Suffolk Care Awards 2026 Sponsor Spotlight: California House Physical Rehab Centre
This week’s sponsor spotlight is California House. They are a wellbeing-focused service, ensuring functional recovery in a homely environment led by trained staff using new technology. Sponsoring the Everyday Hero award, they tell us why they chose that award and an experience that has shaped their connection with social care
What does your organisation do that you would love more people to know about?
California House is based around physiotherapy and recovery it has state-of-the-art physio equipment, including an Altra G, which can be found in most Premier League training rooms.
What makes your organisation or your team special?
The team at California House have come together to set up, refurbish and uplift California House. The team of care staff, Nurses, physiotherapists, managers and admin have all worked together to put their stamp on a service to be proud of.
What does social care mean to your organisation?
Social care is the life and soul of our service. Many of our staff come from other social care services; many of our guests will be referred from social care and health services; much of our training comes from social care organisations and providers.
What do you think is special about the people who work in social care?
People who work in social care are talented, skilled, caring, empathetic, out-of-the-box thinkers; they generally put others before themselves.
Is there a particular person, experience or moment that has shaped your connection with social care?
Yes, it was in my first role as a support worker over 26 years ago. I was buddied up with a person who was going to be training me, but it was more than training; they inspired me-what could a job in social care look like, they challenged my thoughts and perceptions around social care and pushed me to think outside the box and to reconsider what normal is.
If you could change one misconception about social care, what would it be?
The idea that working in social care does not lead to a profession in social care or health.
Why did you decide to sponsor the Suffolk Care Awards this year?
As a new organisation, we were unable to make any nominations for ourselves; however, we still wanted to show our support to others working in social care.
Why did you choose to sponsor your chosen award?
The Unsung Hero felt important, as an organisation we recognise that it takes a full team to support people within our service. This includes people who guests may not see, people who go the extra mile not for praise but because they care, and also the people who make a small gesture that means a lot. These people who may not sing their own praises should be recognised in their own right.
What does it mean to you to help recognise and celebrate people working across Suffolk's care sector?
It is a privilege to recognise and celebrate people working in social care because we are all connected as a social care community; we are all working together for the same outcomes across the sector.
What would you like to see more of in Suffolk's social care sector?
I would like to see more sharing of good practice and great ideas; we are all working towards the same goals and ambitions within social care. There is great practice being delivered but not always shared across the sector.
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We’re very thankful to California House for supporting this year’s Suffolk Care Awards.
Find out more about California House on their website here.
Check out their social media below & hit follow.
Facebook: California House Physical Rehab Centre
Instagram: California_house_ipswich
Stay tuned for our next sponsor spotlight!