What we should expect from the 'higher ups'

Nonnies experiences of care and support

Nonnie talks about their experiences of care and support. Their journey from 19-30 support and counselling in relation to mental health. Eventually Nonnie received a diagnosis of autism. Nonnie describes their experiences of engaging with services post diagnosis, and the impact of that on them, but also the impact on the services they were accessing. Nonnie was referred to the High Intensity Use (HIU) team at the hospital which was pivotal in Nonnie finding a more creative outlet for managing their thoughts. Nonnie has written many poems and reflections about their experiences, some of which helped to inform The Real Care Deal itself...

Trying to Get Help for Mum: The Struggles of the Care System

In this honest and powerful video, the speaker shares what it’s really like to try and get proper care for a vulnerable mother. They talk about how hard it was to get consistent, caring support from home care providers—and how emotionally draining the whole process was. They open up about being unfairly labelled as “confrontational” simply for speaking up, and how some care providers were defensive and untrustworthy. The video also points out how poorly trained many carers are when it comes to handling sensitive and complex care needs. Throughout, there's a strong message about how much families end up doing on their own, with very little help from care services.

What we should expect from the 'higher ups'

Jack highlights the challenge of being higher up, and less connected/in touch with the people on the ground. Being far removed from the actual experiences of peoples day to day mental health and wellbeing. Jack talks about his own personl, lived, exposed to and endured experience which is way more than any CV. Jack openly says he doesnt know how effective he would be in a senior leader role, but that he would treat people more humanly. "We need more people in these positions who are at least affected, maybe not themselves, indirectly through people who are close to them or people who are in their lives".

Sleeping without fear

Empathy enables trust to grow. Seeing peoples experience of homelessness through a perspective of trauma Zena and Angela talk about working without judgment., They recognise how overwhelming it is for people living homeless to suddenly have the things we take for granted such as food, a room, running water, warmth or something as basic as an ensuite. Alcohol dependency prevents many residents getting into other places creating a cycle of isolation and a world where you can't enter anywhere. Highwater House allows alcohol use and in doing so provides sanctuary and the safety to sleep without fear.

Supporting Carers and Putting People First: A Look at What Needs to Change

This video talks about what great care should look like—where carers are properly trained, fairly paid, and able to give the kind of personalised care that people actually need. The speaker shares how tough it can be in the current system, from emotional stress to constant red tape. Carers often don’t get the support they deserve, and that makes it harder to provide good care. They highlight how care companies, families, and councils need to work together better to make things run more smoothly. Personal stories bring the message home, especially the need for honest conversations with the people making the rules—because that’s how real change can happen.