Meet the Team: Jayne Kinsella, Championing Quality and Compliance at Sylvian Care
Tell us about yourself. What was your background before joining Sylvian?
I’ve been in working in care pretty much all my life really. I started as a care worker at the age of nineteen and have done a lot of different roles since then. Having been a care manager for a short time, I have to say it was the hardest experience in my life.
I’ve worked in supported employment, where I assisted people with learning disabilities to gain work. I’ve worked in brain injury units and, for the past ten years of my career, I’ve worked predominately in care quality. Immediately before joining Sylvian, for almost a decade, I was employed with another franchise company, so franchising has been a big part of my career, as well as quality. But this is the role I love; this is the forever role.
What does an average day at Sylvian look like for you?
There’s no such thing as an average day really – every day is different. Most of the time though, I’m supporting our offices with care compliance, so I’m often out on visits across our network. I help our care providers to reach the next level of quality – sometimes providers just need a push, and some direction, to go to the next stage. A lot of my role is helping people understand what ‘outstanding’ looks like and supporting them to get there. The part of the job I love is when that happens.
I also work closely with our care managers - leading workshops around regulations and their role. Likewise, we’re developing new training programme for our carers, which has allowed me to be a bit creative and enjoy something different.
No two days are the same, which I love. Even though you plan your day, there’ll be a curveball. We’re human and we’re working with people - something’s going to come along, but that’s what keeps you stimulated. That’s what keeps it different. That’s what keeps it interesting.
Do you have any personal anecdotes or memories that stand out from your time here?
We’ve recently just held our Care Professional of the Year award, and we’ve had a lot of amazing nominations to read through and shortlist– it was really difficult. Last year we interviewed our top three nominees, and it was the mostly humbling experience of my time working here. Normally, I only see care plans; I don’t meet any of the clients or carers, so the opportunity to actually sit and talk to the people that really matter in this company, our carers, was hugely humbling. Everyone says ‘oh, it’s just a job, I’m just a carer’, but the things our carers are doing out are really changing people’s lives.
We take for granted that these people are waking up at six or seven o’ clock in the morning, getting in the car, going to people’s homes and delivering some really intimate personal care. That presents some really challenging and emotional situations. Quite a lot of our carers talked about times when their clients had passed away, and how they supported their families. It’s not just a job; it’s an absolute calling for these individuals. They’re doing significant things to make people’s lives better, so I would say that experience has been the most significant and humbling in all my time at Sylvian. I felt really quite privileged to be a part of that.
What is the most rewarding part of working here?
I genuinely love it when care managers come to me for support. For me, it’s a sign that they feel safe to ask questions, to reflect, and to really think about what good practice looks like. Knowing that they see me as someone they can turn to for guidance makes the role feel meaningful and worthwhile.
Most of the time, they already have the right answer. They’re just looking for reassurance, a sounding board, or someone to help them sense-check their thinking. Watching their confidence grow in those moments is one of the most rewarding parts of my work. Often, all it takes is someone saying, “Yes-you’re absolutely doing the right thing,” for them to feel confident in their decisions and leadership.
I feel incredibly fortunate to work with such committed franchise owners and registered managers. I really enjoy supporting them with CQC preparation, audits, and governance, but also with the practical side of quality-refining and enhancing paperwork, strengthening care plans, improving policies and procedures, and making sure documentation genuinely reflects the care being delivered.
A big part of my role is also delivering workshops and training across the organisation. I love seeing how these sessions translate into practice-when managers and teams start using tools more confidently, thinking differently about quality, and feeling more equipped to lead their services. Supporting people through training, coaching, and continuous improvement is something I’m genuinely passionate about.
Ultimately, my role is about building confidence, consistency, and quality across services. Being able to walk alongside managers as they grow-while seeing real improvements in practice and outcomes for clients-is incredibly rewarding. It’s not just a job for me; it’s a privilege, and I feel very lucky to do what I do
What do you think makes Sylvian stand out in the elderly care provider market?
It’s not said enough, but we truly are relationship-led in every way. From the connections between our carers and their clients, in each location’s office team, and between us as franchisor, and the business owners we support. It’s important to us, you know. For our business owners, it’s that guidance, support, and ensuring they feel heard. We understand what it means to be a care manager and an owner. Relationship dynamics are so important.
I see how much it matters when I review a care plan, and I read the details that are all about the individual client. It’s not about simply about the tasks, or the actions we do to keep that client safe -it’s about what makes that day special for the client and how we play a part in that.
After a carer’s completed a visit, I’ll sometimes read the notes that they leave on the care system. I see some amazing things in there; it’s not just about making someone a cup of tea or their lunch. They’ll talk about the client’s favourite lunch and how much they enjoyed it, that they made them some jelly and they were delighted it, or how they like their tea, and which is their favourite mug. That’s what a real relationship is about – getting to know someone beyond care tasks. I honestly feel, hand on heart, that I work for an organisation that cares about everyone that works for it, and everyone it works for. And that’s just a fantastic feeling.
Inspired by Jayne’s journey?
Whether you’re an experienced care professional, an aspiring franchise owner, or simply passionate about raising standards in home care, we’d love to hear from you. Discover how you can be part of a relationship-led organisation committed to outstanding care.
👉 Learn more about joining Sylvian Care or speak to our team today.
Written by Luke Donley for Sylvian Care Franchising.