Georgia joined Rainbow Trust in February 2022 as a Family Support Worker in the Greater Manchester Care team
“I jumped at the chance to be a Family Support Worker to make a difference to families by providing whatever support I can through the difficult times they are experiencing. Helping to make a difference is a job I love doing!”
“Each week can look vastly different as we work to fit the needs of every family we support, but this is what a typical week can look like for me.”
Monday
I usually plan my week well in advance so on Mondays I look at my diary to double check what visits I have arranged and to make a note of anything additional I need to plan, organise or pick up for these sessions.
I picked Matthew and his mum, Sam, up from home to take them to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital for his regular MRI scan. Matthew is five years old and has a rare childhood cancer. As the MRI scan is a long one, Matthew has to be sedated, so I stay to provide support throughout the appointment for both Sam and Matthew. It is usually a long and stressful day for them. The department was running late and Matthew ended up being taken for his scan three hours late. Sam and I tried to keep up with him and entertain him, as he is full of energy! I had a good chat with Sam while Matthew was in his scan. Talking to me helps her manage her emotions.
Afterwards, I drove them home, with the added bonus of saving a hedgehog we found in the road, much to Matthew’s delight!
Tuesday
On Tuesday I provided school transportation for Lucy, 10, whose family have moved into an adapted house suitable for Lucy’s six-year-old little sister, Sophie, who has a rare genetic disorder. Their new home is around 30 minutes away from her school.
With me taking Lucy to school Mum can stay home to look after Sophie and to give her medication on time. I then had a phone call where I provided much needed emotional support to a mum who is overwhelmed with her son’s serious illness and all the challenges she is facing. She needed to talk. We had a good chat and developed a plan of action for moving forward. We also agreed a date for me to visit her in person next week.
I did some admin and then had an afterschool visit to Marley, four, whose 15-year-old-sister has Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. We went to the park, but it started to rain so we went to soft play for a while instead. This was just as much fun, a lot warmer, and most importantly… dry!
Wednesday
On Wednesdays we have the Greater Manchester Care team weekly meeting, so I travelled to our office an hour before the team meeting started to get some admin done.
Our team meetings are long enough to ensure that we save space for team wellbeing, for supporting each other if we experience any bereavements, sharing successes and special thank yous that we receive from families. We also discuss anything that needs to be done or important information that needs to be shared, such as new referrals. Once the team meeting finishes, I finish my admin and update case notes for the families I am supporting. If needed, I grab some supplies from our craft cupboard to take with me to family visits.
Thursday
The day started with taking Elle to and from an appointment at Burnley General Hospital. Her two-year-old daughter, DelilahSky, suffers from an undiagnosed genetic condition. Once I had dropped them off, I headed to see another family in Bolton, where I have been helping mum Kelly de-clutter and taking things she would like to be donated to charity shops. Her little boy, JJ, is four and is receiving treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. He has spent a lot of time as an inpatient at hospital, so they hadn’t been home enough to sort through things until recently.
I then did an after-school visit with Mia who is seven and has an unnamed condition, and her little brother, eight-year-old Joe. I take lots of crafts to these visits as they love to get creative, and it usually ends in playing with some toys they want to show me when they have finished getting crafty.
Friday
Friday started with transport for Lucy again, as I have been providing school transport twice weekly to alleviate stress for her mum. Lucy didn’t like my Abba playlist this morning!
I then headed to Bolton for a visit with Mohammed, a threeyear-old-little boy with an extremely rare genetic condition, Trichohepatoenteric Syndrome. Mohammed needs to be observed 24/7 as he has no sense of danger, so during my visits I take him out and about for a few hours to give his mum a chance for a break, and to catch up on jobs that she struggles to do when Mohammed is at home. Mohammed loves to go to the supermarket and walk up and down the aisles, so this is something we do often, especially during the cold weather. Mohammed and I have lots of fun on these visits, and his smiles brighten my day!
Once I have dropped Mohammed off, I head home to add the past few days admin notes to our database and to respond to emails before finalising my diary plan for the following week. I also had a meeting with the Rainbow Trust fundraising officer to give her some information for a report she is completing, which will be sent to a foundation in Manchester which funds my role. They like to keep up to date with the support I am providing to families in my area!
