Herts care provider welcomes EastEnders star's decision to retrain as care worker

Camille Leavold, CEO of Herts-based care provider Abbots Care, has welcomed the BBC’s decision to shine a national spotlight on the care sector through a new series fronted by Natalie Cassidy, saying the programme reflects the experiences of many people who have chosen to leave established careers in search of more meaningful work.

The BBC series Natalie Cassidy: Caring Together, launched as part of Caring Matters Week, follows the former EastEnders actress as she trains to become a professional carer and explores the realities of working in social care.

Camille said the story resonated strongly with Abbots Care, which has seen people from a wide range of professional backgrounds retrain as carers, including one woman from Welwyn Garden City who left a successful career in architecture and interior design to work in care.

Roberta, now a care worker with Abbots Care, studied architecture in Milan before moving to London in the 1990s and building a career in interior design and retail.

However, after more than three decades in the industry, she made the decision to retrain as a care worker after reassessing what she wanted from life and work.

“It was a successful career, but over time, it became competitive and superficial,” she said. “I realised I wanted my work to have deeper meaning.”

Roberta’s caring responsibilities outside work, including raising adopted children with additional needs and volunteering with vulnerable people, gradually shifted her perspective and ultimately led her into care professionally.

“That period changed how I saw everything,” she said. “Caring stopped being something I did alongside my job. It became the most important part of my life.”

She now works in an on-site care role within a supported residential setting in Welwyn Garden City and was recently recognised internally for her contribution to care delivery.

Camille said programmes like the BBC series could help challenge outdated perceptions about the profession and encourage more people to consider careers in care.

“It is hugely encouraging to see the BBC and Natalie Cassidy helping to bring care into the national conversation,” she said.

“Social care is one of the most important professions in the country, yet it is too often overlooked or misunderstood. Behind every great care worker is compassion, resilience and an incredible commitment to helping people live independently and with dignity.

“Stories like Roberta’s show that many people are actively choosing care because they want work with purpose and human connection. We regularly see people from other professions bringing valuable life experience and transferable skills into the sector.

“Care work is skilled, demanding and deeply human. We hope programmes like this help inspire more people to see social care as a profession to be proud of.”