Mental Health in Care: The Myths the Sector Still Needs to Challenge

The care sector talks a lot about resilience. Less often do we talk honestly about the emotional cost of caring for others every single day.

Across care careers in the North West, there are thousands of compassionate, hardworking people supporting residents through dementia, complex needs, end of life care, recovery and loneliness, often while balancing pressures in their own lives too. Yet conversations around mental health in care can still feel surface-level, reactive or tied to awareness weeks alone.

From an HR perspective, we are seeing more conversations across the sector around burnout, retention and psychological wellbeing, particularly in frontline care roles. At Dovehaven, we believe that if the sector wants to improve retention, attract great people and truly become an employer of choice in the North West, mental wellbeing cannot sit on the sidelines. It has to become part of everyday culture.

Mental Health Awareness Week is a chance to challenge some of the outdated thinking that still exists within social care, because some of the biggest barriers to wellbeing are not workload alone, but the myths we continue to normalise.

Myth 1: 'If someone is struggling, they’ll tell you'

One of the biggest misconceptions around mental health in care is that struggling always looks obvious.

In reality, some of the people finding things hardest are often the ones still showing up, still smiling and still getting on with the shift. Care professionals are used to putting other people first. Many become experts at masking stress, anxiety or emotional exhaustion because they do not want to let the team down. By the time someone says they are struggling, they may already be completely overwhelmed.

That is why wellbeing in care cannot rely on employees 'speaking up' alone. It has to be built into leadership, team culture and day-to-day relationships. The strongest care environments are often the ones where colleagues feel noticed before they reach crisis point.

Dominique, Dovehaven Mental Health First Aider says 'I decided to become a MHFA because I never want people to feel alone. The training has given me the skills and confidence to offer support and guide colleagues towards the help they need, and I’m proud to be a certified MHFA. To me, being a MHFA means creating a safe space where people feel heard, supported and understood. Supporting mental health in the workplace helps remove stigma, build trust and create a more positive, resilient culture where colleagues know they are not alone.'

Myth 2: 'Burnout is just part of working in care'

This is perhaps one of the most dangerous myths in the sector. Yes, care work is emotionally demanding but burnout should never become something people are simply expected to accept as normal. When exhaustion becomes embedded into workplace culture, organisations risk losing good people quietly. Not always through dramatic resignations, but through disengagement, sickness absence, reduced confidence and talented employees deciding they cannot sustain a long-term career in care.

In HR, we often talk about recruitment challenges in social care, but retention matters just as much. People are more likely to stay in organisations where they feel supported, listened to and psychologically safe. For providers across the North West trying to improve recruitment and retention, this is super important. The future of care careers in the North West depends not just on attracting people into the sector, but creating workplaces where they can realistically stay, grow and remain well.

At Dovehaven, we are increasingly recognising that wellbeing is not separate from workforce strategy, it is workforce strategy!

Myth 3: 'Mental health support means reacting when things go wrong'

Traditionally, workplace wellbeing has often focused on crisis response: support after someone is already struggling. However, the conversation around mental health in care is shifting with more providers recognising the importance of preventative support, creating cultures where wellbeing is considered before burnout happens, not afterwards.

Sometimes prevention looks simple:

• Managers checking in properly
• Teams feeling psychologically safe
• Flexibility where possible
• Colleagues feeling listened to
• Having trusted people available for support
• Creating moments of connection during difficult weeks

Formal support matters too, but culture matters first. At Dovehaven, our support includes Mental Health First Aiders, counselling access through the Care Workers’ Charity, occupational health referrals, wellbeing forums and practical support pathways. None of these are 'tick-box' initiatives. They are part of a wider commitment to creating a more supportive working environment over time.

Chloe, Dovehaven Mental Health First Aider says 'I chose to become a Mental Health First Aider to support residents and colleagues, help reduce stigma and promote mental health awareness at Callands. I want to be someone colleagues can turn to for a safe, supportive and non-judgemental space where they feel listened to. Supporting mental health in the workplace is so important, and MHFAs can help recognise when someone may be struggling and guide them towards the right support.'

Myth 4: 'You cannot be an employer of choice in the North West unless everything is perfect'

The reality is that employees do not expect perfection. They expect honesty, action and progress. One of the biggest shifts happening across social care is that employees increasingly want to work for organisations willing to have real conversations, organisations that acknowledge challenges rather than pretending they do not exist.

Being an employer of choice in the North West is not about claiming to have all the answers. It is about creating a culture where people feel respected, supported and able to grow. It is about whether people feel heard. Whether they feel valued. Whether support is there when they need it. Whether teams feel psychologically safe enough to speak openly.

In other words, culture is built in ordinary moments, not branding statements.

Myth 5: 'Mental health conversations make teams weaker'

In reality, the opposite is often true - care teams are strongest when trust exists. When people feel safe to say they are struggling, ask for help or support each other without judgement, teams become more connected, not less professional.

There is also a growing understanding across health and social care that employee wellbeing directly impacts quality of care. Compassion fatigue, chronic stress and emotional exhaustion do not stay neatly separated from workplace performance. They affect communication, morale, confidence and consistency.

Supporting mental health in care is not separate from delivering excellent care. The two are deeply connected.

Amy, Dovehaven Mental Health First Aider says 'I decided to become a mental health first aider because I believe talking is the key to better mental and emotional health and helps build stronger relationships within the work place.Having suffered over the years with my own mental health, the good, the bad, the ugly, this is something I feel strongly about support within my work environment.'

What the future of care careers in the North West should look like

The care sector has always relied on compassionate people. But compassion cannot only flow one way.

If social care wants to attract and retain the next generation of talented professionals, workplaces need to evolve alongside the demands of the role. That means treating mental wellbeing not as an “initiative,” but as part of operational culture, leadership and retention strategy.

At Dovehaven, we believe supportive cultures are built through openness, consistency and a willingness to keep improving. Mental Health Awareness Week is an important reminder of that responsibility, not just for one week, but every week after it too. As employers, we have a responsibility to keep building environments where people can thrive, not just cope, because ultimately, building healthier workplaces is not only about protecting employee wellbeing. It is about building stronger teams, more sustainable care careers in the North West and better outcomes for the people we support every day.

Careers at Dovehaven

At Dovehaven, we are proud of the compassionate people who make our homes what they are. We know care is more than a job, it is about kindness, connection and making a difference every day. If caring is part of who you are, you’ll feel at home here.

Discover rewarding careers in care | Recruitment Dovehaven

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