The value placed on everyday professionalism

This special issue is focusing on the 'extraordinary ordinary' of everyday life in residential care. This is appropriate as daily life is not only the bread and butter but also the meat of the work. It is its main strength but also its main weakness. The residential care profession does not have its own distinct body of knowledge, and its status in the UK, unlike much of continental Europe, is low. The key to successful care lies primarily with the values and motivation of the workers.