Social Care Assessor Jacqui awarded BEM

One of our dedicated Social Care Assessors, Jacqui Hendra, has been recognised in the New Year’s Honours List.

Jacqui, from Plympton, works in the Ivybridge and Kingsbridge Community Team and was awarded a BEM for her ‘services to people with disabilities’.

As an assessor she works closely with learning disability providers, to support those with disabilities to, as she puts it, ‘build the life they want and to realise their potential and dreams.’

A strong advocate of the use of Individual Service Funds (ISF), a system which gives those being supported control in how their support is delivered and by whom, Jacqui has helped a number of other local authorities to develop this approach through supporting service development and thereby raising the profile of Devon County Council nationally as a result.

Jacqui has worked at Devon County Council, championing the cause of those with disabilities, for 25 years this month.

She thanked her husband and her daughters for supporting her though the years – and her granddaughter was so proud she even asked if she could take the medal into school for a ‘show & tell’!

Jacqui praised the disability lead in her area Liz Wood and the Assistant Director for health and social care in West Devon, Sarah Mackereth, for the ‘faith’ that they have shown in her. 

And Jacqui also thanked NewKey, a Kingsbridge-based disability service provider, for the work they have done together to improving outcomes for people through ISFs.

“I’m dedicated to supporting adults with disabilities to live their very best life,” she said. “And I want to thank Liz and Sarah for believing in me and in what I have strived to achieve. “They have supported me at every step.”