AJ And Friends

28/08/2025

We’re Hiring: Complex Care Children’s Support Worker 🌟

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and young adults with complex needs?
We’re looking for a part-time (20 hours/week) Support Worker to join our friendly and dedicated team.

💙 About Us
We specialise in holistic care for children and young adults living with multiple disabilities, learning delays, rare conditions, and complex medical needs. Our wraparound support combines health, education, and social care to help each person thrive.

📍 Areas we cover:
• Wirral
• Cheshire West & Northwich
• Chester & surrounding areas
• Liverpool

👩‍⚕️ Requirements:
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in a similar role (references required)
• Level 2/3 qualification in Health, Education or Childcare
• Relevant training in complex care
• A caring, patient, and proactive approach

✨ Desirable:
• DBS on the Update Service
• Full UK driving licence (experience with wheelchair accessible vehicles is a bonus)

⏰ Hours: Part-time, 20 hours per week
📌 Base: Hoylake, Wirral

👉 If you’d like to be part of a team that makes a real difference, we’d love to hear from you!

📩 Message us here on Facebook or email hello@ajandfriends.co.uk to apply or find out more.

14/08/2025

Feeling stuck? 📱💭

You’re not alone — 1 in 4 adults struggle with their mental health, yet over half say they find it hard to get help. Why?
⏱ Waiting lists are too long.
💷 Costs can be too high.
📍 Services aren’t always nearby.

At AJ & Friends, we’re here to bridge that gap.
💬 On-site & remote talking therapies — every Friday.
🎯 Especially for caregivers of young people (in any form).
💰 Donation of £18/hour — so help is accessible.
📧 Book by email: hello@ajandfriends.co.uk

Because no one should have to face it all alone.

Pop into our Friendship Fridays @ AJ And Friends 1-3 for further information ℹ️

31/07/2025

https://oavo.co.uk/oavos-daily-story-3-the-round-table-is-set/

Hi Wirral community, today’s story is about a special day where I felt like Lancelot with all my merry knights around a round table : ). It started about a month before the meeting of knights.

24/07/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/16neniwwhV/?mibextid=wwXIfr

24/07/2025

🌈 This sanctuary didn’t begin as a service.
It began as a response.

One child... then another... and another.

Each brought something the system couldn’t hold:
No nursery space. No aligned provision. Lack of EHCPs. Families stretched thin.
We weren’t set up to rescue — we simply said: Let’s try something different. Something kinder.

Some needed structure — gentle routines, the same staff, the same car, the same path.
Some needed purpose — real goals, meaning. Small steps towards independence.
Some needed challenge — with safety, encouragement, and time to get there.
Some needed nurture — space where emotions were held, not judged
Some needed engagement — a quiet presence and trust

These experiences shaped our Five Pillars of Care:
🧩 Structure | 🧩 Purpose | 🧩 Challenge | 🧩 Nurture | 🧩 Engagement

We didn’t invent them.
The children taught them to us.

💬 Some SEND families don’t always feel able to speak up — not because they don’t care, but because they’re doing all they can just to keep going.

often navigating systems and decisions they were never trained to understand.
Expected to meet policies they’ve never seen.
Asked to comply — and blamed if they get it wrong.

We hear the stories of parents stretched across forms, funding meetings, sleepless nights.
We see the quiet resilience — the kind no one writes about.

It’s part of why we’ve built this differently.
Not perfectly — but humanely.

We work within regulation and policy — but never forget the people it’s all meant for.
We honour those who’ve come before us, and we carry their lessons every day.
With that in mind this week, we’ve made some service changes to keep things safe and sustainable:

Overnight care registration has been paused in our cottages

Summer school places are limited, with smaller groups and mostly indoor, community-based care

These changes are in response to new planning issues, access concerns, and a need to review fire safety and safeguarding pathways

📩 If you'd like to visit, please email us in advance so we can support safe access and local parking:
hello@ajandfriends.co.uk

📄 For those following planning locally, you can view the current shared lane application here:
https://online.wirral.gov.uk/planning/index.html?fa=getApplication&id=231262&success=true&message=
Application Ref: APP/25/00915

💛 Through all this, our values haven’t changed.

We are still moving forward.
Still listening.
Still regulated.
Still rooted in lived experience.
Still standing alongside the families who taught us what care really means.

To every child, every family, every quiet breakthrough — this sanctuary holds you & families like ours

Thank you for being part of it.
💛 From all of us at AJ And Friends

26/07/2024

Success is Not Measured by What You Have, But by Who You Share It With 🙏🏻🤌🏻

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught up in the pursuit of material success. We often measure our achievements by the possessions we accumulate and the milestones we reach. However, true success is not about what you have, but about the people you share it with.

Believe it or not my goal is to age with as little “owned” assets as possible!

👫 The True Measure of true Success:
- Meaningful Relationships: Success is found in the bonds we build with family, friends, and colleagues. These relationships bring joy, support, and a sense of belonging. Who’s around your table?
- Shared Moments: The moments we cherish are those spent with loved ones. Whether celebrating a victory or overcoming a challenge, having someone to share these experiences with makes them truly special. When you win or loose who’s that person you call? Chances are if it’s the same person it’s “your person” 🫶🏻
- Community and Connection: Being part of a supportive community enriches our lives. It's the collective growth, shared goals, and mutual support that make our journey worthwhile.

🫶🏻 Why It Matters:
- Emotional Well-being: Strong relationships contribute to our overall happiness and mental health. They provide comfort, encouragement, and a sense of purpose which gives you authenticity (purpose & authenticity is a super power) 🙏🏻
- Legacy: The impact we have on others and the memories we create together form a lasting legacy. This is what people remember long after material possessions fade away. Ever hear the phrase “it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it?” That type of vibe - people often recall how YOU had an impact upon how they felt! I never grasped this until very recently 🦋 skills!
- Fulfillment: True fulfillment comes from knowing that we are loved, valued, and connected to others. It’s these connections that make our successes meaningful. In addition when you tap into YOUR own love ❤️ light 💡 again pretty life altering experiences

As we strive for success in our professional and personal lives, let’s remember to prioritize the people who make our journey worthwhile. Celebrate the victories, support each other through challenges, and cherish the moments spent together.

After all, it’s not about the destination, but the company along the way. The ride & how we spend time 🕰️ left!

Who are the people that make your journey special? Share your thoughts below!

Here is my dog Marley - he loves nothing more than spending time with me & him in the early hours of the morning when the birds 🐦 begin to chirp 🐣 softly we both relax in one another’s energy field, not wanting anything more than to sit with gratitude 🙏🏻

The chicken 🐔 tries to pop n too 🦋🤣🫶🏻