This is the day in the life of Kerry, our Nursery Operations Manager at Little Owls Day Nursery!

My name is Kerry Farquhar. I joined the hospice team on 22^nd February 2016 as Nursery Manager at Little Owls Day Nursery. I am now Nursery Operations Manager, and I am responsible for both nursery sites in Hull.

What inspired me to join Dove House was the opportunity to have leadership and management responsibility and a voice as to where the nursery brand led us in the future.

Everyone at the hospice is friendly and welcoming and I feel we are professionally led which makes such a difference.

The services and opportunities that Dove House make available to our community are truly unique and they are always looking to offer more. Nothing is too much trouble and it sure is what makes the hospice such an incredible place for anyone who comes through its doors.

Every day has new challenges which I love.

Many incredibly amazing moments have stood out for me but some that come to mind are witnessing achievements and boosts to confidence whether that be parents who try weaning or supporting home learning for the first time, children who achieve something they’ve never done before or staff who sometimes just need confirmation that what they were already doing or had planned was right and that they know the children they care for well. Our teams are wonderful and do a fantastic job caring for the children who come to our settings.
A typical day at the nursery for me is busy, there is never a minute to spare, logistics of staff numbers and recruitment, children arriving and leaving throughout the day, and conversations with staff, children, and families. Liaising with other professionals outside of the nursery and lots of work to improve the service we offer, staff supervision and well-being checks are invaluable when people open up about their lives, achievements, and struggles.

A cup of tea presented to me on arrival makes my day and tells me I am valued even when I haven’t been here for a few days as I have been concentrating on other areas of the business. It’s the small things that make a big difference within the nurseries!

Three of my biggest achievements since starting my role at Little Owls are building the reputation of both nurseries which are doing really well and even have waiting lists, establishing a great team and making profits that are put towards the running of Dove House which support us to be able to offer the services and develop what we offer.

My hopes for the future of Little Owls Day Nursery are to continue to develop the company’s reputation and to build on this with new settings in the future to make even more profits for the services Dove House provides its patients and their families. Increase the staff team and continue to be part of a team that values its people and strives to be positive passionate and professional.