Scarborough care providers Happy Futures opens new offices

Scarborough, care providers Happy Futures has gone from strength to strength over the last two years, despite the overwhelming impact of the pandemic on both their business and

the individuals they support.

Providing supported living options for individuals with complex needs, through a framework of positive behaviour support (particularly with autism), the business has already faced a number of challenges.

CEO Angela Fletcher said: “When we moved into our previous offices, they were centred around our skills centre, but this had to close down during the pandemic once social

distancing was introduced.

"It completely defeated the key objectives of our last move and left us with a large unusable space.

"As the company has then grown, we have then ended up with the team being scattered across different offices, which was far from ideal.

"Taking the bold decision and moving into these larger premises has already had a huge impact on the team, and really pulled everyone back together.”

The business currently has a waiting list of 20 people requiring 24/7 support.

These individuals are in need of an independent living space, some are in hospitals, bed blocking, whilst others are living with their families or in living in existing placements in the community that have been deemed unsuitable.

The new office space, at Newchase Court on Hopperhill Road, will provide the company with additional offices, a boardroom, hot desking areas and a brand-new separate training facility aiming to help the team work more closely together.

However, their biggest challenge remains recruitment.

Mrs Fletcher said: “Working in the care sector is challenging, but it is also hugely rewarding.

"The pandemic has had a negative impact on people wanting to work in care, and the cost-of-living crisis is now impacting us too.

"People don’t want to have to drive far for work, and we have a limited catchment area for recruitment.

"We live and work in a seaside town and people can work in a chip shop; clean holiday accommodation in the area, or work in a supermarket, jobs with little or no stress.

"We are specialists who work with individuals to deliver outcomes for those we support to have a better life with opportunities to progress.

"Our focus is providing facilities that attract people to our sector, and also rewarding them appropriately with a decent salary, bonuses, benefits package and a wellbeing programme.

"Having recently launched a new provision for children as well as adults, Happy Futures is still growing and is one of the biggest care providers of its kind in Yorkshire delivering positive behaviour support to individuals with Autism."

Find out more about Happy Futures online at: https://happyfutures.net/