Alicia Criddle

Working as a Care Assistant at Barnhaven Care Home gave me the opportunity to support elderly residents with a range of physical and mental health needs, including those living with dementia. My aim was always to make sure every resident felt as comfortable, safe and at home as possible while treating them with dignity, respect and kindness. I built trusting relationships with residents and their families, helping them feel reassured that their loved one was being cared for with compassion and understanding.

My role included providing personal care, administering medication during night shifts, updating electronic care records and completing detailed handovers to ensure the next shift had the information they needed to continue providing high-quality care. I also worked closely with district nurses, colleagues and family members, communicating any changes in residents' wellbeing and completing incident reports whenever required.

Working in a busy care environment taught me how to prioritise my workload, adapt to changing situations and stay calm under pressure, particularly when working independently on night shifts. The part of the role I am most proud of was supporting residents receiving end-of-life care. Being able to provide comfort, dignity and reassurance during such an important stage of someone's life, while also supporting their families through an emotional time, is something that has stayed with me and reinforced the importance of compassionate, person-centred care.

Working as a Sales Assistant at Superdrug strengthened my communication, organisation and problem-solving skills while working in a busy and fast-paced environment. Every day involved speaking with a wide range of customers, both in person and over the telephone, helping them with enquiries and supporting them to find the best possible outcome. I always aimed to remain approachable, patient and professional, especially when customers were frustrated or upset, taking the time to listen and resolve situations as calmly as possible.

The role required me to manage transactions accurately, balance multiple priorities and adapt quickly during busy periods while maintaining a high standard of customer service. I was trusted to work independently within designated areas of the store, taking responsibility for ensuring everything ran smoothly while remaining available to support both customers and colleagues whenever needed.

This experience strengthened my confidence in communicating with people from a wide range of backgrounds, adapting my approach to different situations and remaining calm under pressure. It also reinforced the importance of listening carefully, working collaboratively and finding practical solutions while treating everyone with patience, professionalism and respect.

Working as a Childminding Assistant gave me the opportunity to support children aged between 0 and 16 years within a safe, nurturing and engaging environment. Having grown up with my mum working as a childminder, supporting children has always been a natural part of my life, giving me a strong understanding that every child is unique and develops in their own way. My aim was always to create an environment where children felt safe, valued and supported, allowing them to build confidence, enjoy learning and feel comfortable being themselves.

A key part of my role involved observing children's development and recognising their individual needs while encouraging learning through play and everyday experiences. Supporting children's emotional wellbeing was equally important, and I helped them understand and manage their emotions in ways that were appropriate for their age. I believed it was important to look beyond a child's behaviour and understand what they might be trying to communicate, responding with patience, reassurance and encouragement while helping them develop positive ways to express themselves. Following safeguarding procedures and maintaining a safe environment was always at the centre of everything I did.

I was trusted to work independently when required, adapting activities and my approach to suit different ages, personalities and individual needs while ensuring every child felt included. Whether supporting children through disagreements, helping them build confidence in new situations or encouraging them to communicate their thoughts and feelings, I always aimed to create positive relationships where they felt listened to, respected and supported to develop socially, emotionally and academically.