Abbie Shannon

Ive been employed by Market field school and college for the last 6 months, since March 2025.

Market field is a local SEN school with a huge variety of needs and disabilities.

My main classroom was a "nurture" class, which had up to 17 children ages ranging from 14-16, with needs including down syndrom, dravet syndrome, epilepsy, diabetes, autism, adhd, and a lot of emotional and mental health needs.

I have spent time working in base classes with more behavioural challenges at times as cover support.

Providing one to one support at breaktimes and lunchtimes or more general playground duties.

My responsibilities are to follow classroom routine as directed by the teacher. Reading, writing and mathematics with the children. Marking work.

Helping to plan school trips, risk assessments accompanying and supporting children to stay safe. Being extremely vigilant , keeping them safe and being alert to risks.

Helping with forest school

Working in line with educational healthcare plans.

Working as a team with the other support staff in the school.

Keeping training up to date and attending courses, such as attachment training and safeguarding training.

Various admin duties.

Assisting with PE lessons and understanding how to differentiate activities according to need and ability. Supporting and motivating children.

Assisting with personal care after PE with encouragement to shower and help with dressing as needed, including children with medical support garments and physical restrictions,

Liaising with parents and carers, and maintaining positive relationships.

Assisting with lunchtimes.

Deescalation of conflicts as necessary.

positive behaviour reinforcement.

• Assisted individuals with personal care needs including bathing dressing and grooming.
• Supported healthcare professionals in delivering high-quality care to clients in their homes.
• Maintained accurate records of client care activities and reported any changes in condition.
• Communicated effectively with clients families and multidisciplinary teams to ensure coordinated care.
• Encouraged clients to engage in social activities and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
• Adhered to health and safety regulations whilst providing care in accordance with best practices.
• Demonstrated empathy and compassion whilst building trusting relationships with clients.
• Participated in training and development opportunities to enhance skills and knowledge in community care.
• I had a wide variety of roles at bluebird care. I had many clients with needs ranging from significant clinical care needs such as spinal injuries, stoma and catheter care and motor neurone disease under the clinical nursing team. I also was part of the mental health team and supported clients to access the community. Some of my clients were complex care with both mental health and clinical needs. I also had clients with learning disabilities, including wheelchair users and epilepsy.
• I worked for several months on the rapid response team for community end of life care, visiting clients in their own homes in teams of two at a time, to provide dignified end of life support to clients and their families. providing personal care. administering medication. providing detailed notes and recordkeeping and communicating with team members, office staff, district nurses, st helena hospice team. Providing care and emotional support to the family members.
• Using equipment such as ceiling hoists, rotundas, standing hoists.
• Using PPE and correct hygiene practices.
• administering medication.
• safe moving and handling practices.
• dementia awareness.
• keeping up to date with training. I achieved my certificate in care. A certificate in basic counselling practices.
• Whilst with bluebird, I was also involved with my boss' other company "Rise", which provided seated sports sessions to people living in care homes. I would be working with usually one other colleague to run games such as seated tennis, seated football, seated hockey to groups of either elderly people in retirement homes or people with significant learning disabilities. We also worked with people on a one to one basis in these homes to involve clients in games to assist in a physiotherapy program, such as after a stroke, to rehabilitate.
• driving clients to activities or errands in my car, and supporting them to be independent.
• maintaining a therapeutic relationship
• Alleviated patient anxiety with compassionate communication techniques.
• Ensured timely transportation to medical appointments for maintaining treatment schedules.
• Delivered effective home-based support to elderly patients, enhanced their quality of life.
• Adapted care approach according to individual needs and preferences; provided personalised service.
• Maintained cleanliness, improved sanitary condition of patients' living areas.
• cooked healthy meals for clients following recipes, and encouraged them to do the things they can do for themselves.
• Monitored vital signs to ensure overall wellbeing of patients.
• Improved patient comfort by providing personal care and assistance.

during lockdown, I decided to get involved with the go4 community enterprise project in colchester where my son was volunteering in their cafe.

they needed help with their foodbank sorting and delivery during lockdown, so a few times a week, I would help with collecting food from supermarkets and then sorting and dividing it up, then delivering this food to people in need in the community in my car.

After lockdown, I volunteered in their cafe on the rec at old health recreation ground. This involved serving customers, but also helping support some of their other volunteers who had learning difficulties.

• Coordinated logistics for food distribution to local families in need.
• Engaged in outreach efforts to raise awareness about available community services and support.
• Facilitated communication between volunteer staff to carry out tasks.
• Prepared hot drinks and snacks for service users, offering a warm, welcoming environment for their duration of stay.
• Provided hands-on support during community clean-up initiatives.