This means providing individualised care to meet service users’ specific needs, as well as meeting all compliance and statutory obligations. Silvia also has additional staffing, operational and financial responsibilities.

Silvia is part of the Senior Management Team, working closely with Dr Pedro Areias Grilo, Greg Richardson-Cheater and Laura Richardson-Cheater as well as the Managers of the individual services.

Silvia brings a wealth of management experience in specialist services for people with learning disabilities, complex neurological conditions and mental health needs.

She enjoys being part of the Senior Management Team at Richardson Care and the connection with the service users in our specialist homes. She says: “What sets Richardson Care apart is that caring really is in the DNA of the organisation. It’s such a caring environment and more than just a business.

“There is excellent clinical support available: as well as providing therapies, the MDT [multi-disciplinary team] meets every week to review service users’ care plans and deal with any issues that have arisen. This means that we can resolve issues together and implement changes quickly.

Silvia adds: “Many of the care staff have worked here for a long time. This means that they know the service users and the organisation well. It helps us to understand the complex needs of the service users and deliver consistently good care.”

Qualifications & Training

• Masters Degree in Psychology, University of Porto
• NVQ Level 5 Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care
• CPI Safety Intervention training
• In-house mandatory care support training
• Working with people with learning disabilities
• Working with people with acquired brain injury
• Safeguarding
• Record-keeping / MCA DOLS
• Manual handling
• Health & Safety
• First Aid
• Fire Safety