Residential childcare worker Kelsey Jenkinson has been awarded Edge Hill University’s External Employee of the Year.
Kelsey, 21, is a residential childcare worker at Links House. She is completing the final stages of her degree in Child and Adolescent Mental Health & Wellbeing, before starting her Master’s in September.
Registered manager Geoff Lygo nominated Kelsey for the award after helping the Links House team through an extremely challenging period, brought on by a spate of positive Covid-19 results among full time staff.
Links House is a residential home in Formby registered for four children with physical and learning disabilities.
Kelsey started working part-time at Links on 2nd February and completed her induction week. At the beginning of her second week, Covid-19 struck the home. Two of the young people and five staff members returned positive test results, which left Geoff and his colleague Lindsey as the only full-time members of staff.
Kelsey immediately made herself available for extra shifts and committed to support Links with no hesitation.
To help Geoff, Lindsey, and Kelsey get through, two agency members of staff were brought in. The agency staff members looked to Kelsey for direction and commented on her professionalism and approachable manner.
“She was blinding, absolutely blinding. She picked stuff up so quick. When I was 21, I probably would have run away!” Geoff Lygo, Registered Manager
Solid as a Rock
Working in a children’s home can be challenging at the best of times, especially for those new to the role, but Kelsey never showed any signs of trouble. As Geoff Lygo puts it, she was ‘solid as a rock’.
“Lindsey and I were anxious about managing the home with a reduced staff team and agency staff members. Kelsey was only in her second week, but you wouldn’t have known it. Both Lindsey and I said that we would have been in a much more desperate state without Kelsey. She maintained a sense of humour and enthusiasm throughout those testing two weeks.”
Geoff recalled one occasion when Lindsey had been given the day off for some much-needed R&R. In Lindsey’s absence, Geoff expressed how important it was that the team remember to administer medications at the right times. Kelsey smiled and stated that she had already put reminders on her mobile phone.
“When Kelsey told me about the University External Employee of the Year Award, I suggested that we nominate her. I completed a testimony for the nomination and spoke with her tutor on the telephone. Whilst it is no surprise to me, Kelsey was amazed to hear that she had been given the award and I am so happy to be a part of her achievement.”
Family Care co-owner Phil Williamson joined in the congratulations for Kelsey. “I am absolutely delighted for Kelsey. In a short space of time, she has made a fantastic impression on the team at Links House and we are lucky to have her.”
Well done Kelsey!
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