Katie O'Neill, children's unit manager, Renfrewshire Council
Tom de Castella
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Katie O'Neill runs a children's unit housing eight young people - both boys and girls - aged 10 to 18, who have been abused, neglected or are not under parental control.
KATIE O'NEILL
Employer: Renfrewshire Council
Age: 54
Time in job: Four years
Salary: £35,000
Katie O'Neill runs a children's unit housing eight young people - both boys and girls - aged 10 to 18, who have been abused, neglected or are not under parental control. Most of them will stay until they are 18, she says.
"They suffer from low self-esteem, have anger-management problems and feelings of rejection. Most of the young people's families don't want to come here because they are in denial - they don't think they've done anything wrong," she explains.
It's a vicious cycle because many of the parents were also in care. O'Neill and her staff are determined to provide a new sense of structure and routine to the young people's lives, with clear boundaries that they can work with.
Much of her work involves checking rotas and planning ahead to make sure that there are enough staff, she says.
The other side of the coin is the satisfaction she gets from seeing the young people beginning to respond to living a more structured life. "I really enjoy seeing a young person achieve an education and qualifications. Or even just sitting at a table with a knife and fork in their hands or going on a trip to the seaside - simple things these young people have never done before," she says.
O'Neill has a colourful career background. Her first job was as a hairdresser before she went to work in a factory as a machinist for four years. She then trained to be a nurse before getting a job as a residential children's worker.
She says the job calls for a patient and caring approach. "You've got to be a particular type of person to work in residential care. It's rewarding but stressful and you've got to look at the positives."
MY DAY
8.30: Arrive at the office
8.35: Team changeover meeting
9.00: Look at the rota and check the appointments and communication book
9.30: Staff development meeting
10.30: Work on budgets, health and safety issues and staff absence
12.00: Talk to young people in the unit
13.15: Meeting with the looked-after children's nurse
14.15: Meeting offsite with managers of other units
16.00: Telephone calls with families of the young people.
