Our Team

Alan started his training in the care sector in 1974, competing a residential care course. In 1980, he qualified as a Registered Nurse – Learning Disabilities. He holds the NVQ Levels 2 and 3 qualification, NVQ Level 4 Registered Managers Award and Assessors Award (LDAF).

Alan is the sole owner of Highfield and is much involved in its day-to-day operations and has been since its inception in June 1986. Like all managers, Alan has an open-door policy, which means he is available to talk to staff, service users and family at any time.

Katie joined Highfield as the Registered Manager in 2016, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Her care background began as a Support Worker with Darwen Borough Council in Blackburn. Whist working for Social Services, Katie was promoted to Senior Community Support worker and then as Team Coordinator. Katie has also managed a respite service for adults with learning disabilities and was a Registered Manager for a local care provider.

Katie holds an NVQ Level 4 in Health and Social Care, QCF Level 5 in Leadership and Management, NCFE Level 3 in Principles of End-of-Life Care, the Moving and Handling of People Trainers’ and Assessors Award as well as the Disabled Living Trusted Assessors Award.

Cathi joined Highfield in 2020 as Operations Manager, responsible for recruitment, HR, organising funding, in-house training, and staff CPD. She is also responsible for one of Highfield’s supported living properties.

Cathi’s care background includes the management of a residential care home, behaviour support within a behavioural school and Operations Manager for training providers for 20 years, delivering NVQs in care across a wide range of health and social care sectors, including working on Skills for Care and awarding body forums, where she advised on standards and policy.

Cathi holds an NVQ Level 5 in Leadership and Management and Learning and Development.

Claire recently joined Highfield in September 2022 and is new to the Social Care Sector.

Previously Claire worked in the retails banking sector and comes to us with a wealth of business and management knowledge from a career spanning 29 years.

Claire is responsible for the administration, marketing, organisation and day to day running of our day center, The Base.

Tara joined the company in 2009 as a Support Worker. She completed the NVQ and training process and was promoted to Team Leader in May 2012. Her promotion to Team Manager soon followed in March 2013.

Tara holds an NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care and a Level 5 in Management.

She is responsible for managing two supported living houses and number of service users who live in their own homes (often referred to as Outreach). She also manages Highfield’s bank staff.

Shelagh joined Highfield in 1997 as a Support Worker. She holds an NVQ Level 4 Registered Manager Award, NVQ Level 4 in Health and Social Care and Level 3 NVQ Assessors Award (LDAF). She also completed the NVQ and training process and was then promoted to House Manager.

Shelagh manages two of Highfield’s supported living properties.

Initially joining Highfield as a Support Worker in 1998, Gary completed the training and NVQ process to be promoted to training manager when the training department was created in 2008 up until 2020, where training was handed to the Operations Manager.

Gary holds a NVQ Level 4 in Leadership and Management, NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care, A1 Assessors Award and the CIEH Professional Trainer Award.

Gary also has responsibility in managing three of the supported living properties.

Lyndsey started working for Highfield as a support worker in 2008. She had previously completed a Health and Social Care Diploma. Whilst working for Highfield she completed her level 3 NVQ before becoming a team leader when she then completed her level 5 in Leadership and Management.

She has also completed a degree BA (Hons) in Special Education Needs and Disabilities. Druing her time at Highfield she has worked as a support worker and a team leader in various houses before leaving to have her own children.

She has since returned to cover The Base Manager role again for maternity leave and is now the Care Team Manager for Southcliffe and Barn Meadow Crescent.

Peter joined Highfield in 1994 as a Support Worker. After some time, he completed the NVQ process and was promoted to House Manager until his promotion to Operations Manager in 2009.

He holds an NVQ Level 4 Registered Managers Award, NVQ Level 4 in Health and Social Care as well as the NVQ A1 Assessors Award and LDAF Assessors Award.

As from 2019, Peter reduced his workload and is responsible for the company’s payroll and pensions, working part-time.