A woman who has devoted almost four decades to working with the most vulnerable members in her community has been honoured at the social care Oscars.

Helen Leigh, 58, Operations Director (Hospitals) of Iris Care Group, was presented with a gold accolade at the Wales Care Awards 2024.

With typical modesty she says it is as much a credit to her team as it is to the work she has undertaken herself.

Helen, of Cowbridge, says her lifelong determination to help young people with learning disabilities stems from witnessing her parents in the 1970s and 80s struggle to gain support for her autistic brother, Jason, who was bullied at school.

After hearing her name announced as a prestigious Gold winner at the glittering presentation ceremony at Holland House Hotel, Cardiff, she said it is as much a tribute to Jason, all other members of her family and to her numerous work colleagues, as it is to her own career achievements.

She said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the Wales Care Awards. It was great to spend the evening with amazing people from across the care sector. It was so nice to catch up with people that I worked with across many years at the event.

“I was honoured to have been nominated in the first place and then to have proceeded to the final and get a Gold award was a very proud moment for me.

“On the night, I reflected on the long journey of the past 39 years working within the Health and Social care sectors and how wonderful it was that people were given the opportunity to come together and celebrate achievements and how we impact positively on the people we all support.

“The past four years have been the most difficult period of time that anyone in the care sector has faced, and to see us all there together was an achievement in itself. It shows that we are all resilient and no matter what, we have to do the best that we can each day.

“I would like to say that although I got up on stage to receive the award, I would want to share it with my wonderful team across Iris Care Group.

“Thank you Wales Care Awards for an amazing night!”

Helen received Gold in the category for excellence in learning disability and mental health services, sponsored by My Choice Healthcare.

The result was announced on the night by Bethan Evans, chief executive of My Choice Health Care. To tumultuous applause, Helen was presented with her honour by Dean Morgan, area manager of the Grey Matters Consultancy.

The event was organised by Care Forum Wales and attended by social care professionals from all around Wales.

Ontex Healthcare was the overall sponsor for the evening which was compered by radio and TV presenter Jason Mohammad.

Mario Kreft, chairman of Care Forum Wales, said the standard of entries was extremely high.

He added : “There are only winners here tonight so it is only fitting that the finalists will receive a gold, silver or bronze Wales Care Award.

“I trust that they will continue to inspire those around them as role models and encourage others to aspire to even greater heights in the months and years to come.

“This awards ceremony is our opportunity to pay tribute and to celebrate the talent and commitment that is improving the quality of life for thousands and thousands of people throughout Wales.

”We take our hats off to them.”

Helen, who lives with her husband Martin, started as a student nurse in 1985 and forged a pathway through the ranks from hands-on nursing into strategic management.

She has previously worked with the Rhondda Vanguard Team and Resettlement Team in mid-Glamorgan, where she oversaw a move away from large institutions to more community-focused support services.

She has been heavily involved in the commissioning of community homes and also worked with the charity Scope as a fieldworker supporting individuals with Cerebral Palsy and their families.

Today she is an Operations Director at Iris Care Group, covering their residential and additional learning needs services. She oversees 17 specialist homes across South Wales and South West England supporting more than 100 people with complex mental health needs, as well as Beechwood College, a specialist residential and day centre for over 60 young adults diagnosed as living with complex autistic conditions.

She is especially proud of her work with people on the autism spectrum.

Helen explained: “When we were children life was vastly different for anyone with complex needs. My parents struggled to secure support and there were few options available for Jason, as a result of which his education was affected, he was put into mainstream education and when his peers saw him as being different from themselves he was bullied at school.”

Resources for Jason have improved tremendously since those days. He is now happy in a supported living environment, while society has come to recognise the importance of providing targeted services to aid people with learning disabilities and mental health issues.

Helen said the biggest reward of her work is seeing how changes she and others make improve prospects for the vulnerable.

Helen was nominated by Sarah House, Operations Director (Hospitals) of Iris Care Group, for her outstanding service.

Sarah said: “Core to Helen’s leadership style is the belief that everyone needs to have a voice.

“Helen pulls the team with her to get the standards she requires. Her absolute priority is that service users must be safe and enjoy their lives and to do that it’s important that staff have the training that they need.”

The shortlist of finalists in each category of award was whittled down from hundreds of nominees in the social care sector from all over Wales.