not working notice when on probationary period

young_fox

hello all,

i'm desperate for some advice and hope someone will help me: i know my problem is not related to money saving in any way, but don't know what else to do but ask on here

i started a new job four days ago as a care assistant in a large residential home, with no previous experience. i was looking forward to it and thought i would be good at the job, which i still believe. however, it hasn't turned out how i thought it would and i have spent the past three days feeling miserable, emotional and generally lonely while at work.

until my crb check comes through, i can't be left alone with residents, yet i've been left to do things i shouldn't be doing, like assisting with baths, toileting, etc. each day i've been 'paired up' with another carer, and each day i'm told different ways of how things should be done. i've witnessed members of staff critising other staff, been left without anything to do, and found myself wondering around looking for something to do when i should be with someone and learning the ropes. at one point i asked if anything needed to be done, and found myself being sent off to tell another colleague that her bacon sandwich was ready!!! that's not work, a task, or usefull! i feel totally out of my depth and don't want to go back.

the contract i signed states: 'the period of notice required from either party is 1 month (subject to the probationary period). if you leave without giving and working the correct notice you will not be paid for the notice period and you will be in breach of contract and liable to the employer for it's losses.'

my question is this: can i just take a letter of resignation in tomorrow, effective immediately? i can't bare to think of going in again tomorrow morning and would just rather cut my losses and put it down to experience. i'm really sad it hasn't worked out, but the thought of going back just fills me with dread and i burst into tears while at work yesterday (the shame!) luckily i was on a break and on my own:o

you don't know how much i will appreciate any replies xxx

LittleVoice

Hi

Sorry to hear that things don't seem to be working out. Do you have a friend you can talk to about this?

You certainly shouldn't be working on your own with vulnerable people if your employer hasn't yet received your CRB check documentation. So this - and the other things you say - suggest they are not going to give you best practice experience.

However, I wouldn't walk out right now. If you can brace yourself to go in tomorrow to give in your notice, you can probably manage another day. Take it one day at a time and you can look around for another position.

If you are working in residential care, the employer will know they have to have a perventage of people who have NVQ in Care. Have they offered to provide opportunities for you to gain this qualification. If they have, see when you will be enrolled for access to an assessor. The assessor (assuming it is not someone at your place of work) will be looking for good practice. They will also be a link to other organisations. Of course, your employer may say you have to pass your probationary period before they will commit to the cost of your training. However, I think there are probably streams of funding which your employer can access which would mean that it wouldn't cost them much if anything. In order to get a quick reply off to you, I haven't checked on this.

Take your current situation as a challenging one which should get better. The more experience you have (even if it is only taking messages from one member of staff to another) the better. And you should also become part of the team.

See your line manager/supervisor and ask if you can have a plan of how you can learn. It sounds like you may have been given some sort of plan but maybe it isn't being followed - perhaps because the people you have been placed with aren't used to this. They need to know you are not entirely happy - not in a threatening way of "I'm handing in my notice" but in a positive way that you are looking to improve your work for them.

If you don't have enough to do now - relax, you are being allowed an opportunity to find your feet.

I really hope things work out for you.

Lusignan

For probationers where I work, either party can terminate the employment with a week's notice. The probation period normally lasts for 3 months.

dawnydee73

Speak to your manager, if people just leave they need to know the reasons why and what can be done. I would give the job a couple of weeks as things may settle down.

Where we work if someone did leave in the first 3 months they have to pay the cost of the CRB which is £35

CFC

I can't find it now anywhere to confirm, but I'm pretty sure that with under one month's service with your employer, by statute either you or the employer can give one day's notice to the other party.

young_fox

thanx to you all for replying, i haven't gone in today except to hand in my resignation. the manager wasn't there, and i feel i can't talk to her about how i feel because two of the other care assistants are her daughters, another is her sister, and another is her brother in law, so whatever grievances/gripes i have are against not only her workers, but her family also. yesterday i was told one of the elderly residents was 'just an old cow', and another was refered to as 'the she-devil'.... i don't want to be part of this environment, it's disgusting.

and it wasn't a case of not having a lot to do, there was work to be done, i just wasn't being included. every other member of staff would be rushing about, and the person meant to be shadowing me just kept telling me to 'wait here' 'make a cuppa' 'just look busy' or 'follow such-and-such instead'. i want to earn my living through hard work, not just 'pretending' to look busy because i'm not being included.

thanks again for your replies, much appreciated xxx

Daisies

Good luck with your next job!

It might be worth phoning social services/whoever oversees care homes in your area and explaining your concerns about this one. It doesn't sound like a good place to work for anyone not related to the manager OR for the elderly residents to live!