Meet Heledd

I’m Heledd, a newly appointed Operations Manager based in Carmarthen. Let me tell you a bit about myself…

After qualifying as a social worker in 2003, I was lucky enough to secure a position as a Supervising Social Worker with Pathway Care (now known as Calon Cymru Fostering). I had no experience of working within the fostering sector at this point and I was what could be described as ‘mouldable’. In this sense, Pathway Care was a good place to be! I learnt so much during my 12 years with the agency, not only from my fellow colleagues but also from the amazing foster carers and children I worked with. The agency’s high standards and strapline of ‘putting children first’ was embedded within me as a practitioner. I was always very proud of the service offered by the agency and the decision to move on after 12 happy years was a difficult one to make. They say a change is a good as a rest however, so I took the plunge and bid the agency farewell in 2015. For the next seven years, my social work journey progressed, and I continued to develop and embed my knowledge of the fostering sector. I worked as a Senior Social Worker for another IFA for four years before moving to work for the local authority as an education safeguarding officer for a short period of time. I then returned to my fostering roots as a senior practitioner and most recently, as Team Manager of the Family Placement Team in Pembrokeshire; a challenging role which I loved.

When I became aware that there was an Operations Manager position available in Calon Cymru Carmarthen, it was an opportunity I couldn’t overlook, and I was delighted to be successfully appointed to the role. Over the years, the brand of Pathway Care has seen many changes but what I’ve learnt in returning to the agency is that some things are consistent – the foster carers, the staff and the values and ethics within the organisation have remained. Over the last nineteen years, one thing I am certain of is that foster carers, whether they are supported by an IFA, or a LA fostering team are absolutely worth their weight in gold, and I am keen to ensure that Calon Cymru foster carers are supported to the highest level. I am looking forward to working alongside staff and foster carers to continue ensuring that Calon Cymru an agency we are all proud to work for.