Nikira Greenaway is a residential childcare worker with children’s services, part of Newport city council. We asked her what it’s like to spend Christmas day at work.
Do you work every Christmas?
I normally work every other Christmas. It’s not nice having to work on Christmas Day, but we are a 24-hour service. Once you’re there it’s not too bad– it’s just the thought of going to work. I have a three-year-old boy so I don’t like the thought of leaving him. It’s not too bad for him because he will be with family and they’ll make a really big fuss of him when I leave.
Is it a difficult time of year to work in children’s services?
It depends. The first Christmas I ever worked we only had one child there because everyone else had family. She saw all the others going off with their families, but she was on her own. That was hard, it was heartbreaking, thinking that she’s got no-one. And at the end of my shift I was going back home to my family and she was still there … you feel like taking them home with you.
How do you make Christmas special for the children?
When there was only one child there we made a massive fuss over her. We made sure that she would not feel left out. She said it was one of her best Christmases because she could see we cared. It is rewarding to see them appreciate me working. You’re doing something for others; that side of it is really nice.
What will you do this Christmas?
The morning staff start at 8am and the kids will probably be opening their presents in the living room. We’ve arranged to go down to Cardiff on Christmas morning because there’s free ice skating. There are six children this year. It’s our duty to cook a full Christmas dinner. We also play games like Monopoly, watch Christmas films or put something on the telly and eat munchies.
Will the children be well behaved?
It depends on the dynamics of the group. At the moment we’ve got quite a noisy group and they’re all clashing. It’s been a rough few weeks. But they usually chill out at Christmas, so it’s not too bad really. Many of them have got plans to go to their families for a couple of hours in the day and then come back to us.
Do you mind working at Christmas?
Some people think it’s the staff who haven’t got children who should work, but I don’t think that’s fair. Before I had children I wanted to spend time with my family: I’m one of six siblings so we used to get together round my parents’. It shouldn’t fall on the people who haven’t got children. It’s meant to be if you work Christmas on year, the following year you work new year – but it’s not always done fairly.
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