artistic talents have given her the opportunity to really connect with the pupils in creative ways as she trains to be a Lunchtime Assistant.  “Chailey is such a supportive environment. Everyone is helpful and there is such a strong sense of teamwork. It is a place where you can really thrive and build a worthwhile career. I would advise anyone considering a care role at Chailey to give it a try.”

Chailey Heritage Foundation is currently recruiting for a range of education and care staff roles and is offering a £600 “Golden Hello” to all new “hands on” staff.

Chief Executive, Helen Hewitt, said: “The staff at Chailey Heritage are key to the very high quality of care that we pride ourselves on. It is a unique place to work that requires individuals who possess empathy, compassion and a genuine desire to help others. All our staff – from teaching assistants to care workers – make an incredible difference to the lives of the young people here by creating opportunities for them to learn, make friends and have fun”.

Helen added: “If you’re looking for a career that offers you the chance to make a real difference to a young person’s life every day then we would love to hear from you. There are more details on our website:    https://www.chf.org.uk/careers