More women in care can achieve greatness with provider support
Amrit Dhaliwal, CEO, Walfinch (centre L) and Kam Gill, Registered Manager Walfinch Oxford (centre R) with some of the Walfinch team
There are huge leadership opportunities for women and young people in the care profession, but providers need to do more to develop them, Kam Gill, Registered Manager at Walfinch home care Oxford will say at the Women Achieving Greatness (WAG) panel at The Care Show London, on 24 April 2024.
Kam will explain how, as a former dental technician who started in care as a part-time carer in 2013, she became the leader of a team of 30 carers with over 50 home care clients.
Kam joined a care franchise as a recruiter and then a care coordinator and took a Level 5 course in health and social care leadership and management. Within 18 months, while working six days a week around two children, she had qualified. She is now the Registered Manager at Walfinch home care Oxford.
“Reaching the top in home care takes leadership, empathy, communications and team-building skills, plus a problem-solving approach and the ambition to drive positive change in the community,” Kam will explain. “I know many women can do this because I see carers with these skills and qualities in my own team. We have two carers who have now completed Level 3 Health and Social Care and another has started it, also in our office team I foster a culture of personal growth and learning, one of our office staff is about to complete level Five in Leadership and Management.”
One woman who came to Walfinch Oxford as an administrator then progressed to a care co-ordinator and into operations, is soon to open her own business as a Walfinch franchisee.
Walfinch provides support with marketing, policies, regulations, and coaching, which means you can build a better business without having to do everything yourself, leaving you more time to concentrate on delivering the highest quality care.
Kam will explain: “Franchising means that women, younger people, and anyone with the ambition to start a home care service have a much better chance of success.”
Fellow panel member Amrit Dhaliwal, Chief Executive of the Walfinch home care franchise, will tell the audience:
“Around 80% of carers are women, and in many cases their leadership potential is being overlooked by their employers. Supporting ambitious carers with extra training in care, leadership and management, and with paid time off to complete their courses, is likely to increase carer retention and provide future candidates for leadership positions. Providers get government funding for their courses, but that should be extended to carers recruited from abroad.”
He will add: “Care providers also need to provide more opportunities for work shadowing, mentoring and networking, and access to forums such as Women Achieving Greatness in Social Care. (WAGs). Only about 20% of new businesses are started by women. I suspect that this figure is higher in the care sector and especially in home care franchises. At Walfinch 50% of our 30 Franchise Managing Directors are female.”
“The home care sector provides a huge opportunity for ambitious women to become leaders and business owners, and encouraging them means the profession and our whole society will benefit.”
