Laura McKechnie got her first taste of a caring role as a child. “My mum and dad had a late baby when I was 11. So I was quite maternal with her and I did the childcare if my granny couldn’t make it.”

The start of Laura’s working life was spent in retail. When she moved to Bridge of Earn with her new partner and created a blended family, she became a childminder.

It was after a conversation with Leanne Fairburn, a friend who is now Manager at ASC, based in Balbeggie, that Laura was persuaded to try another sort of care. ASC supports adults with a diagnosed learning disability and associated mental health conditions. “I remember Leanne saying it was just a brilliant place to work, that no two days were the same, and that with my experience in childcare I would fit in.”

She found the idea of working with adults with learning disabilities and behavioural issues “challenging”, but reasoned that she had valuable tools from her childcare and parenting experience.

A major draw for Laura has been that ASC lets her fit her work around her children. Laura does both domestic shifts and support worker shifts and her working hours change with the school year. During school holiday periods, for example, she prefers to work night shifts. That means she can go home and rest, but still be in the house with the children when they’re off school.

But the best thing about working at ASC for Laura is the people – both her colleagues and the service users. “It’s a family here. You know the staff have your back,” she says.

Laura says the proof of how well ASC works is in the number of agency staff she sees swapping their temporary jobs for permanent contracts with ASC. “Everybody comes together to help one another to do what’s best for the service user.”

Interested in joining her? View our vacancies here. Or email [email protected]