Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Hobbies and Interests
Timeline
Generic

Andrew Silver

Lockerbie,Dumfriesshire

Summary

Currently working with young people in residential care as a shift lead, and have almost finished SVQ level 3 in Residential Childcare, and intend to start level 4 afterwards. Committed to delivering compassionate support and providing a safe and nurturing environment. Skilled at developing and maintaining mutually strong relationships, utilising empathy, acceptance and positivity. Equally comfortable working one-to-one or within larger groups. Fully PVG checked and have a Certificate in Counselling Skills awarded by the professional body Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland (COSCA). Able to draw on multiple skills developed during over 20 years in the communications sector.

Overview

24
24
years of professional experience

Work history

Residentail Childcare Worker, Shift Lead

Outcomes First Group
Maben House, Lochmaben, Dumfries and Galloway
05.2025 - Current
  • Provide leadership within each shift, allocating tasks, supervising staff, supporting and engaging with all young people in my care.
  • Making dynamic decisions based on constantly evolving situations, deploying trauma informed practice alongside reflective practice.
  • Maintained and reviewing detailed records of each young person's progress with meticulous attention to detail.
  • Contributed creation of individual care plans, aiming towards achieving key developmental goals.
  • Responded effectively to challenging behaviour, promoting stable environments for all residents.
  • Upheld confidentiality protocols whilst dealing with sensitive information about all residents.
  • Attended training courses to enhance professional development in childcare practices.
  • Facilitated group activities, promoting social interaction amongst residents.
  • Supervised outdoor excursions, ensuring safe and enjoyable experiences for young people.
  • Facilitated regular meetings between children and their families or guardians.
  • Delivered personalised care plans for improved child development.
  • Worked flexibly on rota system to provide 24-hour care for residents.
  • Supported children's emotional wellbeing, resulting in positive engagement with their peers, staff and wider community.
  • Pursued continuous learning opportunities in childcare matters, adding value to service provision.
  • Ensured child safety by adhering to all relevant policies and procedures.
  • Involved youth residents in decision-making processes impacting their lives, encouraging autonomy.
  • Established positive relationships with children by providing consistent care and support.
  • Maintained compliance with all regulatory and safeguarding procedures.
  • Exhibited unconditional positive regard to assist children in building self-worth and confidence.
  • Certified CPD practitioner to advanced level.

Residential Support Worker (Young People)

Outcomes First Group
Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire
09.2022 - 05.2025
  • Worked as waking night childcare practitioner for 2 ½ years and latterly as acting shift lead covering late shifts.
  • I successfully established and maintained supportive relationships with young people in care, based on trust and non-judgement.
  • Employ listening skills with young people; ensuring they are heard, issues taken seriously and action taken where appropriate.
  • Provide support to young people with their difficulties in often emotionally traumatic situations, offering reassurance, empathy and encouragement.
  • Encouraged active participation in community events, promoted social integration.
  • Delivered daily living skills training to encourage independent lifestyle.
  • Managed challenging behaviours effectively, minimised potential harm and disruption.
  • Monitor progress ensuring that further nurturing support is regularly offered, in forms appropriate to each individual.
  • Complete daily and weekly paperwork requirements for various stakeholders such as social work departments and schools.
  • Attended various in-house training courses on subjects such as therapeutic parenting, self-harm, grooming and sexual exploitation.

Company Secretary and Director

Assure Group Limited
Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire
04.2021 - 10.2022
  • Oversee official statutory duties and all other responsibilities for this company and around twenty others within group.
  • Responsible for daily administration of management consultancy and other companies for last 18 months.
  • Maintained high standards of corporate governance, compliance and communication to all statutory bodies and other relevant parties.
  • Employed commercial knowledge and expertise to strategically manage outstanding issues to reduce financial exposure.


Strategy Director

Assure Group Limited
Various locations
09.2014 - 04.2021
  • Determined strategic direction of company based on sound data.
  • Responsible for all internal and external communications.
  • Identified factors in social, political and economic trends with potential commercial impacts.
  • Helped grow business by 50% over two years and added 10 new clients.


Strategy and Communications Director

Entrusted Group Limited
Edinburgh
04.2010 - 09.2014
  • Developed communication strategies to support business direction.
  • Assessed impact of current communications and tackled areas of weakness.
  • Arranged cost-efficient advertising campaigns to maximise media representation.
  • Created engaging press releases to gain print and broadcast coverage.

Communications Manager

Entrust Services Limited
Manchester
04.2004 - 09.2010
  • Attended regular networking events to broaden scope of key contacts and increase brand awareness and reputation.
  • Captured 60% increase in new clients within first year.
  • Devised and executed aligned communication strategy across all platforms.
  • Developed productive professional relationships with sector aimed publications for optimised brand exposure.

Parliamentary Researcher

Various member of the Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
05.2001 - 04.2004
  • Research and communications activities for various MSPs, related to their parliamentary activities.
  • Original research to provide statistics and information for various uses within Parliament and MSP's constituencies.
  • Running and devising personal and political campaigns both locally and nationally to raise political concerns and profiles.
  • Submitting written parliamentary questions on behalf of the MSP for research, campaigning and other activities..
  • Other activities included speech writing and composing articles to be published on the MSP's behalf in local and national press and online.


Education

COSCA Certificate in Counselling Skills - Counselling and Psychotherapy

Grounded Learning Ltd
Dumfries
08.2022

Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism - Journalism

Edinburgh Napier University
Edinburgh
05.2002

Master of Arts - History

University of Aberdeen
Aberdeen
05.1994

Skills

  • Able to lead when necessary but dedicated team player where needed
  • Advanced skills in listening and empathy regardless of personal circumstances
  • Non-judgemental and able to bring acceptance to any situation through extensive life experience and training
  • Able to communicate relevant information and knowledge to key players to achieve focussed results
  • Has in-depth knowledge of communication skills, ensuring implementation of appropriate strategy to maximise results

Accomplishments

  • Managed to complete counselling skills certificate and integrate successfully to a new sector and have shown the ability to establish supportive relationships effectively.
  • Oversaw multi-disciplinary team in all aspects of daily business activities including HR, work-flow and task completion.
  • Successfully managed to increase the media profile of an SMS management consultancy, leading to it being featured on industry websites and print publications.
  • Had responsibility for around a £1.5m budget allocated for the restoration and refurbishment of a historical landmark property.

Hobbies and Interests

  • Horses have been a passion most of my life and have enjoyed competing and leisure riding and still have my horse but she's now retired.
  • I have always enjoyed reading and listening to books. I currently read books along with two people who have been imprisoned and we discuss our thoughts via phone calls.
  • History and culture have always been of great interest to me and I especially enjoy visiting historic sites and places of interest, from working mills through to castles.
  • Long distance walking is something I try to do as much as possible and have completed sections of many of 'Scotland's Great Trails.'



Timeline

Residentail Childcare Worker, Shift Lead

Outcomes First Group
05.2025 - Current

Residential Support Worker (Young People)

Outcomes First Group
09.2022 - 05.2025

Company Secretary and Director

Assure Group Limited
04.2021 - 10.2022

Strategy Director

Assure Group Limited
09.2014 - 04.2021

Strategy and Communications Director

Entrusted Group Limited
04.2010 - 09.2014

Communications Manager

Entrust Services Limited
04.2004 - 09.2010

Parliamentary Researcher

Various member of the Scottish Parliament
05.2001 - 04.2004

COSCA Certificate in Counselling Skills - Counselling and Psychotherapy

Grounded Learning Ltd

Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism - Journalism

Edinburgh Napier University

Master of Arts - History

University of Aberdeen

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Andrew Silver