My time at AnglicareSA was both challenging and fulfilling. The human services industry is naturally demanding (physically, mentally, and emotionally) but the incredible support of my team helped me manage the day-to-day. The flexibility to work from home as much as needed was a huge plus. However, even with that flexibility, the high caseload and stress were ultimately too much for me to manage as I transitioned into motherhood.
I’m proud of the work I did there and the impact we had, but to retain passionate and capable staff, more sustainable workloads and better support for major life transitions are essential.The good thingsThe absolute highlight of working at AnglicareSA was my team. We shared common values, got along effortlessly, and built lasting friendships that extended beyond the workplace. The work itself was incredibly meaningful and I could see the real difference we were making in the lives of vulnerable people and their families. AnglicareSA maintains high standards of care and professionalism, which, while demanding, gave me confidence that our clients were genuinely receiving the best support possible.
The challengesA major disappointment was the lack of flexibility around returning part-time after maternity leave. Initially, my request was denied, and it wasn’t until I involved Fair Work that a compromise was reached. This experience left me feeling unsupported during a critical life transition. Additionally, the caseloads were consistently high and stressful. While management made internal changes in an attempt to address this, the pressure and workload remained largely unchanged.